Evening star., 1940-04-29
Court Hears Union
Suggested Firm
1o5upplyConerete To
Teomsters Offered Strike
Settlement If Company
Was Used. Builder Says

A Federal construction project su-
perintendent today testified In Dis
trict Court that two of the Team
sters' Union officials on trial for vio-
lation Of the antitrust laws offered
to can of q strike on the project
if his company would accept con-
crete delivered by a firm they
named.
Peter Ellis, superintendent of con-
struction on a steam tunnel from
the Central Heating Plant to the
new Social Security Building, ap-
pearing as q witness for the Gov
ernment, told the court that the
teamsters' agents informed him
that the strike OF their dump-truck
drivers would continue as long as
concrete was delivered to the prof.
ect by ready-mix trucks driven by
members of the Operating Engineers
Union. The teamsters' oticials
named by Mr.. Ellis were Stuart M.
Keyser. business agent, and Linwood
A. Trainhazn. secretary-treasurer Of
the Drivers, Chauffeurs and Helpers
Local Union No. $50.
Sought Another Method.
The dump truck strike to which
he referred ran from September 18
to october 10, 1889. Asked by Wal
ter r. Hutchinson, Special Assistant
to the Attorney General, whether
during that time he had any con-
versation with the teamsters' off,
cials concerning "any other meth
cd you might use to get around the
situation the witness testified:
Il asked them If they could sug-
gest any method whereby I could
comply with their union rules, and
I don't recall that they told me any.
I asked them If they knew of any
company in town delivering con-
crete with teamsters' drivers on the
trucks and they said they didn't,
but they did then say, Why don't
you try to get your concrete from
McCloskey 81 Co., as the men on
McCloskey's trucks are teamsters,
and If you get concrete from Nc
Closkey, we will give you dump
trucks"
Mr.. Ellis had testified earlier that
concrete for the project, contracted
for by the T. M. Flanagahan Co.,
was being delivered by ready-mix
trucks operated by the Howat Con-
crete Co. The drivers of the trucks
were members of the Engineers
Union.
Couldn't Spare Any Trucks.
Mr.. Flanagahan later attempted to
get concrete from the McCloskey
concern, the witness stated, but was
unable to DIP SO because they we're
so busy with their own trucks that
they couldn't spare any trucks to
haul us any. concrete"
Mr.. Ellis said further under cross
examination that at no time during
his conversations with the team
sters'' officials was the subject of
wages and hours discussed.
John Shields, business agent OF
the local union of operating en-
gineers, testifying earlier, declared
that a special committee within the
American Federation of Labor
meeting to settle Nationwide diff
ferences between the teamsters and
engineers, refused to allow him to
present evidence in the local wrangle
between the two unions over the op-
Grafton of concrete-mixer trucks.
Under cross-examination by JOSEPH
A. Padway, chief counsel of the A. r
L., Mr.. Shields told the court that
the committee refused to consider the
local dispute on the grounds tina,
Jurisdiction over the -mixel
trucks already had been decided.
A decision in January, 1888, BY
Dr.. John A. Lapp, A. F. L. referee
was called to the attention of tn.
court during the defense question.
ing Of the witness. The defens,
has claimed that DR.. Lapp's rulinf
awarded the operation Of concrete.
mixer trucks to the Teamsters
Union.
Describing a meeting with bust.
(See LABOR TRTAY, PAGE All