Evening star., 1946-09-29
Power Strikers
Reject 5. PET.
Pay Raise Offer
Pittsburgh Union
Votes l,l70 to 553
To Continue Tieup
BY the Assoeioied Press

PITTSBURGH, Sept. %. --
Striking power union workers to-
night rejected peace proposal
from the struck Duquesne Light
Co, daShing hopes for immediate
settlement of a walkout which
has paralyzed business and in
duStry and created a tranSporta-
ton crisis in the city.
President George L. Mueller of the
union announced the vote was 1,17(
to 533. He told neWsmen:
The strike is still on
Mr.. Mueller declared the vote
taken at membership meeting
was on a motion from the floor te
reject an offer from the manage
ment involving 5 per cent pay
boost, in contrast with the 20 pei
cent sought by the employees.
Meanwhile, the big steel towns
power supply was waning rapidly
its transit system was shut down
tight and many thousands of work.
ers were in idleness from the strike
which started five days ago.
Suburban Water Shortage.
City officials disclosed tonight that
because of the strike it has stopped
supplying water from its reserve
supplies to a half dozen suburban
communities. One of these, Shaler
Township, reported it faced an i'm
mediate water shortage.
At tonight's union meeting. Mr.
Mueller said. the membership heard
IN detail the proposition of the
management for settling the walk
out, then gave its answer. Asked If
any other steps were in prospect
for settlement, he replied, that's
up to the company"
Mr.. Mueller claimed the 5 per
cent wage increase offered by the
company would be whitfield down by
per cent because each member
would have to contribute that much
to a new pension plan proposed by
the management.
Assured of Power Over Sunday.
Almost half of the unions $500
members took part in the voting
tonight.
Mayor David L. Lawrence said
he had been assured the power sup
ply would last over Sunday. 1t
would be Monday or later before
the area in which 100000 people
live might be Threatened with a
blackout of electrical energy.
Unlonlzed Streetcar workers and
bus drivers voted today to refuse to
pass picket lines set up by the
striking members of the Independent
Association of Employees of the Du-
quesne Light Co.
Ine action was taken by the local
divisions of the AFL-AmaIgamated
Association of Street, Electric Rail-
way and Motor Coach EMPLOYEES
representing $500 streetcar and bus
employees of the Pittsburgh Railways
Co. Both the light company anc
the railways company are subsi.
diaries of the Philadelphia Co.
Will Ask End of Picketing.
Mayor Lawrence. after confer
ence tonight with representatives
Of the motormen and bus drivers
SAID he would ask the power union
TO remove its pickets from the
streetcar barns and bus garages.
0fNrlalS nf tho IIaiay,
Ing the transportation workers an
nounced the membership unani-
mously was mot in sympathy with
the strike of Mueller's union" and
said IF pickets are removed perma-
nently we will return to work.
The tieup of $50 streetcars and 12s
buses stopped the main means O.
transit into downtown Pittsburgh
Normally, these systems handle
I'oOO,o00 fares daily. The transpor.
tatlon tieup made a problem ot
getting workers to their Jobs ever
IN businesses that were able to on.
crate.
Second Transit Stoppage.
Leaders Of the streetcar and bus
workers stressed throughout q
stormy three-hour membership
meeting that they were not strik-
ing but that the work stoppage was
necessary to respect the power
unions picket lines.
Streetcar service stopped early
this morning. the second time in 4e
hours. to give the membership an
opportunity to decide what it was
going to do.
While siding with the power work.
ers on the question of respecting
PICKET lines, Secretary Harold
smith OF the streetcar workers. de.
clared we will challenge" Mr.
Mueller ito explain why he will moi
let us work.
-Four representatives of the Cen.
tral Labor Union. also at the storm,
meeting of the Transportation
workers. pleaded that they abid,
ov their contracts, but none sue.
geSted they should pass picket lines
Another Challenge to Mueller.
Harry Tevis, business agent O
the Milk Drivers and Dairy Em.
ployes, said Il am not concerned
with breaking their strike, but the,
have no right to send pickets wher,
tney are not involved. I chalIene,
Mueller to put picket in front O
any diary where I have a con
tract"
The transportation meeting 70
out OF control several times witt
q dozen or so members shoutin
tsee POWER, Page A-5J