Evening star., 1947-05-01

Strikers Rebening on
New York Settlement
Focal point OF the 24-day-old
telephone strike shifted today
from Washington to New York,
where two top national union
officials were to address a mass
meeting OF workers rebelling
against q back-to-work settle
ment made by their leaders yes
|terday.
The settlement yesterday was for
raises o6 s. to 81 q week for a, 900
workers Of four unions not In the
National Federation OF Telephone
Workers. The concord was reached
after m all-night session between
union and company officials.
| Yesterday afternoon the rank and
file Of the unions rebelied against
the agreement and refused to re-
turn to work through the picket
lines of NFTW members still on
strike.
Two Leaders to Speak.
Joseph A. Bierne, president Of the
NFTW, and Henry Mayer, attorney
for nine Of the striking NFTW
unions, were to address the meet
ing OF the strikers at the Manhattan
Center in New York this afternoon.
Mr.. Mayer told reporters last
night the meeting will be to pro
test acceptance Of the contract" He
added that he told the four inde-
pendent unions In New York last
might that they should hold nff for
"a hours and they would get q more
substantial offer from the COM
[pany."
AL unions Of the NFTw to date
are holding the line for q Sc a week
raise-the 15-cents-an-hour pattern
developing throughout the country.
| Developments Listed.
| Other developments overnight
were:
l. Chesapeake d Potomac Tele-
phone Co. officials in Baltimore said
last night that meeting was held
yesterday between company men,
conciliators and leaders OF the
largest Of the four unions still on
strike there. The union has $500
workers Mt the Western Electric Co.
2. The Virginia State Corporation
Commission yesterday notified all
telephone company workers who
failed to reply to the States will
you work if the State takes over
the telephones7" questionnaires last
week that they would mo longer
have any legal right to their posi-
tions in the event the State seizes
the utility.
The Virginia union sent one of
its top ofhcials to Washington today
to confer with the National Policy
Committee and ask for guidance in
case the State does take over the
telephone system.
Strike Breaking Seen.
Alfred " Atkinson, chairman Of
the Virginia Federation Of Tele-
phone Workers, promptly accused
the State Of using strike breaking
tactics" in putting public servants
In the jobs Of strikers at the tele-
phone company. The union has filed
notice Of intent to strike on May a..
3. In Washington. five pickets got
into o free-for-all with four youths
in front OF new telephone COM
pany building under construction at
t280l N street. Sc, police said. -sPo-
tHce arrested" the four youths and
one picket, but none Of the tive were
charged.
4. In St Charles, Mo, rotten eggs
were tossed at police yesterday as
they escorted two nonstriking tele-
phone workers through q crowd that
had chased the pair after they left
the offices OF the Southwestern Bell
Co. :
Two Women Return.
Strikers met the two women, both
members OF the union local, after
they had returned to their jobs two
days ago and worked q full day yes
terday.
5. Three sets Of negotiations be-
tween management and unions of
the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Co.. Southwestern Bell, and
Western Electric In session at the
Labor Department recessed again
last night with no apparent results.
Conciliators said unions were still
insisting on cash offer from the
company, and none had been forth
coming. Peter j. Manno, of the
Government chief conciliators. said
this morning that "a break might
come by 4 pm. today and possibly
before"
s. The Michigan Bell Co. reported
early today that cable between two
Michigan cities-Mayland and Mo-
line-had been hacked, cutting of
service on 800 circuits. Long dis
tance service was affected most seri-
ously, the company said, but the
cable owned jointly by the Michi-
gan Bell and long lines division of
A. T. dz T. also carries some radio
and telegraph circuits.
Mr.. Bierne also announced that
he will speak on the issues in the
strike at pm. tomorrow at a pub
lie meeting at 819 Sixteenth
street NV, sponsored by the Amer
leans for Democratic Action,
Rubber Stretch Impeded