Evening star., 1945-10-11
.WLBGets Plea
For 3O96 Boost
In Bendix Pay
Typical Case Involves
5000; Effort to End
Coal Dispute Pushed
TRUCK DRIVERS vote strike; time
left to union Executive Board.
Page Az
COURT RULING sought on police
opening of oil worker picket lines.
Page B-1
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.

bach today renewed his efforts
to end the coal strike as Fed
eral officials continued prelim-
mary discussions looking toward
establishment of a new wage
policy that would reduce indus
trial pressures.
AS the Secretary met with soft
coal operators and John L. Lewis
mine workers at II am, the number
of miners made idle by the strike
scared to $4,000. In all industries
the total of those off the job because
of strikes held at 450, LOCO, despite re-
turn of $4,000 textile workers.
Meanwhile, the War Labor Board
had before it a typical union de-
mand for 30 per cent higher wages
to offset loss of overtime premium.
The case involved 5000 workers of
the Bendix Aviation Corp. There
was no indication what action WLB,
in process of liquidation, would do.
Adde's Presents Bendix Case.
George Adde's, secretary-treasurer
of the CIO United Automobile
Workers. personally presented the
Bendix case to the board late yes
terday. He said petition for strike
vote would be filed and indicated
the workers, now making automo-
bile parts and home appliances,
would strike unless WLB handled
their demand.
The United Automobile Workers
(CIO) after obtaining what union
officials described as approximately
a 80 per cent wage increase from
the Wright Aeronautical Co. of
Paterson, NJ j.. turned their atten-
ton to other airplane and airline
companies.
r. j. Thomas. UAW-CIO presi-
dent, described the wage increase
obtained from Wright as "the first
compliance by a major corporation
with the unions wage program"
Mr.. Schwellenbach has talked
about rushing wage-price test cases
through WLB, and advisers of Re-
conversion Director Snyder were
said to be agreed that the Govern
|ment soon must loosen wage con-
trols which now prevent pay hikes
that result in price increases.
Concern Felt Over Problem.
Although the issue is not involved
in the coal strike, most of the re.
cent wave of work stoppages have
been caused directly by labor's de-
mand for 80 per cent higher wages
to compensate for a reduction in the
work week to 40 hours
There was no indication thai
either Mr.. Snyder or President Tru-
man shared the view that controls
must be loosened, but both are
known to be concerned over the
reconyersion labor problem
Mr.. Snyder's economists and ad-
visers were reported as unanimous
in support of new wage policy
declaration. They have suggested
that the general level of base pay
be raised as much as Is per cent.
They believe such a pay increase
can be given without increasing cost
of goods more than 21s per cent.
The reconversion director was de-
scribed as gravely concerned with
the inf1ationary threats of such a
program, and somewhat puzzled as
to how to apply an across-the- board
wage formula to all industry since
labor costs vary so greatly.
Steel Plant Shut Down.
A strike at the American Steel &.
Wire Co. shut down operations of
the Donora (Pa) plant and kept
1920 workers off the job. The COM
pany said a strikers demand for a
tonnage rather than hourly wage
rate was in the process of being
handled under contract procedure
with the CIO United Steel Workers
A Kentucky bus strike, originally
set to start this morning, was being
held in allegiance pending confer
ences between the Blue Ribbon Bus
Lines and representatives of the
drivers union.
WOiity SAtlCC anu CA SklidAlCI CClll-
munitieS in Massachusetts were
threatened with a strike call for
Saturday of 1900 street railway
workers.
Mr.. Lewis and coal operators were
still oeadlocked over the UNIV de-
mand for recognition of it's mine
supervisory workers union. Mr.
Lewis has agreed to order his men
back to work if the operators con-
"ent to negotiate the foremen's issue
Management fears that agreement
to negotiate would jeopardize its
position that supervisory workers
are a part of management and
not an appropriate" collective bar
gaining unit.
Just what action the Government
will take If efforts to end the coal
strike breakdown today was not
clear. The mines could be seized
but officials pointed out that such
action did no good last spring when
anthracite miners stayed off the job
(See LABOR, Page A-20.)