Evening star., 1946-03-30
|ProgressSeen
lin Move 10 Halt
'Vepco Strike
However, Union Aide
Says Tuck's Order
Will Be Defied

VIII De OeTle0
AS company and union repre-
sentatives, meeting in Richmond,
indicated progress in efforts to
forestall a threatened electric
strike in Virginia, an interna-
tional representative of the AFL
Brotherhood of Electrical Work
ers said today the union would
defy Gov. William M. Tuck's mi
litia draft maneuver and strike
Monday unless adequate arbitra-
ton machinery was set up.
The Richmond negotiators went
into separate sessions shortly after
at 10:45 am. to consider
new arbitration proposals submitted
by Federal Conciliator Lucien F.
Rye.
AS the parties retired to deliberate
on a stipulation governing arbitra-
ton, Mr.. Rye said one jor hurdle
in the threatened strike had been
passed. He evidently referred to an
offer by the company not to alter
previously agreed 171a cent wage in
crease if all issues were put to arbi-
tration.
Would Postpone Strike.
The union in return suggested i'm
mediate arbitration of the retroac-
tive pay issue which previously had
kept the parties apart. This would
automatically postpone the strike
threat a month, it was said.
In declaring the union would
strike unless the matter went to
James Preston. interna-
tional representative, said all the
union representatives agreed Gov.
Tuck acted without authority when
he invoked a 16-year-old law yes
terday and ordered 900 Vepco en-
ployes inducted into the organized
State militia to keep them on the
job.
Union PlanS Legal steps.
At the same time, Henry Kaiser,
counsel Of the AFL, said
the electrical workers would strike
back at the Governor with legal
weapons unless there is a settle
ment Of the dispute or arbitration
provided for by Monday He said
there were number of ways in
which the union could take legal re-
course
Leaders of the Electrical Workers
Union have reiterated their offer to
arbitrate retroactive pay issue,
which stood as the only barrier to
settlement of all issues, even be-
fore the Governor intervened.
Bolstered by Gov. Tuck's decree
that the lights will stay on in Vir-
ginia, the companys counter-pro-
posal is a demand that all issues
hitherto settled must be included in
arbitration and the union must
withdraw its strike threat.
The unprecedented move of draft
ing the Vepco employees to keep
them from walking out Monday was
designed by Gov. Tuck to prevent
in power service to two
thirds Of Virginia and small sec
tions of West Virginia and North
Carolina, with a combined popula-
ton of about 100000.
Says Workers Will Quit.
James B. Wells, president of the
union local in Northern Virginia,
which includes Alexandria and Ar
lington. said "the union will leave
the job Monday regardless of the
fact that the State has taken over"
Should a strike develop, the
VEPCO employees would be called
into active" duty and would be
subject to the orders of Gov. Tuck,
For refusing to work, they could be
court-martialed and if found guilty,
would be liable to a maximum fine
of 5000 or 200 days in jail.
Led by William Green, president
OF the American Federation of
Labor, union leaders blasted the
Governors move. Mr.. Green said it
was involuntary servitude."
E. L. King, president of the Nor
folk Central Labor Union, said he
was speaking for the Executive Com
mittee and 1000 laborers when he
wired Gov. Tuck:
Unless you and the owners OF
the Virginia Electric & Power Co.
recall your dictatorial order. every
laborer in Virginia will take the nee
essary steps to make ineffective your
dictatorial action
Governor Stands Pat.
While others joined in the clamor
with similar statements, Gov. Tuck
stood pat with this explanation:
In this emergency my sole con-
Germ is to see that electric power
is not cut off, 1 am not at this
time trying TO solve any social, eco
nonlic or labor problems. They can
be solved in the weeks, months and
years that lie ahead. I am simply
exercising my duty and the powers
of the high office which I hold to
see that suffering. death and devas-
tation do not come to Virginia"
Adding weight to the blunt state
ment of Mr.. Green. that the
"AFL will never acquiesce," E.
j. Brown, president of the electrical
workers union, said he believed
Gov. Tuck had acted without proper
authority and the union was await
ing legal advice as to how to pro-
ceed from here
Draft Orders Carried Out.
The contract negotiators had
agreed on a 1712 cent hourly wage
increase when they hit snag on re-
troactive pay. The company offered
to pay 5 per cent of the employe
earnings since April l, 1945, but the
union asked for 10 per cent.
Serving of draft orders on Vepco
was carried out by regular
State guardsmen without incident.
The orders were served under a law
recodified in 1880, but actually dat
ing to Colonial days in one form or
another. The law makes it manda-