The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-06-06
CityGas May
be Used up
Quickly

Members of tho local 269 OF the
State, County. and Municipal Work.
ers OF America, Go in the city gas.
sewer, sewage disposal, water. and
street departments. will strike
Thursday morning at Z o'clock.
Local President Carl Breisch an
nounced at l o'clock this after.
noon.
In prior strikes the union main
tanned skeleton forces at utility
plants but this time expected to
call all their men out. They an.
ticipate, however, that superintend-
ents will remain on duty.
Union officials estimated that
there is enough gas ahead to last
thu city until 1920 Thursday morn
ing at the normal rate of consump-
ton.
All city employees except two
exclusive Of the Office workers)
are members Of the union.
The union has stated that they
mean business this time, and
that, since "the city refused TO ar
bitrate the dispute as required by
state law, they will not be bound
by the 80 day notice prior to strik-
ing required by the same act.
The local claims that the letter to
the city council, dated May 90,
giving notice of dispute, is suffici-
ent notice under the circumstances
The strike action was voted in a
special meeting OF the local Tues
day night, with but six members
voting mo" on the secret ballots.
In protest over the city's claim
that there could be no increase in
wages, the membership cites eases
OF scattered increases. The superin-
tendents also have been refused a
raise by the city.
The union asks for a general in.
crease OF 10 cents per hour for all
workers. An increase in the cost Of
living and a decrease OF employ
ment In the city are part of the
basis for the wage demands.
Although the city has promised
increases for the past two years,
the employees protest that they are
receiving the same pay as two
years ago, and that smaller groups
of men are doing the work that
was done by much larger groups
before the war, although the popu-
lation has increased greatly.
Mr.. Breisch pointed out that the
gas and water departments are self
sustaining, a fact of which the city
has long been proud. and that the
sewer department, often referred to
as the construction department,
pays a large share OF its own way.
The city employees claim that 1t
would be possible to grant the in
crease without putting the burden
on taxpayers, on the grounds that
most, II not all. OF the increased Ia
Dor costs could be paid from the
present service rates. The increase
would cost the city less than $751;
ylO per year, they estimate.
FThe city council has met with the
union membership twice, May Is,
and June 4. A state mediator was
here at the Monday night meeting,
but the city said that the men were
paid as much as possible, and moth
ing further could be done about II.
Public Concern
Expressing the feeling that the
threatening strike of city employees
is a matter OF public concern and
one in which service clubs Of the
city should be particularly interest
ed, members Of the Kiwanis Club
Board OF Directors today named
their president, Simon f. Eager
strom, chairman OF committee to
confer with city officials.
Aim OF the club is to secure
peaceful settlement of the contro-
versy and so avoid the city wide
inconvenience that would follow
shutdown OF the gas plant and pos
sible curtailment of water supply.