Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-11-18
7 Big Issues Settled,
3O-Day Truce Sure
In Printers Dispute


Agreement on new wage scales
for printers employed in CONNER
cial printing shops which are men,
bers Of the Graphic Arts Association
remained the only obstacle today to
final settlement of more than four
months OF negotiations affecting
wages Of the nearly $500 members
Of Columbia typographical Union
No. l01.
Even among the commercial shop
printers, actions taken at a typo
graphical union meeting yesterday
apparently had assured a truce Of
ut least 80 days in a three-cornered
dispute involving the Columbia local,
the International Typographical
Union and the Graphic Arts Asso-
citation.
The complete picture, as applied
to the entire Columbia local men,
bership, appeared thus:
l. Printers employed by Wash
ington newspapers are working un-
der their new contract.
81 4AAOSC ClhPAOyCo III tilC SxoNClu-
ment Printing Once are voting to-
day in referendum on a proposed
new scale, with predictions in every
quarter it will be approved over
whelmingly.
8. Commercial shop printers were
expected to remain at their posts for
at least 90 days pending the out
come of efforts to agree upon q new
contract, or contracts.
Job Situation Complicated.
The situation affecting the COM
mercial printers was extremely in
volved.
Jesse B. Manbeck, president of
the Columbia local, said he was pro-
ceeding today with efforts to sign
So commercial shops in the District
to individual contracts calling for
base pay of 50 an hour. The pres
ent base is $1.53.
This authorization, he said, was
given in a resolution adopted after
he had reported to yesterdays meet
ing that 80 of the shops involved,
including five members of the
Graphic Arts Association, had agreed
to sign the 50 contract. The same
resolution, he said, provided that
members may leave their jobs with
prejudice in shops which do not
sign contracts within 80 days.
George p. Mallonee, executive Sec
rotary of the Graphic Arts Associa-
ton, said members of the organiza-
ton are united in their willingness
to accept a compromise wage pro-
posal recommended by Elmer Brown,
second vice president of ITU. This
proposed that commercial shop
wages be boosted ito a base of $1.87
an hour.
II there are any members of the
association who have agreed to sign
individual contracts, Mr.. Mallonee
said, he does not know their identity.
Status After 80 DAYS Uncertain.
Mr.. Manbeck and MIR. Mallonee
disagreed concerning what the status
Of commercial printers might be II
individual contracts are not signed
within 80 days.
Mr.. Manbeck insisted such print
ers could leave their jobs without
endangering their seniority and
other rights as union members.
Mr.. Mallonee said he doubted"
that, but that the question of status
of such printers would be up to the
international. 90" T~F"---'
Representatives of the interna-
tional were not here. Mr.. Brown
said last week, however, that print
ers who absented themselves from
work after refusal of his compromise
wage proposal would risk penalties,
including suspension from ITU
membership.
An evidence of the satisfaction Of
printers employed by newspapers
was their presentation at yester-
days Columbia local meeting of $50
each to the four members of their
Negotiation Committee. The money,
contributed by the affected news
paper printers, was presented by
william Green, president of AFLI, to
James ]. O'Connor of The Evening
Star, chairman of the committee;
Victor M. Brennan of the Times
Herald, secretary: D. s. Davenport
Of the Post and Edward G. McEntee
Of the Daily News.
S2.20 Hourly Is New Scale.
Under the new scale newspaper
printers receive a base of $2.20 an
hour.
The Government Printing Once
members of six crafts, in addition
to printers, also participated today
In referenda on proposed new scales.
Other crafts are the electricians,
mechanics, pipef1tters, stereotypers,
electrotypers and bookbinders.
The recommendation in each case,
according to A. E. Giegengack, pub
lie printer, is an increase Of 20 per,
cent. effective upon approval by
the Joint Congressional Committee
on Printing.
The new base scale proposed for
printers is $188, compared with a
present wage of $1.57 an hour.
Mr.. Giegengack said the press
men, carpenters and photo-en-
gravers at the Government Print
ing Office voted last week to ap-
prove new proposed scales. The
vote by carpenters and photo
engravers, he said, was unanimous
In each case. That of the press
men was 3e1 in favor to Is against,
hA renorted