Evening star., 1947-05-12
d. c. Phone Operators
Reject " age Offer;
Deadlock Hopeless

held up settlement OF the WASH
ington Telephone Traffic Union. 3
strike against the Chesapeake 3:
Potomac Telephone Co. today.
An expected weekend settlement
exploded when ZOO union members,
meeting at Turner'S Arena. voted
almost unanimously against accept
ance OF the company's 50 to 81 q
week wage offer.
THE company asked US to give
up our present seniority and griev-
ance procedure as we'll as mainten-
ance Of dues, Mrs. Mary E. Cannon,
president OF the WITH. said. A
discriminating clause, giving the
company the right to fire employees
for improper conduct during and
after the strike, also was unaccept-
able, Mrs. Cannon added.
Calling the negotiations @fhope-
lessly deadlocked," Cancellation
Commissioner E. T. Bell said he
would call another meeting today
If either side had something new to
offer.
Union Demands Listed.
The union is insisting on ~
weekly increases for all employees,
including dining service workers,
and renewal of the present contract,
Mrs. Cannon explained. Bakers and
cooks among the 500 cafeteria
workers were offered So . week
and all other 81, she said.
Across the Nation, there were
some regional settlements in the
36-day y-old strike, but picketing
Western Electric employees were
keeping many workers of the job.
An arbitration proposal of the
Western Electric Employees Associa-
ton was rejected by the company
in negotiations at the Labor De-
partment, Union Attorney Henry
Mayer announced. He said the dis
cussions were "stalemated" by
company determination to wipe out
the present seniority clause and be-
cause the parties could not agree
on fringe issues that would open
the way to a wage offer.
Two Other Sessions Fail.
No progress was reported in two
other Western Electric bargaining
sessions involving installation and
distributing employees covering most
Of the Nation.
The Associated Press estimated
that 1876 900 OF the 348,o 900 telephone
workers who struck April were
still idle today.
The National Federation Of Tele-
phone Workers lost some support
on the West Coast when $4,000 CIO
American Communications Associa-
ton members, who had backed up
the strike, returned to work In
Northern California and Nevada.
This action followed an agree
ment by II, 900 members of the Fed
Grafton of Women Telephone Opera
tors in Southern California and
1900 exchange maintenance work
ers In California and Nevada to
settle their strikes for So and 81
weekly increases.
Pickets Keep 1900 Out.
Western Electric pickets were
instrumental in keeping all but
5000 of the 10000 American Tele-
phone g. Telegraph Co. long-lines
workers from resuming their jobs.
The long Lines group had settled
last week for q $40 average
increase.
The Illinois Bell Telephone Co.
reported 88 per cent normal service
yesterday although $500 of its H.
800 operators refused to cross the
Western Electric unions picket
lines. Only 80 per cent of the
employees returned to work in Min
neapolis for the same reason.
Asking S. weekly increases plus
fringe pay that would bring another
dollar, $4,000 Southwestern Bell
Telephone Co. employees remained
on strike when the company termed
the demand fantastic"
In Washington, Helery Robinson,
president of the District Federation
of Telephone Workers, said the
union had formally signed new
contract with the c. g. P. Mr.. Ro-
binson said. 50 to 81 wage increases
became effective yesterday. Most of
the 3,400 members have returned to
work despite union policy to re-
spect picket lines of the WITH
and the Western Electric strikers.
In Virginia, Gov. Tuck was noti-
fed by Mr.. Robinson that the DFTW
has withdrawn formal notice of q
strike scheduled for Wednesday in
Alexandria, Arlington and Falls
Church. About 300 commercial and
plant employees in those localities
are members of the District union,
but did not join the general strike
because Of a State law. Mr.. Robin
son pointed out the Virginia mem
bers were included In last weeks
settlement.
Telephone service throughout
Maryland was normal for the first
time in five weeks when operators
decided to cross picket lines and re-
turn to work.
~