Evening star., 1947-07-01
$4,000 More Go Out
As Shipyard Strike
Threatens All East
By the Associofed Press

NEW YORK, July IA strike
Of CIO shipyard workers-previ-
ously confined to 10 yards in four
States-spread to additional East
and Gulf Coast plants today as a
walkout of 10000 more unionists
got under way, threatening a
shutdown of virtually all major
shipbuilding and repair work on
the Atlantic Coast.
The new walkout-begun at 1901
am. and announced in Camden, N.
j., by an official of Local l of the
Industrial Union of Marine and
Shipbuilding Workers-brought to
approximately 10000 the number of
men involved In the strike; about
$4,000 having struck last Thursday
in 10 plants in Maryland, Massa-
chusetts, New Jersey and New York.
The strike Is on" the union Of
fetal said shortly after midnight.
1T will affect at least "a OF the 80
shipyards on the East and Gulf
coasts"
Pickets Begin Patrolling.
Full effect of the new walkout,
however, will not be felt until later
today when other shifts are sched-
uled to report to work.
Pickets began patrolling at the
main gate of the huge Federal Ship
building g. Dry Dock Co. yards at
Kearny, N. j., shortly after mid
night but an office worker at the
yard said less than 100 men, all
maintenance workers, were the only
employees due in at midnight and
that they would be permitted to
enter anyway
The yard employs some 1000 men.
The only other plant in the metro
politan area to be affected by the
New York stoppage is the Sullivan
Dry Dock and Repair Yards at
Brooklyn, with 1900 employees.
Last minute negotiations were
conducted yesterday by the union
with the two companies but they
collapsed.
13-Cent Increase Sought.
The union seeks a 13-cent hourly
wage increase. six paid holidays
year, and three-week paid vacations
after 20 years employment. Skilled
workers receive $1.38 an hour and
laborers, "a cents under present con-
tracts.
The new strike was precipitated
by the expiration of previously
established headlines set by the
union.
Meanwhile, H. r. Colwell, regional
director of the United States Con-
ciliation Service, called into session
today representatives of the Bethle-
hem Steel Co.-nine OF whose yards
were tied up in last Thursdays
walkout-and the union in an effort
to end the six-day-old strike.
Mr.. Colwell said he would head
three-man panel between repre-
sentatives of both sides.
John Green, national president of
the union, could not be reached for
comment on the latest develop
ments. .f,,..
Two Yards Make Offers.
He reported shortly before the
walkout that two major yards
Maryland Drydock Corp, Baltimore,
and the Alabama Drydock and Ship
building Co., Mobile-had offered
wage increases but these company
proposals failed to meet the scaled
down minimum basic demands of the
union" ...
The Maryland firm offered men,
bers Of Local 81 7 cents an hour
boost, while the Alabama company
offered scent increase to men,
bers of Local 18. The Maryland
workers have not gone out. but were
scheduled to meet today to reach
decision.
One firm-Mathis Shipbuilding
Corp, Camden, averted a strike by
agreeing to give its 500 workers l3-
cent increase, Mr.. Green said. No
company official was available for
comment.
The union said the only major
yards on the Atlantic and Gulf
Coasts not affected by the new
strike are the Todd Shipyard Corp.
Yards in Hoboken, ". j., and the
Andrew Higgins yard in New Or
leans where contract extensions do
not expire for another % days.