Evening star., 1947-02-08

cuSS1On away from the DaSlc point
The Carriers Association demand
ed recognition without going
through the Labor Board procedure
contending the carriers were en-
ployes of the Star. The Star con-
tended the carriers were indepen-
dent merchants owning their owr
routes. and moreover, that the la.
Dor board procedure was open to the
association.
Printers Ordered Back.
The fact that the Missouri Su-
preme Court had ruled the carrier.
were independent merchants; thai
Federal taxing authorities also hac
clarified their status made no diff.
ference to the association represent.
atives. They refused to bulge from
their original stand.
On January 26. the Internationa,
Executive Council of the Typo
graphical Union ordered the print.
ers to return to work, according te
their contract. This action brought
on mass picketing by the striking
carriers and the pressmen. The
printers declined to go through the
heavily-manned picket lines.
Next, 100 of the contract carriers
opposed to the union sent an attor-
ney into the Circuit Court of Judge
Paul A. Blizzard, seeking a restrain
ing order against the picket line
There are 208 contract carriers in
all.
The 109 protested in their petition
that they were being put out OF
business as independent merchants
by "a conspiracy in restraint OF
trade" Judge Buzard granted q
temporary restraining order and set
a hearing for February S.
Honor Picket Line.
Members of the striking carriers
association left the picket line. But
another line, of pressmen, was
formed around the entrances to the
Star and the printers declined to
move through this picket line
which remained until the settlement
was reached Saturday.
The move toward settlement was
made by management in session
of the committee set up by the
Central Labor Union. 1t was sug-
gested that the union ask George
L. Berry, president of the Press
mems Union, to come to Kansas
City and sit in on the negotiations
Both the Central Labor Union
group and the. Star invited Mr.
Berry to attend. He replied that ILL
ness kept him from coming to Kan
sas City, but invited the Star and
the pressmen's local to send repre-
sentatives to meet him at pressmen's S
home. The negotiations went to
Tennessee and the settlement was
reached.
In letter to the pressmen's spe-
cial representative handling the
strike, Mr.. Berry said he had recon-
mended that a study be made OF
the status of the carriers. He pro-
posed to set up local commission
to make the study, composed of the
Kansas City Central Labor Union
and the Allied Printing Trades
Council of Kansas City. The mat
ters to be considered by the COM
mission:
A. The basis of employer and en-
ploye claims made by the parties.
Study Legal Status.
B. AS to the legal status of the
Newspaper Carriers Cooperative As
sociation of Greater Kansas City
local No. 526, both as it has to dc
with the laws of Missouri and the
National Labor Relations Board.
Mr.. Berry's letter stated that the
calling off of the strike could not
be construed as abandoning efforts
to perfect the Carriers Association
and establish its bargaining rights
through the NLRB. Mr.. Berry said
that management of the Star had
indicated it was prepared to meet
and to contract with any collective
bargaining agency established by
the government.
The final settlement also included
an increase in wages for the press.
men that had been under discussion