Evening star., 1947-12-21
Western Union
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not confirm or deny" issuing the
order. The Kansas City Star
quoted a union official as saying
that the local voted Friday night
to defy the strike call and that the
units chairman and vice chairman
had resigned.
Conciliators held closed-door ses-
sions with union and company rep
resentatives here yesterday and last
night, but were unsuccessful in get
ting a strike-averting agreement.
The meetings we're held in Labor
Department Building Offices of the
Mediation and Cancellation Service.
Another Meeting Today.
Last nights meeting broke up
shortly before midnight and it was
announced that another session was
arranged for 1890 this morning, a
few hours before the unions mass
meeting at the Annapolis.
Cyrus S. Ching, director OF the
mediation service, took a direct
hand in the situation for the first
time when he held separate meet
ings with Frank Bloom. CTU attor-
ney, and w. D. Gaillard, jr., West
ern Union attorney.
Following last nights session, the
only ray of hope that any progress
was being made came from Mr..
Bloom who said:
Mr.. Ching told me that he
thought the Government at last
is making some headway with the
company.
The conciliators themselves and
company representatives, however,
refused comment.
Mr.. Ching. whose agency was
made independent by the Taft
Hartley Act, is facing his first major
strike crisis since taking office three
months ago.
There was no confirmation of a
report circulated among telegraphers
here that Western Union had Of
fered a wage increase of five cents
an hour to it's employees. The three
unions, CTU, the Telegraph Workers
Union and Telegraph Employees
Union, are demanding Is cents an
hour. They had rejected as made
quate a smaller offer from the COM
pany.
The three unions, meanwhile.
changed their strategy so that the
walkout can be started at any time.
The original strike deadline was set
for 6 am. Tuesday. The matter was
placed in the hands of a strike COM
mittee, authorized to give the walk
out signal That information was
sent to President Truman and Mr..
Ching.
Virginia Walkout Banned.
Many parts of the Nation also face
a Christmas with little or no tele-
graph service. Leaders said they
expected that if a strike is called
it will be "98 per cent effective in
Washington and in most other
areas"
In Virginia, the telegraph workers
would be prevented from striking
by State law. In Milwaukee, officials
of the Wisconsin Employment Re-
lations Board said they will seek a
court injunction tomorrow in an
effort to prevent strike. They
contend a walkout would be in vio-
lation of the States utilities anti
strike law.
Commenting on the Wisconsin
situation. Mr.. Bloom said the union
may seek a court order to prevent
the Wisconsin board from inter-
fering.'
We'll fight the Wisconsin board
all the way to the Supreme Court
on this" he said.
New Jersey Considers Action.
New Jersey also has statute
outlawing strikes. in public utilities,
and Joseph Brophy of the State
Board of Public Utility Commission
ers said the State has considered
moving against the threatened strike.
The three unions represent West
ern Union employees in all areas ex-
cept metropolitan New York. There
the company's 1000 workers are rep
resented by the CIO American Com
munications Association. However,
the CIO union has indicated it
might join in walkout, and William
Allen, CTU president, hinted at CO.
operation between the groups.
The company, through T. F. Nc
Mains. employe relations vice presi-
dent. telegraphed an appeal to in
dividusl members of the unions to
stay on the job in the event their
leaders call a strike. Saying that
both company and employees will
suffer great loss in event of walk
out. Mr.. McMains told the workers:
THE law now protects an employe
against interference by either a
union or an employer in the matter
of an employees right to engage in
union activities. The law explicitly
states that an employe shall also
have the right to refrain from any
or all of such activities
Workers Promised Support.
I'm the event an employe decides
to stay at work his job security can
not be interfered with by anyone
simply because he did not go on
strike. The contract with the AFL
states that union fines may not be
deducted from the wages of en-
ployes and, therefore, such fines will
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Weschler's, aQ5 E st. NV. Tuesday. De-