Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-11
Farley Sought
.AsEngineers'
Spreads
300 More Workmen
Out; Building Counci
Seeks Settlement

Va oONCAlu llCllI dlAu plAfdUC COll-
struction at eight projects in this
area, sought to get together today
with the help of the Washington
Building and Trades Council, whose
members have refused to cross picket
lines.
Acting at the request of the Navy
Department, the National Concilia-
ton Service also was attempting to
mediate the strike Howard Colvin,
NCS director, said he hoped for
favorable results this afternoon.
Army labor relations reported
that the Corps of Engineers had re-
quested the Building and Trades
Council to urge workmen to cross
the picket lines. The Army spokes-
man said assurances of every CO.
operation possible was given by the
building council.
$500 Workers Affected.
More than $500 American Fedora
ton Of Labor workmen were in
volved in the strike. which spread
today to the T. Calvin Owens Con-
struction Co.'S 100000 colored
housing project in Lincoln Heights
Three hundred men who were at
work there before picket lines were
formed yesterday found three pickets
awaiting them today and declined to
work.
John Locher, president of the
building council, said an effort was
being made to arrange meeting
between the Master Builders AsSo-
citation and Local % of the AFL In
ternational Federation of Technical
Engineers, Architects and Drafts
men. The MBA represents the
Harwood- Nobel Construction Co.
and John McShain. Inc, contractors,
against whom the engineers are
striking on seven projects.
Both Sides Asked to Meet.
The Cancellation effort grew out
of two meetings last night. At one,
the Building and Trades Council
recommended to a committee from
the. master builders that they meet
with the engineers as soon as pos
Sible to effect a settlement, Mr..
Locher said.
A committee from the council
then called on the engineers, who
were meeting in the Ambassador
Hotel. The engineers agreed to
meet with the contractors and to
terminate the strike as soon as the
meeting was arranged, Mr.. Locher
added.
He said that Randall Wyant, sec
rotary of the Master Builders Asso-
citation, was conducting poll
of members today to determine
whether they favored the discus
sionS. Mr.. Locher predicted the
contractors would be reasonable and
agree to the meeting within the
next few days"
Mr.. Wyant said it was very likely
some decision would be made late
today by the Master Builders Ex-
ecutive Committee and there was q
chance the engineers would with
draw the picket lines, pending ne
gotiations.
Action on an application of Loca
% for affiliation with the Building
and Trades Council was deferred b!
the Executive Committee, pending
settlement of the strike, Mr.. Lochel
said.
Meanwhile MtShain Co. official
admitted today a complete shut
down for the second day of con-
struction at Georgetown University
Hospital here, Navy Bureau o
Yards and Docks project at Airing
ton, an Army Map Service building
at Dalecaria and project at tbs
Bethesda Naval Hospital.
These projects alone were said II
involve some $50 workmen and NOR,
than $10,000,000 in contracts.
Only Eight at Work.
At Fort Belvoir, where HARDWOOD
Nobel Co. is constructing seven shol
buildings for the Army engineers
the company superintendent salt
only eight roofers of a potentia
force of $50 workmen were on tn
job. He could ascribe no reason
why the eight. also members o
the Building Council, elected t.
ignore the picket line.
Only a few men were workin
at a $4,500,O00 project at Andrew
Field, Camp Springs, Nd, an Arm
spokesman said. Construction o
an administration building and per
manent officers quarters was prac
tically at a standstill.
One construction superintendent
said he had observed some ''grum
bling" among craftsmen workin
for the McShain Co. They felt the
were being thrown out of work b
"a handful of six engineers" h
said.
IF one craft should break tn
picket lines, I think all would fol
low," he said.
Strike Vote Challenged.
Sixteen votes were cast in tn
strike poll taken by the engineer
Monday, but company officials insis
several of these were by nonuniol
CllS AlACClo anu NOiAipoAAJ oNPSA AAAOSAAA
entS. Union officials retaliated witt
the statement that any engineers
union or nonunion, were entitled t.
vote under terms of the election
conducted by the National Labo
Relations Board.
The result of that vote was eigh
ballots against a strike, five for ant
three challenged.
The engineers union is seekin
recognition from the three contrac
tors involved in the dispute and
contract calling for wage adjust
ments, time and half for overtime
sick leaves and vacations with pay
/ The negotiations dispute was re
ferred to the Philadelphia Regiona
War Labor Board June Is, but NJ
decision was handed down prior t.
the strike. The WLB so far ha
taken no action in the strike itself