Evening star., 1944-04-23
Bus Strike Ends;
Normal Service
Is Due Today
Drivers Vote to Go
Bock to Jobs After
WLB UItimutum

bus lines was resumed last mid
night after drivers voted, SO to
IL, to end two-day work stop
page that had affected 10000
Arlington and Fairfax County
commuters. Buses began running
at 11:55 pm. and were expected
to be operating on normal sched-
ules by $40 am. today.
Immediately after the vote, which
came at the end of stormy" ses-
sion at the Ballston Fire House.
drivers reported to work at the
Arnold terminal nearby. Company
officials said that by morning ser.
vice would be normal.
The decision to return to work
followed an earlier 125-to-6 vote re-
jecting 'WLB back-to-work order
issued Friday. Immediately after
this vote union officials appeared,
on WLB summons, at a hearing to
show cause why the strike should
not be terminated There the WLB
ordered the men back to work by
this morning on penalty of referring
the case to Economic Sterilization
Director Fred vinson.
Chairman William H. Davis also
warned he would ask the AFL
Amalgamated Association Of Street,
Electric Railway and Motor Coach
Employees of America to take up the
locals charter.
Urged to Resume Work.
At the drivers meeting last
night, o. j. Mischo, international
vice president of the union, said
he urged the men to return to work
and that the vote came at the
end of a "long, tough" session. The
drivers also were urged to go back
to work by Local President H. j.
Harris, j. G. Hodges, local business
representative, and j. Fred Kirch.
ner, Virginia Labor Department
representative.
The walkout-the scond in the
last five months-occurred Thurs
day night when the ITS union
members voted to remain in Com
tinuous session" over dispute
with the company on bonus pay
ment plan and arbitration pro-
visions in new contract
!, At the WLB hearing. Chairman
Davis cited the no-strike pledges
of AFL President William Green
and the heads of the union.
Mr.. Davis explained that the WLB
may report cases of noncompliance
TO the economic stabilization direc-
tor, who may then issue such di-
receives as he may deem necessary
to force compliance with the WLB's
orders. He could also refer the case
to the President who could order
Government operation Of the line.
Leader Blames Company.
Mr.. Mischo charged that the COM
pany and not the local was respons-
ible for the work stoppage. He ex-
planned that the men esometimes
find it hard to understand the tech
nicalities of WLB rulings" and that
when they received notice from the
company terminating the contract
and refusing to consider a new one
with provisions for arbitration and
the bonus system, then pending be-
fore the WLB, they resorted to
continuous session."
Mr.. Davis said this order would
not be hard to understand. 1T is
perfectly clear he said II will
state it again. First, no action will
be taken until the men return to
work, and second, the board makes
no special promises, but will take up
the dispute in due time"
Mr.. Davis said that after the men
return to work there will be no
further move necessary on their
part to assure consideration of their
case by the WLB.
Mr.. Davis added that appointment
of an arbitrator in the bonus fight
was within "a hours of considera-
ton when the walkout occurred.
Men sometimes wait around here
for a long time" Mr.. Davis said, "A
10 or IL day wait isn't much. I've
known Eli eli Oliver, the locals ar
bitrator) for a long time and 7
didn't hear thing from him before
this strike. He had the right to call
me personally over anything like
this
Recalls 1885 Battle.
Charging that the company, since
the local was organized in 1885, has
followed an antilabor policy, Mr..
Mischo recalled that a number of
drivers, discharged that year for
union activities, were ordered REIN
stated after the company had car
ried WLB order to the Supreme
Court.
Following the signing of the
first union contract on May 1s,
1887, Mr.. Mischo continued, the
union and the company failed to
negotiate a contract in 1899, and
(See STRIKE, Page A-3)