Evening star., 1946-01-10

tieup tomorrow.
Washington area telephone
operators who walked out at 10
am. today to attend a grievance
meeting in Turner's Arena re-
cessed this afternoon du1ing a
union-company conciliation con-
ference, but announced they
would not return to work until
the company meets their de-
mandS.
Five per cent of the areas service
was suspended and all but dial tele-
phones and emergency long distance
calls halted.
Thus District telephone service
was locked in its second partial tie
up in week as the outlook for
Nationwide strike tomorrow grew
darker.
Today's meeting ended at 1880
pm. when Mrs. Mary E. Cannon,
president of the Washington Tele-
phone Traffic Union, announced the
conciliation conference at 2 pm. at
the Labor Department.
To Meet Again Tonight.
"The Union members will meet
briefly again tonight, when I simply
will report whether the conference
was successful" Mrs. Cannon said.
"If it fails, we will recess until to-
morrow morning."
At the close of the session, called
In protest against what Mrs. Gam
non termed "sweatshop working
conditions" the union president said
it now was squarely up to the COM
pany 10 answer the question when
the operators would return to work
She said the arena had been
rented for tomorrow and that the
operators had access to it until Sat
urday night, when a dance is
scheduled.
Principals at Meeting.
Principals at the conciliation
meeting were: For the union, Mrs
Cannon and Mrs Emma F. Sauer;
for the company, H. r. Maddox, vice
president and general manager;
r. c. McCann, vice president in
charge of personnel; William Prap-
nell, traffic manager, and r. A. Van
Orsdel, general counsel; Robert
Reynolds, attorney for the conciha-
ton service; Howard T. Colvin, as
sociate director, and Richard w.
Goodrich. commissioner.
Meanwhile, the national strike
threat grew as New York union
spokesmen announced that 1000
long-distance operators would leave
their jobs at 7 am. tomorrow in
sympathy with an installation work
ers' walkout. The stoppage would
be simultaneous with the placing
of picketS by the installation
employees.
Carl Schultz, president of the
District Federation of Telephone
Workers, composed of 1000 main
tenance and commercial employees,
had been advised by the executive
committee that federation members
should not cross picket lines if the
lines are deployed tomorrow by the
local striking Association of Com
munications Equipment Workers.
National Leader Arrives.
Joseph A. Beirne, president of the
National Federation of Telephone
Workers, with which all the unions
involved are affiliated, arrived today
to direct activities here.
Work Conditions Protested.
Both the WITH and company said
the issues were the same that caused
the operators to hold a one-hour
sitdown strike last Friday. The
union is protesting against working
conditions, especially in disagree
ment with the company's definition
of duties for 200 area supervisors.
Mr.. Maddox said the operators
walked off the job because the
company requires that telephone
operator supervisors perform the
duties of the job for which they
were hired"
mo new duties have been added.
They have been performed by super,
visors for years without burdening
either them or the operators. - =
1t has been apparent from the start
that the union had embarked on
program of deteriorating telephone
service in Washington and debating
the kind Of service the public should
have"
Strict Secrecy Maintained.
Strict secrecy was maintained at
the meeting, which got under way
an hour later than the scheduled
II am. The delay was due partly
to the fact that union officials
learned newspaper reporter had
slipped into the hall and some time
was spent in detecting and ousting
her.
Mrs. Cannon said $500 operators,
or practically the entire union
membership, was in attendance.
While awaiting opening of the
meeting many of the telephone girls
chatted in the halls, apparently
about everything but the meeting.
The operators were required to
show union cards to two doorkeep-
ers before gaining entry. Each was
given a circular urging her not to
cross picket lines of the Associa-
ton of Communications Equipment
Workers, on strike against Western
Electric Co., when and if they are
posted.
The meeting was not related to
(See TELEPHONE, Page A-e.)