Evening star., 1946-02-08
Telephone Operators
Authorize Strike Here
On Any Of 4 Issues
Wolkout on Wages
This Month Favored
By l0-to-l Margin

Washington telephone oper-
ators are ready to strike within
the next two weeks-either in
connection with a proposed ma
tional walkout or on purely local
issues.
Results of secret ballot taken
at Turner's Arena yesterday put the
operators on record as favoring a
strike to enforce wage demands
and for three other reasons listed
on the ballot.
More than 1000 of the 5000 WASH
ington Telephone TRAFFIC Union
members voted during the four
meetings, arranged throughout the
day so that all could ballot with
out causing q work stoppage. On
the question Of a 50 day increase
operators sanctioned a strike by
more than q 10-to-1 margin.
Has National Effect.
How the District operators fee,
about striking is expected to weigh
heavily in, considerations for a ma.
tional strike when the Nationa
Federation of Telephone Workers
meets at Memphis February II
About half the NFTW's $50, 0,OO(
members have filed 30-day strike
notices under the Smith -Connally
Act and the work stoppage plan
ned by the NFTW's Executive Com.
mittee here last month could gel
under way by February 81.
Even though the NFTW should
find conditions generally do MOI
warrant national demonstration
District operators are in a position
to strike, with consent of the parent
organization, and within legal boun.
daries of the War Labor Dispute.
Act.
Labor leaders, who announced
outcome of the poll after all-nigh1
counting, regarded it as a triumph
for more reasons than one. The,
cited it as incontrovertible evidence
against reported rift in the unior
ranks, supposedly aimed at the "dic.
tator" tactics of President Mary E
Cannon.
AS member of the NFTW's Ma.
tional Bargaining Committee, which
has taken over the Washington
locals case, Mrs. Cannon was il
Cincinnati while the operators wer,
voting yesterday.
Chief Interest in Wages.
Although they voted favorably or
three other propositions, the tele
phone workers clearly showed thei
chief interest was in the demand fol
a $40 weekly wage increase. On thi
question 1,846 voted for strike, Is
against.
Asked if they would walk out be
cause the telephone company altered
the pension plan without consulting
the union, 1850 operators said yes
800 voted no.
To the proposal of whether tn
Bell Systems failure to settle TIN
| Western Electric Association o
Communication Equipment Work
ers' strike constituted grounds TO
striking, the operators voted "yes" b.
1,407 to $50.
They also agreed the company
failure to return to a normal worl
week" was a reason for striking
i This tally was ,407 to 1872. The vot
tabulators announced Ia ballot
were voided.
Affiliation Moves Studied.
/ The operators evinced interest dur
ing the meetings in the report tina
the NFTW is about to affiliate wit
the American Federation of Labo
Ior the Congress of Industrial Organ
lizations.
/ They were assured by Mrs. Emm
lSauer, union vice president, tina
nothing definite had been worke,
Iout. A national committee has beel
tstudying offers OF the major union
|and will present their findings q
the Memphis convention.
Should enough Of the 40 union
within NFTW vote for affiliatiol
with the AFL or CIO, the question
would be sent back to the locals fo
referendum, it was said.