Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-27
Accord Sought
I'm Electrical
Strike Threat
Unions Decision
Affecting 200, 900
Due by Jan. 5
picture on Page BIZ
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.


Federal labor officials directed
their efforts today toward avert
ing a work stoppage in the cleo
trical industry as interest In the
five-week General Motors strike
shifted back here to the Govern
ment's fact-flnding board.
GIN officials promised to give their
answer this afternoon as to whether
they would appear when the board
appointed by President Truman re-
sumes its hearings tomorrow. The
board has ruled it will examine COM
pany profits and prices in airing the
80 per cent wage dispute with the
C1O United Auto Workers, and GIN
threatned to walk out over the issue.
CLIO United Electrical Workers set
January 5 as the deadline for a
strike decision among 100000 work.
ers OF GIN electrical divisions, Gen.
eral Electric and WESTINGHOUSE,
They are asking 50 per day wage in
crease.
GE Rejects Invitation,
The crisis in the electrical indus
try was precipitated when General
Electric rejected an invitation to
met here today with Edgar L. War
rem, chief of the Labor Department
Cancellation Service. WESTINGHOUSE
announced 1t would send representa-
tives mere for a conference January
2, only three days before the union
said 1t would set strike date.
Meantime, Nation wide tele-
phone strike was seen as the possible
aftermath of walkout scheduled
for January 3 by Western Electric
Co. workers in the New York-New
Jersey area.
Henry Mayer, counsel for the
Western Electric Employees Associa-
ton, affiliated with the independent
Federation of Telephone Workers,
said picket lines would be estab-
llshed around telephone operating
companies In the two States on the
day the strike begins.
Then, Mr.. Mayer said, if the strike
continued and additional pressure
was believed necessary to support
the union demand for a 80 per cent
pay increase, the association would
spread its picket lines to all Bell
System companies that use Western
Electric equipment and would seek
full backing from the federation.
Parent Groups Aid Promised.
Joseph A. Beirne. federation presi-
rent, said Western Electric strikers
would have the support of the par
ent group. He did not say how
soon the supporting action would
be taken, but added a strategy meet
ing would be held before the affi-
lates walked out.
A Western Electric spokesman
said the company would be willing
to resume wage negotiations. The
company has offered its workers q
Is per cent wage hike.
GIN and the JAW met. YESTERDAY
IN Detroit for discussion of issues
at local plants of the corporation.
The fundamental wage demand was
not brought up. JAW Vice President
Walter P. Reuther said his union
would send delegation to the fact
finding hearings tomorrow regard
less OF GINS position. He added
that insufficient progress was made
yesterday to warrant further post
ponement of fact-finding.
The GIN Investigating Board said
they would proceed even If either
party should bolt.
w. G. Marshall, WESTINGHOUSE
vice president, said the meeting here
Wednesday should not be taken as
an indication of any breach be-
tween the parties" The union con-
tends that negotiations with Gen.
eral Electric and Westinghouse
broke down last week. Talks are
continuing, however, with General
Motors, the other unit in the cleo
tr1cal industry's big three"
Warren Sees Serious Situation,
After two-hour conference with
the union representatives yesterday,
Mr.. Warren told reporters I'm
afraid it's a serious situation"
The union, in a statement issued
In New York, termed a strike lin
evltable on the basis of conditions
which exist at present"
1t scheduled a meeting of its
General Executive Board January
IS to proceed with plans for strike
action. The union membership voted
nearly S to in favor of a strike
in baloting conducted by the Ma
tional Labor Relations Board De-
cember Is.
The union said:
The co-ordinating committee de-
clded that all local unions be ad-
vlsed to complete Immediately all
their preparations for a strike and
to be ready to put into effect a
strike call on short notice"
James Matles, organization direc-
tor of the union, said after his talk
with Mr.. Warren yesterday that no
strike would be called at General
Motors SO long as negotiations
there are continuing, although a
sister union, the CIO Auto Workers.
presently is engaged in strike Of
175,000 General Motors employees.
Mr.. Warren said strike in the
electrical industry would be ga seri-
Gus aggravation" of national indus
trial problems.
He read a telegram from Vice
President E. D. Spicer Of General
Electric, describing Mr.. Waren's
Invitation to conference to discuss
the strike threat as q "misunder-
standing"
n