Evening star., 1947-04-11
Joint Meeting
A. |. & |.
Asked by Union
Appeal to Truman
Is Threatened if
Compony Refuses
BULLETIN

Promising q quick reply to
the telephone unions request
for q top-level meeting, Secre-
tary SchWellenbach said this
. afternoon he expected to talk
with Union President Beirne
during the day and make an
immediate decision there
after.
A union suggestion for an
immediate meeting between
American Telephone g. Tele-
graph. Co, officials and strike
leaders was sent to Secretary OF
Labor Schwellenbach today in a
bid for q quick settlement of the
f1ve-day Nationwide work stop
page.
Devised by the National Fedora
ton of Telephone Workers Policy
Committee, the proposal was backed
up with a threat to carry our COM
plete story to President Truman"
If A. T. & T. rejects the plan.
In asking for first meeting with
the parent firm of Bell System COM
panies, the Union also proposed
that newsmen be allowed to report
the event.
The memorandum was the Policy
Committees answer to efforts to
settle the long Lines phase of the
strike through an agreement drawn
up with the help Of Labor Depart
ment conciliators
Proposal Tentatively Rejected.
The committee tentatively turned
down the proposal, based on local
arbitration of the unions national
demands, on the grounds it did not
conform with union policy.
Not only did the committee blast
this first concrete move toward a
settlement, but it displayed new
fighting spirit in recommending that
1900 New Jersey strikers hold fast
despite State law penalizing them
for refusal to work.
Three women leaders of the opera
tors union were arrested in Newark
today in a test of the new emergency
law which figured to drag through
the courts. They. pleaded not guilty
when arraigned and were released in
$500 bond for hearing Monday.
the three gave themselves up as
willing guinea pigs" The anti
utility strike law provides for fines
from $3.50 to $500 and 30-day jail
sentences for individual violations
and a possible $4,000 daily fine
against union or utility yiolator.
Joseph A. Beirne. NFTW presi-
dent, said he would await Secretary
Schwellenbach's reaction to tfla
joint meeting proposal before fur
tiler action is taken. The Policy
Committee scheduled another meet
ing for II am. today.
Possible Union Request.
It was believed President Truman
would be asked either to appoint q
fact finding board to investigate the
strike or to seize the telephone in
dustry in the event the A. T. & t.
refuses to meet with the union.
In asking for the meeting, the
union was making its strongest ef-
fort to raise negotiations to
national bargaining level, one Of
the foremost considerations in
NFTW strategy.
The memorandum sent to Secre-
tary Schwellenbach said in part:
THE telephone industry is pub
lie utility. Its rates are set by
the Government. The people OF
the United States are interested in
the dispute which exists and it Is
deemed necessary by the NFTW that
the public be apprised Of the true
!, state of affairs in the telephone dis
pute.
I'm the interest of public welfare
it is deemed desirable by NFTWl
that the real parties to the dispute
namely the Bell System and a few.
independent company management
together with NFTW be brough
together, for the first time, to dis
cuss the overall problem.
In the event A. T. 81 T. Official
refuse this proposal an effort shall
be made by NFTW representatives
with authority to carry our com !
plete story to President Truman. I
Hopes for Quick Peace Dim.
Hopes for a quick strike settle
ment dimmed when Mr.. Beirne
characterized the long Lines proposa1
as opposed to union policy. Bu
the door was left open for furtha
consideration Of this agreemel
when the union leader declared thu
the committee still was studying 9 b
17-page document.
There had been hope the contrfG
drawn up for 10000 members of De
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