Evening star., 1940-08-01
Second Conference
In Progress Today
On Brickyards Strike
Leaders Agree Not
To Halt Construction
On Federal Buildings

A second conciliation conference
was In progress at the Labor De-
partment today after representa-
tives Of 400 striking workers in brick
yards agreed late yesterday not to
picket or attempt to halt construc-
ton on three projects of vital i'm
portance to the Nations defense
program.
Labor spokesmen stipulated that
unless the strike is settled by Tues
day brick deliveries will be halted
to the three projects-the new Navy
Yard buildings under construction,
and the Social Security and Rail-
road Retirement Buildings now be-
ing rushed to conclusion by Sep
tember Is, If possible, to provide
much-needed Office space for the
expanding Army and National De-
fense Commission.
Work Declared Stopped.
Larry Kelly, president of the La
borers' District Council. which rep
resents the Building Supply and
Material Yard Workers Unions in
volved in the strike to obtain high.
er wages and wider union recogni-
ton, SAID today that brick work on
other than the three construction
projects had ceased, pending the
strike settlement. Mr.. Kelly said
the brick workers on the other
structures had stopped work to pre-
vent picketing. so that other con-
struction work could proceed.
The striking workers in the brick
yards, Mr.. Kelly said, make an av-
erage of about SIG or SIT a week
but are required to work more than
40 hours.
One project affected by curtail-
ment In brick deliveries was the
Alley Dwelling Authority's low-cost
housing under construction near the
Navy Yard. Carpenters and other
construction groups were at work
there today, however.
All five brick manufacturing plants
were being picketed, labor spokes-
men said.
Repeated Delays.
A representative of the National
Defense Council was said to be sit
ting in on today's conference with
Labor Conciliator Howard Colvin.
Repeated strikes have delayed the
completion of the Social Security
and Railroad Retirement buildings.
1t had been hoped they would be
ready for at least temporary occu-
pancy by Army and defense units
by September l. This tentative date
was later changed to September is,
and there seems considerable doubt
now that the buildings will be ready
by that time, officials admitted.
Other Projects Affected.
Other construction jobs affected
by the strike, it was said, will be the
Navy Medical Center near Bethesda,
Md; the District National Guard
Armory, which, however, will not re-
quire brick for some time yet, and
the housing project at Fort Dupont
'oAh oAi AACdiAy ID klllfdCc pTOJcCUS
will be restricted unless the strike is
settled. =
Agents for the union said they
had been seeking to negotiate with
the companies for six months for
higher pay and union recognition.
William Kelly Of the United Clay
Products Co., one of the COM
panies involved, said the strike
came as a surprise to the manage
mentS. He said conferences at the
Labor Department had been in prog
ress for some time, but until yester-
day no meeting had been called for
the last fortnight.
Another strike developed here yes
terday when about rs laborers
walked out on the job of widening I
street in the vicinity of Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets
NV. in an effort to enforce their
demand for union recognition and
q contract.
Pickets were patrolling the prof.
At fodo,,