Evening star., 1941-09-25
Is Ships Released
For Service as Strike
Of Seamen Ends
Consoir Dispute Goes
To Mediation Board;
Settlement Expected

BY the Associated Press.
A seamens strike for higher war
bonuses has been ended by an
agreement to negotiate the dispute
between the sailors and owners
before the National Defense Me-
diation Board.
The decision, reached yesterday,
released for immediate service 25
ships needed for transporting de-
fenSe materials and leaSe-lend
supplies. On Monday a conference
here will try to adjust the dispute
which involves the mariners de-
mands for a war bonus of $50 a
month for voyages to West Indian
waters.
Ships had been tied up by the
strike in seven harbors on the At
lantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts.
Dispute Goes to Board.
The Mediation Board took juriS-
diction in another dispute of vast
importance to the national defense
effort-the threat of a strike by
1900 A. F, of L. mechanics in the
Consolidated Aircraft Co. plant at
San Diego, Calf, which holds huge
orders for bombers. While 98.8 per
cent of the union membership were
reported to have voted in favor of
a strike, spokesmen for both the
union and management appeared
confident that the differences could
be adjusted without an actual walk
out.
The union has demanded q blanket
10-cent-an-hour wage increase.
The company's counteroffer called
for a scent raise and an increase
in beginners scales from 55-65 cents
an hour to COTS cents.
In the hard coal fields of Penn
sylvania about 400 of 10000 strik-
ing C.. I. o. United Mine Workers
returned to work yesterday after
walking out several days ago in
protest to an increase in union
thracite mines in the Hazelton,
Pa, area, remained closed. however
Operations Blocked Anew.
Approximately 500 picketing hard
coal miners roared through the
Southern anthracite area again to-
day, blocking anew all attempts to
operate any of the AZ collieries that
have been shut down two weeks.
Two collieries near here reopened
yesterday, but early today the pick
cts rolled up in 100 cars and locked
the gates. No workers attempted to
enter. There was no disorder. As
sured that the operation would re-
main closed, the caravan then moved
on to check up on other mines.
A mass meeting is expected to be
called soon to receive a rejection by
John l.. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, of their terms
for ending the walkout. which is
keeping $4,000 workers idle.
On another front the A. p. l..
Pittsburgh Building Trades Coun-
ell called of q 14-day strike on
construction Of the S., ,OOO, 900 Curtiss-
Wright propeller plant at Beaver,
Pa, and ordered 200 craftsmen to
return 10 Work To-Day.
In Pittsburgh the three-day strike
OF 159 truck drivers employed by
the city Bureau of Highways and
Sewers has ended, with strikers re-
turning to work under an agree
ment City Council will consider their
demands for wage increases.
Celanese Farley.
Labor Department conciliat ton Of
f1cialS met here with union and COM
pany officials in an effort to reach
an agreement on demands of a C.
I. o. textile workers union for wage
increases for employees of ,Celanese
Corp, Cumberland, Md
The union also seeks union shop
Labor Department officials said they
would not make public the present
wage rates and the increases sought.
Today's was the first joint meeting
with the company and union repre-
sentativeS. Previously, labor con-
ciliators had met separately with
representatives of both sides.