Evening star., 1947-04-09
All Sides Agree
Longtime Phone
Accord Is Near
No chonce Seen for
Return Of Strikers
Before Tomorrow

First signs OF q break In the
Nationwide telephone strike
came today when company and
union negotiators concurred
with Federal conciliators that
agreement is In sight In the key
long lines workers dispute.
But as these weary conferees
resumed discussions at II am, there
was a warning not to expect an
immediate termination Of the strike
that has tied up big percentage
Of the Nations long distance and
manually operated local service
since Monday.
Union leaders emphasized that
any agreement tentatively arrived
at in the long lines dispute would
require approval Of the National
Federation OF Telephone Workers
Policy Committee. There viii be
no approval unless the way IS cleared
for general agreement satisfying
tthe NFTWs 80 striking units.
Long Night Session Held.
There seemed no chance that the
SOC, GOO strikers would return to
their posts before tomorrow.
When q long night session be-
tween the American Telephone &
Telegraph Co.'S long-lines division
and the American Union Of Tele-
graph Workers broke up at 4 am.
today it was learned the dispute
was hung on what form OF arbitra-
tion would be employed.
On informant said Federal con-
ciliators had written q contract for
the long-lines dispute, leaving about
five issues to be arbitrated. Among
them were the demand for q $12
weekly wage increase and other
wage benefits.
John j. Moran, long-1ines union
said his organization had
nothing to present to the Policy
Committee yet. But when q re-
porter asked If the strike could end
in the next "a hours Mr.. Moran
nodded affirmatively.
G. s. Dring, assistant vice presi-
dent of A. T. 81 It's long lines diyi-
sion, said scme progress had been
made but There are still some i'm
portant points to be settled"
Meeting Reset for PM.
In the face of this optimism, the
NFTW's 49-member Policy Commit
tee rescheduled an II am. meeting
for 8 pm. today, obviously TO give
the long lines negotiations time to
reach an agreement which might be
presented to the committee.
Another meeting being watched
here today brought together the
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.
and union representatives. There
has been no apparent progress in
this fiye-State organization sincs y
the disputants began talking here
last Friday.
In Washington, union leaders said
their membership still was on strike
100 per cent and that morale was
high on the picket lines. More than
5000 operators, clerical workers and
cafeteria employees of the Wash
ington Telephone Traffic Union, and
upwards OF 5000 accounting, COM
mercial and maintenance workers
of the District Federation OF Teie-
phone Workers are idle. Several
hundred Western Electric and near
by Maryland workers also are out.
Reporting increased efficiency In
handling long distance calls, the
Chesapeake g. Potomac Telephone
Co. said it put through SO calls be-
tween Z and 8 am. today, 50 more
than in the same period yesterday.
The company said it handled $500
calls from 6 am. to midnight yes
terday, about double its first-day
record.
The company also announced 80
more workers on the job today than
yesterday, bringing the total OF non
supervisory workers to 235 ana the
total working force to 862.
Many Ordinary Calls Handled.
Telephone users can call any
point in the United States in spite
of the strike" j. B. Morrison, G. Sc
P. vice president, said in a state
ment. He said many calls other
than emergency calls were being
With more than 10000 supervisory
workers assisting on traffic depart
ment calls, reports showed more
than four -fifths Of the Bell Sys-
tem's 26,000,0 900 phones were. operat-
ing on substantially normal basis,
Mr.. Morrison added.
There have been no reports OF
oreakdowns in the dial system here.
81 per cent Of Washington,
and the union said 1t had heard OF
no trouble elsewhere In the United
States, which Is equipped 60 per
,ent with dial phones.
The G. q P. reported 100 per cent
tSee TELEPHONE, Page A-4)
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