The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-08-02
Strike

Continued from Page One)
which a public utility is affected
reads as follows:
In the event q dispute should
arise between employees and en-
ployer, where the employer is
operating a public utility, or hos
pital, or any other industry affect.
ed with a public interest and be.
fore any strike shall be engaged
in or put into effect or before any
lockout or change in normal opera.
lions shall be made, the notice pro-
yided In section nine hereof must
be given and there must be no
interference with production for a
period OF 80 Gays from the giving
or such notice, during which time
the governor snail appoint three
qualified and dis;nlerested rest
dents OF the state as a special COM
mission which shall undertake to
mediate the dispute. Said special
commission may prescribe rules
and regulations governing proce-
dure, and may incur such expenses
as shall be necessary to be paid as
a part OF the expenses OF the board
provided for by this act. The find
ings Of said commission shall be
reported TO the governor Failure
TO give the notice as provided for
in this section shall be a INSIDE
meanor and punishable as such"
Decide Tuesday
Decision TO strike was made at a
meeting Tuesday evening at which
city council, representatives of the
city employees and a representative
OF the state mediation board failed
to reach an agreement.
In announcing the city's stand
Mayor Ross X. Bower said. II think
this council has considered It's obli-
cations to the taxpayers and to the
employees. You're good bunch OF
employees and we're all friends We
feel we couldn't take any other &C.
ton"
He pointed out that the danger
in cutting on gas service will come
when service is restored as at
that time forgotten pilot lights will
present the danger OF explosions.
He told the workers, you're strik-
ing against Ypsilanti your rela-
tives, your friends, your fellow
citizens"
Efforts to reach basis for com.
promise had been made by Robert
4. Lomasney OF the state labor
mediation board. Since dissatis-
faction over classification methods
had not been brought to attention
of city officials through the proper
grievance procedure. he suggested
that that consideration be referred
back, to the grievance committee.
This left three questions on
which there was no solution
reached: q discharge OF one
man; (2) demand for increased
wages; (2) demand for a closed
shop
The Board OF Public works main
tanned that IL is essential TO reduce
costs in the gas department and
that one man was laid off for this |
reason alone. The workers, on
the other hand, maintained that |
there Is a definite effort to OBJ !
struct union interests. They claim |
that a man who was dismissed |
Saturday was needed Monday |
when a gas leak developed on En-
erick St
Speaking for city employees, Rob-
ert Wienstein, Michigan regional
director for the State, County and
Workers Of America, Is
sued the following statement:
I'VE feel that the mayor, who is
a real estate dealer, has apparent
ly given real estate precedence in
living wage to city EN-
ployes. The whole city council
has been derelict in its duty In
not meeting this situation. The sit
down strike which they are now
is not in the best inter
est OF public service"
The wage scale for city employ
es ranges from 80 cents an hour to
81 .O5, for 40 hours, with time and
a half for all over 40 hours. The
regular week is IS hours. Ten days
sick leave is allowed and two
weeks vacation each year.
Z 7. EI