Evening star., 1941-10-05
Boost in Sailor Bonus
For Hazardous Trips
Favored by Board
Increase From $50 to $50
Suggested by Defense
Mediation Agency
ur,LaAssoc,ate5 prs1

By the Associated Press.
The Defense Mediation Board, |
acting in a dispute between A. F. L. |
seamen unions and shipowners, rec
ommended last night an increase
from $50 to $50 in the monthly
bonus paid sailors for trips into
hazardous waters.
The board also proposed an in
crease from SIS to sl00 in q special
bonus paid to crews of American
ships going into the Port of Suez. |
plus s5 day for each day beyond
five days a vessel remains in that
port.
The board also suggested crea-
ton of a three member special
board by the President to handle
future war bonus questions with a
view to their settlement without
work stoppage.. .4..-
The dispute between the unions
and the companies tied up 26 ships
during an 11-day strike. On Sep
| tember "a the unions resumed work
pending consideration of the case by
the board. During the tie-up, the
Maritime Commission requisitioned
| three of the vessels and manned
two for sailings with defense sup
plies to island defense bases in the
! Caribbean.
Insurance Demand Rejected.
Involved in the dispute we're the
SeafarerS' International Union and
| the Sailors Union of the Pacific,
both A. F. L. affiliates, on the one
hand, and the American Merchant
Marine Institute, Inc; the Pacific
American Shipowners' Association
and the Watermen Steamship Corp.
on the other.
The S. I. U. demanded general
bonus rate of $3.50 a month, while
the s. U. P. asked $50 per month.
The employers offered a rate of
$72 monthly.
| The boards recommendation for
a special 500 bonus for calls at
the port of Suez compared with the
| unions demand for $500.
! The board turned down the
unions demand that the life insur-
ance of sailors be raised from 5000
to $4,000 1t also rejected a union
demand for the extension of the
war risk areas to include the Carib-
bean Sea. the Pacific Ocean between
the American continent and Hawaii
and Pacific Ocean north of Fiji
Islands.
The mediation boards recommen-
dations were accepted by the en-
ployers representatives, subject to
ratification by the individual COM
panies. and by Harry Lundberg,
| president of the S. U. P, subject
to the ratification of the union
t rank and file. John Hawk execu-
tive secretary treasurer of the S. I.
u, said he would present the rec
concentrations to the unions men,
bership although he was not fully
in accord" with them.
Plan for Special Board.
Announcing its plan for a spe-
clal board to consider any future
bonus questions, the mediation
board said:
The board concentrated particu-
larly on the long-run stabilization
problem. 1t evolved a plan which
provides that on certain definite
occasions such as the passage of
an act of Congress- or action by
the President or entry of a new
belligerent into the war, the SAIL
ors war bonus rules may be re-
opened by either party. When the
war bonus questions are re-opened,
the parties are under duty to meet
and negotiate at once. If they can
not agree, they may 60 to the di-
rector of conciliation, United States
Department of Labor. If he is un-
able to adjust the dispute, he is
authorized to refer it to a board
of three persons. appointed by the
President In the proceedings be-
fore that board. any interested
party would have right to be
heard. This presidential board will
undoubtedly follow a uniform pol
icy and will thus effectuate the
stabilization of the industry which
is the common desire of the men,
the owners and the Government"