Evening star., 1946-10-01

sSssssSSS ~ ~S~
Full Powers; Union
Files 30-Doy Notice
Gov. Tuck Of Virginia, faced with
the international Brotherhood o
Electrical Workers new strike threa
against the Virginia Electric & Pow.
er Co., has declared his intention tt
"use all the powers Of the ofic,
which I hold to protect our people
from such disaster as now envelop.
Pittsburgh"
The union filed 4 3o-day strike
notice with the Labor Department
here yesterday, charging the com.
pany had refused to recognize the
brotherhod's Local B-1522 as bar
gaining agent for certain categories
of foremen in Spite of results of an
election held among the foremen last
July by order of the National Labor
Relations Board.
The notice means the local plans
to walk out october 81 If an agree
ment is not reached In the mean
time.
Tuck Writes Union.
Gov. Tuck's firm stand was taken
In a letter sent yesterday to j. c.
Mcintosh, international represents
tive OF the union, who filed the
strike notice and sent copies to the
Governor, the NLRB and the COM
pany, the Associated Press reported.
Recalling talk he had with Mr..
Mcintosh September "A, Gov. Tuck
expressed regret at the filing Of
the declaration of intention to strike
and said he hoped he could have
Joined with union and company
representatives in discussions point
ed toward heading of the strike.
The local involved is the same
which threatened to strike last
March In connection with break
down Of contract negotiations. At
that time the Governor invoked an
old Virginia statute to draft VEPCO
workers into the State Militia. e.
An agreement between the union.
and the company followed within
a few days.
Plans Are Withheld.
In making public his letter to Mr..
Mcintosh late yesterday, the Gov
ernor gave nor indication of his
plans for dealing with the new pos
sibility of a walkout, the Associated
Press said.
The election among foremen was
ordered by the NLRB after it held
that 180 employees in that classifi-,
cation constituted an appropriate
bargaining unit but must be dealt
with separately from the company's
1900 production and maintenance
men. The order was protested by
VEPCO.
Text of Governor Tuck's letter
follows: =
II am today in receipt of copy Of
your letter of Sunday, September
20, to Secretary of Labor Schwel-
lenbach and others, in which you
give onicial notice that your organi-
zation expects to strike the Virginia
Electric g. Power Co. on or after 80
days Of that date. I regret that you
have seen fit to give this notice
After your visit to my office on the
24th, at which time you told me
something of the present situation
with VEPCO, I had thought you
would withhold giving this notice, at
least until such time as we could
together discuss this matter with
the power company in the hope that
we could avert the threatened strike,
which naturally disturbs the peace
of mind of our officials and people.
Cites yEPCO Contract.
Il still hope that the essential
workers of the VEPCO will not
strike and cut of electricity in this
State. Article v of the contract
which your organization signed on
the 30th day of March, 1946, and
which is binding upon all of your
members until April 1, 1947, contaias
the following specific language:
The Brotherhood and its men,
bers agree that during the con-
tinuance of this agreement and any
renewal period there shall be no
strikes, sit-downs, Slow-downs, walk
outs, continuous union meetings or
other interference with work by the
Brotherhood or any group of its
members, and the company, on its
part, agrees that during such period
or periods there shall be no lock-
outs Of its employees, it being the
mutual desire of both parties hereto
to provide uninterrupted and con-
tinuous service to the public.
The Brotherhood further agrees
that any of its members violating
any of the provisions of this Sec
tion shall be Immediately subject to
discipline or discharge by the COM
pany.'
Contrary to Policy.
aside from your own agreement
as above quoted, which is binding
not only in law but In good morals,
1t is contrary to public policy to
strike against the public health and
safety of the people. I have every
desire to be Of help to any aggrieved
segment of the labor unions in work.
ing out any troubles which they
have, but I cannot recognize their
right to cut of electric current. I
have not changed my position in
the. slightest in this matter since
lask March and I intend to use all
OF the powers of the office which I
hold to- protect our people from
such disaster as now envelopes
P3ttsburRh and environs.
As 10 the merits of your present
controversy with VEPCO, I have no
opinion other than to say that I do
not think either side is entitled to
have these difficulties litigated in
the courts
tThe sGovernor referred to a
current strike in Pittsburgh of
workers OF a power company
which has virtually paraiyzed
tnat city,