Evening star., 1946-02-19
New Contracts Signed
Covering $4,000 in
Nation S Steel Plants
BY the Aesoeioi... Press

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 19.-Approx-
imately 427,oO0 or more tnan S. per
cent of the 10000 CIO United Steel
Workers who went on strike January
81 were covered today by new con-
tracts.
Every basic steel plant has signed
up. granting an 1871 cents hourly
wage increase to about $50 1000
employees
The same pay increase was gen.
eral throughout the field, although
there were exceptions. Aluminium
Company of America gave a 19-cent
increase to avoid the extra book
keeping involved in juggling a half
cent.
A total of SO contracts have been
signed, including sc with fabricating
plants. BY signing a contract some
OF the fabricators gave pay raises as
high as Is cents an hour, others as
low as 5 cents-the figure depending
in some cases on the average wage
previously in effect at the plant.
Murray Sees Era of Peace.
Union officials were jubilant.
Philip Murray, president of the
CIO and the steel workers, said
its reasonable to predict that with
in the next 10 days the entire fabri-
eating industry will be signed up.
1T Is the beginning of an era OF
peace"
David J. Mcdonald, secretary
treasurer of the USW, said union
headquarters was kept more than
busy with calls from companies
wanting to sign up.
From the Tri-State Industrial
Association, Pittsburgh area or
gsnization representing Sc fabricat-
ing plants with total of $4,000
came a voice of dissent.
Questions Price Withheld.
Ray Booth, tri-State secretary
asserted: How can a fabricating
company which already was losing
money even before the strike, be
expected to grant a wage increase,
pay more for its raw material (and
not even know how much), and at
the same time not be allowed to
increase the price of the products
it makes and sells?"
Mr.. Booth declared Government
failure to give fabricators the same
kind Of relief afforded basic steel
left them in the middle. The OPA
boosted the price of basic steel IS a
ton.
He said only two of Tri-States'
members had signed new contracts
with the USW.
Until Washington gives price re-
lief, very few of these companies will
be able to open, Mr.. Booth said.
adding 'the strikes still on and they
don't like it,
Jones & Laughlin Sign.
Last of the basic steel concerns to
sign up for the 1872 cent boost was
Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. of
Pittsburgh, whose employees walked
out two days before the general
steel strike. The company also dis
closed a plan for salary adjustments
was being formulated.
The Bethlehem Steel Co. near
Johnstown, Pa, which resumed work
yesterday, faced new wage demand
from the USW-a 80 per cent pay
raise for the 300 maintenance and
clerical employees who operate the
Conemaugh g. Black Lick Railroad.
This railway runs in and about the
company's 7-mile-long string of
plants, Bethlehem subsidiary.
Two United States Steel Corp.
ubsidiaries-Carnegie- Illinois and
National Tube-announced q plan
for collecting the S. a ton boost in
basic steel which became effective
February Is. The companies said
materials shipped now will be billed
at prestrike prices and that revised
billing applicable to specific in
creases on the material will be given
later. These specific increases, the
companies said, may be more or less
than IS a ton.