Evening star., 1946-10-02
|Par|eyConvenes
To Seek Peace
In Ship Strike
ConciIiotor Sees No
Need for Further
Recesses in TuIks
BY james Y. Newton

Edgar L. Warren. Labor De-
partment conciliation director,
summoned all parties inGhe new
maritime dispute to a 1 pm.
meeting today "to try to drive
home a settlement" of the day
old all-coast shipping strike.
Mr.. Warren, talking with news
men after morning discussions with
the two unions and ship owners in
volved in the dispute, was asked If
he thought an immediate strike
settlement was possible. He replied,
Maybe I am an optimist," but he
added that he saw no need for
further recesses in the negotiations.
This indicated that continuous
negotiations will be held until set
cement is reached.
Hope for early settlement of the
n Ike frightened earlier when the
Maritime Commission stepped in to
force settlement of, the strike OF
licensed ship personnel which had
evolved into an argument between
the two unions and West Coast
ship owners over union security.
Agreement had been reached for
uniform preferential hiring of union
members and maintenance of union
membership in East Coast and Gulf
ports. Most contracts with Eastern
shipping interests already contain
such clauses.
Shipowners Balk. -
But the Pacific American Ship
owners Association, representing
the West Coast, held to its posi-
ton that it would not aecede to
the union security demands.
The Maritime Commission was
reported ready to order West Coast
operators of its ships to put in ef-
feet East Coast union security
clauses. This, it was believed, would
force the owners to make the same
| working conditions effective on pri-
7ate vessels.
The two unions, with total mem-
bership of $4,000 are the CIO Ma.
rine Engineer Beneficial Association
and the AFL Masters, Mates and
Pilots, representing engine room and
deck officers respectively.
Second Time In Month.
The unions, with the support
of most of the rest of maritime labor.
have succeeded in hating virtually
all shipping. This is the second
/ complete tieup in the industry with
in q month. Seamen and other un-
licensed personnel struck for IT
I days last month.
There is a third maritime strike,
that of Harry Bridges west Coast
ICIO Longshoremen Reports from
San Francisco, where negotiations
between the dock workers and
Waterfront employers are being
held, indicate that a settlement Of
the walkout is near.
It was said that basis had been
arrived at for settlement of the long
shoremen's demands for 33-cents-
td1i-llOA wage 1lS4CdoC d1iO 4O1 -
safety code. The longshoremen
were expected to return to work
when the dispute with the two
unions CT officers is settled.
Statement Circulated.
| Leaders of the AF'L and CIO Off
GERS union said typewriter state
ment of the Maritime Commission s
position on the union security dis
pute was circulated at a negotiating
session last night. Government off,
cials confirmed that this was done.
1t was said that the commission
gave assurance it would enforce on
all Government-owned vessels any
changes in working conditions
agreed to by the East Coast ship
/ operators.
! Marion Plant, attorney for the
Pacific ship operators said. however,
that the commission had not shown
its plan to him. =.
If the commission has taken .
stand to meet union demands for
uniform union security on all coasts,
Mr.. Plant declared, it amounts to q