Evening star., 1946-06-09
Additional Flour
For D. T.. Averts
Bakers Strike
Continuous Meeting
PIun Is Called OFF;
Breed Price Rise Due

AN AASA ASuAeaiC Z OCPdl tlllCllG
acted late yesterday to channel
more flour to Washington, there
by averting a threatened bakers
strike and assuring housewives
of more bread.
The executive board of the AFT.
bakers union, which had threat
ened to go into a continuous meet
ing yesterday to protest the flour
shortage and a resulting reduction
in take-home pay, decided against
strike after comforting with Agri-
culture Department officials.
The Continental and Schneider
Baking companies here have agreed
to lend up to carload of flour
each to keep small bakeries operat-
ing until more flour arrives, Philip
Talbot, in charge of the bakery
section OF the Agriculture Depart
ment, announced.
He said that tomorrow he would
direct flour mills to send more -four
to Washington, under an executive
order issued June 3 for such an
emergency. 1t will take II to is
days for the extra flour to get here,
but the two carloads will be more
than enough to carry the city
through the crisis, he reported.
OPA Plans Price Increase.
Housewives may have to pay an
extra cent loaf for the bread they
get. The Office of Price Administra-
ton is planning an increase of l
cent a loaf, effective this week, to
compensate for higher costs result
Ing mainly from cut in output, ac-
cording to an OPA official.
Although the bakery workers will
work today, another battle looms
over wage negotiations starting at
10 am. tomorrow.
Members of Local 1lS, Bakery and
confectionery Workers Interna-
tlonal Union during Yesterdays
meeting voted to open negotiations
With the Master Bakers Association
for 5-day week at six days wages.
Members Shout For Strike.
The ballot concluded a turbulent
union meeting in the Pythian Hall.
Members shouted for strike even
after Charles B. McClosky, business
agent, told them he brought a
promise from l.. K. Smith, grain
director of the Agriculture Depart
ment, that Washington would get
more flour.
Union men demand more specific
assurance that there would be
enough -four to keep them working
full time and complained that
bakers had used the flour shortage
as an excuse to stop production of
bakery products requiring hand
labor.
We threaten to strike to force
the issue. We have forced the issue.
Isn't that better than strikinp2"
Mr.. McClosky asked.
Meeting Ends Without Vote.
The meeting was adjourned after
MI. McClosky announced that wage
contracts would be reopened at a
conference at 10 IN. tomorrow in
the Office of Louis A. Spiess, attor-
ney for the Master Bakers Associa-
ton.
MI. McClosky told reporters later
ne would report at another special
union meeting on the amount of
flour actually received by the bakers
and on the progress of the wage ne
gotiations.
Mr.. Talbot spent yesterday after
noon surveying local bakers to find
out how much flour they will need
Tor June to maintain operations at
70 per cent of normal, the amount
allowed under the Governments
order restricting production to pro-
vide more wheat for Europe.
Emergency Supply Pledged.
Mr.. McClosky had charged that
% bakeries would have to shut down
II they did not get more wheat. Mr..
Talbot promised bakers that he
would make emergency relief deliv-
cries tomorrow morning and told
them to call all workers to report
today
Each baker was asked to report
how much flour he used in March
and his present inventory. The in
ventory plus 25 per cent will be
subtracted to determine the amount
OF flour mills will be directed to
supply in June.
Mr.. Talbot predicted that the
Governments plan for assuring IS
per cent of normal production will
be operating smoothly by July. On
June 3 the Government agreed to
tSee Fl ,OITR Pape Az