The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-11-13
GOOD CHANCE TO WIND up SHIP STRIKE
Federal Mediator Looks for Settlement = Union
 Circles Cautious

Circles Cautious
 BULLETTN-SA FRANCISCO, Nov 13-Basis for settlement of the month and a half old West Coast maritime strike has been achieved, with an announcement likely within the next "A to 48 hours, it was indicated reliably to- day.
 Dr. Nathan P. Feinsinger, Feder- al mediator, emerged from the closed negotiating sessions to say the. only real obstacle" to mari time peace, the preferential hiring issue, has now been removed
 No final agreement was expect ed today in view of a further meet ing scheduled tomorrow at 10 a. m. between ship operators and the AF'L Masters, Mates and Pilots.
 However, ship owners have ad- vancsd several demands in connect ion with overall negotiations. These are
 l. Withdrawal by Harry Bridges of the $6 100000 so-called "nuis- ance suit" against shipowrers.
 2. Assurance by the lLWU again. st repetition of the Goes Bay (OreD port tieup as result of julisdictional difference between the CIO long shcremen and other CIO GNU unions and the AFL sailors union cf the Pacific. a 3. Assurance that all work stop page disputes be settled by arbi- tration with prompt resumption of waterfront work.
 The marine engineer and ship owners also had under discussion the issue of transportation pay and the definition of the duties Of li- cersed officer
 Chief stumbling block, it appear ed, were the operators Coos Bay demand and the MEBA definition of officers work.
 SAN FRANC-1CO, Ncv. 13.-The breaking of a deadlock over a criti- cal union security issue for CIO marine engineers brough the Pacific Coasts 42-day-old maritime strike within reach of settlement today, with Federal Mediator Nathan P. Feinsinger declaring there is a very good chance the whole thing will wind up"
 Union spokesmen were more cau- tious in predicting an carly end to the tie-up, but negotiators for both employers and the three unions in- volved were agreed that the com- promise on the engineers union had cleared one of the largest stumbling Blocks to maritime peace in the Pacific.
 Meeting Today
 All parties to the dispute were scheduled to mset again today.
 The compromise, arrived at yes terday, provides that the employees will agree not tc engage in anti union activities nor attempt tc ln- terfere with the internal affairs ot the union, which is the Marine En- gineers Beneficial Association.
 Originally the MEBA had sought rotational hiring for union mem bers, pointing to Eastern and Gulf Coast settlements of a similar dis pute by employer acceptance of preferential hiring.
 Object to Clause
 The Pacific American Shipowners Association, however, maintained such a clause would interfere with the ship owners demand to have a voice in assigning officers to their vessels.
 The compromise version must still be ratified by the MEBA member ship and by the PASA, but pr Feinsinger expressed hope it would be approved and declared:
 This clause, arrived at in give and take collective bargaining, is going to do more to insure harmony in this industry than any clause that could have been recommended or arrived at by any outside agen- cy."
 Final agreement on this point, ac- cording to Dr. Feinsinger, shoulc clear the way for signing con tract also with the AFL Masters Mates and Pilots and the Cio In, ternational Longshoremen's anc Warehousemen's Union.
 Other Issues. Settled Other major points of issue in thu strike, including higher wages, over time pay and an ILWU- Waterfront Employers dispute over the work ing of steam schooners, were set tied some time ago.