Evening star., 1946-09-22
Maritime Strike
Ends, but New
1ieup |sFeared
AFL Seumen's Chief
Says Men Will Awoit
Contract for Masters
By james Y. Newton

The 17-day Nation wide mari
time strike was officially ended
last night, but new troubles
threatened full resumption of
shipping on the West Coast.
The CIO-dominated Committee
for Maritime Unity announced in
San Francisco that its West Coast
strike was ended at pm, Eastern
time. Most East Coast and Gulf
ports already had been cleared of
strikes.
Last holdout of the group of
unions participating in the Nations
greatest shipping strike, the Pa
clflc Coast Marine Firemen, an in
dependent affiliated with GNU.
voted to end its strike. This fol-
lowed similar action by the CIO
National Maritime Union on the
West Coast and the CTO Cooks and
Stewards.
Hints Q New Trouble.
Meanwhile, Harry Lundeberg,
West Coast leader of the AFL sea-
mems union which started the
strike II days ago, limited at new
trouble for the harassed shipping
industry. He declared that his sail
ors in the Pacific would not return
to work until wage demands of the
AFL Masters, Mates and Pilots are
satisfied.
Although Mr. Lundeberg refused
to ampllfy, it as presumed that his
remark might mean he would wait
until the Masters get a new contract
replacing one expiring September 30.
Actually, Mr.. Lundeberg's Seafar-
ers' International Union, operating
IN the East and Gulf, and Sailors
Union of the Pacific ended their
strike eight days ago when the Gov
ernment made possible the grant
ing OF their wage demands. AFL sea-
men at Atlantic and Gulf ports re-
turned to work, but Mr. Lundeberg
said his men at West Coast ports
were prevented from returning be-
cause ships there were manned with
mixed AFL-CIO crews.
Calls Victory Significant.
Announcing the end of their
strike in the West, the Committee
for Maritime Unity stated that
maritime workers have achieved
one of Che most significant victories
in the history of the = industry
and added that 'the principle of
equal pay for equal work has been
established
After the GNU unions voted an
end Of the strike, CIO Longshore-
men leaders began assigning crews
to go to work Immediately.
The CIO Longshoremen them
selves, along with the CIO Marine
Engineers Beneficial Association, are
involved in a new threat to mari
time peace. Contracts of the unions
expire September 80 and each has
served notice that it would strike
unless their demands are satisfied.
SchweIIenbach Drafts Plan.
Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach
said he was working on a plan he
believed would prevent the walkout
of the two unions Announcement
of the plan was expected momen-
tarily.
A West Coast leader of the Mas
tiers, Mates and Pilots had threat
ened earlier that his men might
go fishing unless they received a
satisfactory contract.
Ending of the 17-day strike was
made possible by action of the
Maritime Commission placing mari
time wage rates on parity on all
coasts for the first time in recent
years.
The commission directed that the
Pacific Coast Marine Firemen's
Union should receive the same nay
as that awarded the CIO National
Maritime Union by Federal Arbi-
traitor James L. Fly. 1t gave the
seamen a new raise of $40 month
in addition to the s1750 monthly
increase able-bodied seamen re-
ceived last June.
"Stop ouibblin."
Following its action equalizing
pay. the Commission telegraphec
West coast ship operators:
"We want our ships to move
Stop quibbling and go to work"
A commission official explained
that the operators had been en-
powered to negotiate Immediately
with Mr.. Lundeberg for another s.
per month increase for able seamen
AFL seamen started the shippine
strike September 5 in protest against
a Wage Sterilization Board order
that reduced pay increases ship op.
orators had approved of S22.5O or
the West Coast and S27.50 in tn,
tSee. MARITIME, Page A-5)