The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-04-04
Negotiations For Contratf
 Begged Down
Exclusion of Alaska from Pacific Coast SeftIe-
 ment Is Issue

Ships still sit tied up in Alaska ports with practically no progress being made toward negotiation of longshoremen's and the warehouse mems demands for new working contract with increased wage scales, plus distribution of retroactive pay back to the fall of 1914
 The retroactive pay demanded was ordered under two War Labor Beard directives, union spokesmen here state. An agreement recently concluded following strike threat in West Coast ports of the United States secured $8.000 900 retroactive pay for workers along the West Coast but did not include Alaska ports.
 Longshoresmen here are now be- ing paid $1.25 Ia cents straight time and s1oO per hour overtime. warehousement are getting only $l.20 per hour straight time in Ju- neau now Two War labor Board directives. one for 6 1-2 cents per hour and the other for an addi- tionai 5 l-2 cents, would have in- creased the rate for both ware housemen and luugshorcman to Sl.32 straight time. $1g8 overtime. The difference between that scale and the rates actually paid is the retroactive pay sought.
 According to advices received, waterfront employers at Ketchikan, Seward and here have offered to put the t1a2 scale into effect. retro- active to April 1. this year,
 The new scale asked by the local dock workers in negotiations for a new contract is $l.72 Ia straight time, $2.59 for overtime. This de- mand does not affect the retroactive pay issue
 A Seattle spoKesman for the steamship lines operating to Alaska ports today issued statement re- viewing the CIO-Longshore strike in Ketchikan, Juneau and Seward It asserted that the hourly rates in CIO ports eQualled or exceeded the rates pair in ports under AFL jurisdiction.
 The statement said the current rates in CIO ports is $l.20 1-2 straight time and t1.o0 oyertis11s. The rate was increased last Noycm- ber, at United States Pacific Coast ports, to $1.l5 straight time and sl.72 Ia overtime. the statement declared
 Alaska in Odd Place
 Gov. Gruening yesterday appealed to the Northwest Representative of the International Longshoremen's and s~>arehousemen's Union tCIO) for postponement of the strike. He was advised by Steve Glumaz. of 'r) unions Northwest headquarters, that the action of the Pacific Coast locals-in reaching their $8.Oo0, 900 retroactive pay settlement--had mo bearing" on the Alaska situation. The Governor was told the strike on Alaska ports was "job action to enforce payment of legal wages under government orders and con- tract agreement. The Governors office here today stated that ap- peals for settlement of the strike have been wired also to Harry Bridges. ILWU President: Edwin c. Arnold, Director of the Division of Territories and Island Posses sions of the Interior Department; to the War Shipping Administra- tion; Gil Skinner. Northland Transportation Company and Alas ka Steamship Company, and to Waterfront Employers and the Union local at Ketchikan. Meanwhile, the steamer North Sea is stiu shutting between Ju- neau and Sitka with $50 tons of Juneau-consigned cargo in her holds. including considerable quan- titles of perishables; and, the AI- aska Liner Victoria is idle here, ] l50 tons of freight for Juneau not discharged
 It is reported that an attempt may be made by local merchants to get North Sea cargo discharged at Petersburg--an AFL port not tied
 up--from where it might be re- turned to Juneau by small boat. 
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