Evening star., 1947-11-28
BY the ASseeiotsd Press

Disputes over new contracts be-
tween locals of the AFL Interna-
tional Typographical Union and
many of the Nations newspaper
publishers have disrupted normal
working conditions in some of the
dailies, but publication in virtually
all Of the plants has continued un-
interrupted.
The ITU, in a formal complaint
by the National Labor Relations
Board, has been charged with un-
fair labor practices based on charges
filed by the American Newspaper
Publishers Association.
The ANPA, which represents 400
Of the Nations newspapers, has
charged the ITU violated the Taft
Hartley law with its ''no-contract'
policy. A NLRB trial examiner will
hear the complaint in Indianapolis,
the TITUS national headquarters, on
December 9.
One of the major developments in
the contract negotiations was the
strike last Monday of more than
1,500 printers employed on Chica-
go's six leading dailies. The walk
out climaxed a deadlock in nego-
tiations since the TITUS contract
with the Chicago Publishers Asso-
citation expired last october 81.
Chicago Papers Continue.
However, Chicago's three after
noon and three morning neWspa-
pers have continued publication by
means of typewriter copy repro
duced by photo-engraving process.
The strike is confined to the news
paper composing rooms.
The ANPA complaint charged the
ITU with insisting on continuation
of the closed shop clauses in new
contracts although the Taft-Hartley
law prohibits closed shops. The
ITU also is charged with "slow-
downs" "featherbedding and re-
fusing to bargain collectively.
The ITU, which claims about 85,-
900 members throughout the coun-
try, has said several newspapers
have granted wage increases with
out a contract since the Taft-Hart-
ley law became effective Reports
from some newspapers show they
are operating under conditions of
employment" and operations have
been normal. Similar reports came
from other dailies which are pub
fishing during contract negotiations.
The ANPA, when it filed it's COM
plant with the NLRB, said the ITU
had contracts with 239 daily news
papers in 185 cities which either had
expired or will expire by Decem-
ber 81.
The scale of wages and hours for
the printers across the country vary
In Chicago, the union had asked pay
increases of $14.50 weekly for day
printers and SIS weekly for night
and early morning printers. The
present-day scale is $3.50 for 3614
hours: SOL for 36A hours nightwork
and $91 for 80 hours in early
morning
Differ Over Cause.
In Chicago. the union said the
publishers refusal to grant immedi-
ate wage increases voted by the
union, pending negotiations of other
issues, caused the strike
The publishers said the issue was
not wages, but that the union re-
fused to negotiate their wage and
other demands in the form of a
lawful contracts of reasonable dura-
ton" The publishers claimed the
printers demanded a wage increase,
without satisfactory contract, to
circumvent the Taft-Hartley laws
prohibition against a closed shop.
The union denied the charge.
Earlier this month the Chicago
publishers filed a formal complaint
with the NLRB under the Taft
Hartley law charging the union with
failing to bargain collectively and
with intensified" composing room
slowdowns.
The ANPA also has requested per-
mission of the NI,RB to intervene
in the case involving charges filed
by the Nassau Daily Review-Star
of Mineola. N. Y, against the ITU.
The newspaper, which has con-
tinued publication despite walk
out of typographical employees on
November 9, hes filed 100000
damage suit against the ITU and
Local 919, the unit involved in the
dispute.