Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-12-16
Strike Of 1e|egraphers
tuesday Depends on
Final Talks Today

gan preparing IOudy lOT a Ma
ton wide telegraphers' strike set
for 6 am. next Tuesday, just two
days before Christmas.
Only a meeting in Philadelphia
today with the company and Federal
conciliators could avert the walkout
and there was little reason to believe
the company would meet union de-
mands, said Adolph Brungs, national
president of the Commercial Teleg-
raphers' Unions Western Union
Division.
Between 600 and TOO employees
would leave their jobs here and
practically. all Western Union facil-
tiles outside New York would be
tied up, union officials said.
In addition to the regular flow Of
kilograms, the New York Stock Ex-
change, grain and cotton exchanges
throughout the Nation and cable
service would be hit by the strike,
Mr.. Brungs said.
May Affect Aviation.
He added that the Civil Aero
nautics Administration network sup
plying weather information to vari-
Gus airports would be affected, but
he would not predict that planes
would be grounded. Press associa-
ton service would be affected in
whatever measure it is dependent
upon Western Union service, he said.
| Two avenues were left open to the
company in the strike ultimatum.
MIR. Brungs said the unions Ma
tional Executive Board would prob
ably accept company agreement
to arbitrate the wage question with
finding boards decision be-
ing final and binding. He said the
unions accepted this form of settle
ment when it was suggested in New
York. December by ]. R. Mandel-
baum, Mediation and Cancellation
Service commissioner, but that the
company rejected it. ,
The company also could avert a
strike by accepting the union de-
mand for a 15-cents-an-hour in
crease, Mr.. Brungs said. The en-
ployes contend they average 967
cents an hour, compared with a
Nation wide average of $119 in in
dustry generally.
Three Unions Involved.
Two other unions are involved
in addition to the Commercial
Telegraphers' Union, with 10000
members They are the Telegraph
Employees Union. with $500 mem
bers, and the Telegraph Workers
Union, with 1900 members. All are
AFL affiliates.
Although several locals have not
reported and q numerical tally was
not announced. union officials said
80 per cent OF the employees had
voted for the strike.
! Asked why next Tuesday was
chosen as the strike date, Mr.. Brungs
replied:
TT should be obvious. That is one
Of the busiest periods of the year."
He said 1t wa& agreed last spring,
when Western Union averted q
threatened strike with scent raise,
that another increase would be CIV
en- in October.
Cites Living Cost.
THE time has come when Western
Union must pay the employees a
living wage" said Mr.. Brungs. 1--WE
are no longer going to substitute this
industry We are tired of continu-
! ally trailing far behind other in
dustries, especially in view of the
spiralling cost of living.
If Western Union can't run the
industry and pay living wage to its
employees who. serve the public, it is
about time that the Government OF
the United States takes over the in
dustry."
The strike decision was announced
following a meeting of national
representatives in the Annapolis
Hotel. Mr.. Brungs said, however
the strike date was set last week at
a joint meeting of the three unions
in Atlanta, Ga.
Whether 500 AFL union members
in New York would participate in
the strike has not been determined
ABOUT 1000 Western Union employees
in New York are represented by the
CIO-American Communications As
ISOLATION.
Already $500 cable workers in New
York have voted to strike on jan
uary l If their demands for 80 per
cent paw raise is not met BY De-