Evening star., 1939-06-12
Carpenters Join
.Ldborers in
Wage Strike
1000 in WuIkout
Holting Nearly All
Major Building Here

With an estimated 1000 carpen-
ters idle in a strike for higher pay,
work on nearly all major building
projects in the Washington area
was halted or seriously crippled to-
day.
Carpenters struck this morning
as the climax to more than three
months of unsuccessful negotiations
for higher pay and shorter work
days. They joined with more than
l,5O0 buildings laborers who struck
a week ago for higher pay.
Contractors and union officials
agreed that all major building ac-
tivities here were affected, with the
exception of the National (Mellonl
Art Gallery.
Vermilya Brown, Inc, the con-
tractors building the gallery, signed
tentative agreement with the
union providing for a Sl3-a-day
wage and eight-hour day An agree
ment also was signed with the la
borers, giving them an increase in
wages. Workers were returning to
work on thes gallery project, the
largest now under way here.
Request by Trustees.
Donald D. Shepard. one of the
Mellon trustees. explained the gall
lery is a monumental building and
that in keeping with Mr.. Melons
wishes to have it completed and
occupied as soon as possible the
tYi1S
firm to reach an agreement if pos
sible with the union.
Mr. Shepard added that the agree
ment is only temporary. 1t would
be replaced, he pointed out, by a
general agreement reached by the
union and the Master Builders AS
sociation.
Work on other major projects was
halted entirely or seriously crippled.
These included the Health Center
at Bethesda. Md; the Doctors Hos
pital, the jefferson Memorial and
a number of substantial private
projects.
Meanwhile, Howard T. Colvin,
Labor Department conciliator, re-
sumed his efforts to effect settle
ment. He said he hoped during the
day to arrange conference between
committee of contractors and
union representatives. in an effort
to settle the strike of laborers.
Apparently. no moves had been
made during the morning to arrange
new conferences between the car
penters and the Master Builders
Association.
There was no trouble in connec-
ton with the strike of carpenters.
! Union officials said there would be
no picketing unless an attempt was
made to employ non-union workers.
Only a small number of strikers,
carpenters or laborers. were gath
cred at the struck projects this
morning.
Tentative Agreement.
On one-the Jefferson Memorial
four men employed on drilling rigs
and two engineers went to work, ap-
parently owing to confusion about
instructions. They stopped work
shortly after I'm. after telephone
call from union representative.
J. T. Oakley, secretary of the
Carpenters District Council, said
tentative agreements had been
reached with several firms in addi-
ton to the art gallery project, which
would permit men to resume or
continue work.
! Mr.. Oakley estimated that with
/ the teptatjv apreemeptS tn he
signed during the day, 500 to 600
persons would be affected. He
added that such tentative agree
ments were with a number of indi-
vidual contractors on small jobs.
Mr.. Oakley estimated that 1000
carpenters are on strike. He said
the accurate number would not be
available before tomorrow. as reports
will be made all during the day and
tonight.
Frank ]. Sheehan. secretary of
the Builders Association, said he
had no estimate of the number
striking. He added, however, he
had checked this morning and with
the exception of the art gallery
work was halted on practically all
major building work
Other than the art gallery con-
tractors, Mr.. Sheehan said he knew
Of no contractors who had signed
tentative agreements.
Union representatives advanced
the tentative agreement proposals,
calling for an increase of 121a cents
c.. cIrrDIDE n.-