Evening star., 1940-03-31
Union Explains
lis Side Of Case
In Cafeteria Strike
Denies Insisting on
Closed Shop; Higher
Pay Asked

The United Cafeteria Employees
Local Industrial Union of the c. I.
o. has requested The Star to print
the following statement in reply to
reasons given by the Press Cafeteria
management for the strike now being
conducted by that union at the Press
Cafeteria. The statement was made
by Jack Mink, business agent of the
union. 1t follows:
1--WE believe it important for the
following corrections to be made
and the full facts placed before the
public about what has been said con-
corning our union by the Press Cafe
terra management.
81. 1t is alleged by the Press Cafe
terra management that our union
took the unqualified position that
there is no relation whatever be-
tween the wages company can pay
and the profit it makes and the
company further alleges that they
showed their 1899 Federal income
tax return to the union to prove
that the employer could not afford
to pay the higher wages our union
was asking.
Wage Requirements.
"The facts are that the union
never took the position that an EN-
ployer should be required to pay
good living wages without regard
to whether the employer was making
any profit, and the strike is not
based upon any such position. The
public knows, of course, that con-
siderable Federal legislation requires
a wage consistent with health and
decency to be paid by any employer
without regard to any other finan-
cial considerations the employer
may raise. The union, however
agreed that if the employer would
submit an actual certified profit and
loss statement to the scrutiny of
certified public accountant mutually
agreed upon by the employer and
the union, and if after that it were
shown that the employer could not
pay higher wages, the union would
recede from its wage demands. This
proposal was rejected by the cafe
terra management. Instead of that,
Mr.. Harvey Cobb president of the
company, produced an unnotarized.
unsigned copy of what he alleged to
be copy of his income tax return
which was not acceptable to the
union.
Interested in Job Security.
"2. The Press Cafeteria, through
Mr. Cobb, alleges that the union
wishes to take away from him the
right to hire and fire his employees
at will. The facts are that the union
is only concerned with achieving for
the employees certain degree of job
security which would enable workers
to be discharged only for good and
legitimate reasons. The union con-
tract in force during the past year
provided for the negotiation of diff
ferences that might arise between
the management and employees as to
working conditions and also concern
ing discharges. We claim that this
provision was disregarded by the
management.
"3 Mr.. Cobb claims that two of
his 'colored employees engaged in a
fight in the dining room and as a
result Of this. one of them was fired,
but the union demanded that this
worker be reinstated, which Mr..
Cobb 'righteously refused.
THE facts are that on the date
given by Mr.. Cobb of April 49, 1899,
there was crap game, not in the
dining room, but in the pantry and
not involving merely colored en-
ployes. but other employees as we'll.
The fight which resulted occurred
after working hours.
THE union did not insist that this
worker be reinstated. The union did
insist that Mr. Cobb live up to the
contractual obligations with ihe
union and discuss with the union
the question of this workers dis
missal, which Mr.. Cobb refused to
do and refused to submit to
arbitration.
Worker Is Accused.
"a. Mr.. Cobb further charges that
q Negro worker made improper ad-
vances and according to an al
legged affidavit from a girl placed
hands upon her person. Further
the same 'colored employe' is al
legged by another white woman work.
er of having attempted to assault
her
The facts are that without warm
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