Evening star., 1947-03-02

a telephone cable have to 60 Wfe
also is held at the Bell Vocation.
electricians recommended by the
Phone Unions Charge
Sailing on Wages,
File Strike Notices
The National Federation of Tele-
phone Workers last night charged
the Nations telephone companies,
now engaged in wage talks, with
"stalling" in the hope that Congress
would pass legislation that will
give the companies bargaining
advantage"
Charges were made by Joseph A.
Beirne, president of the independent
union which claims to represent
more than 100000 workers in all
branches Of the industry.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman
for the four Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Companies, operating in
the District, Maryland, Virginia and
West Virginia, issued a statement
declaring representatives of the
seven unions have made demands
totaling $38,000,0O0 annually. He
asserted there is no reason at this
time for changes in the general
level of their wage rates" and added
that the unions rejected the COM
panies' offer to extend present con-
tracts.
1--WE are still in process of bar
gaining with all seven of the unions
in the group of four companies" he
said. -.
negatiatioAs break Au5t
Tie nxtionM Wntosf HAS set AfH Z
for a telephone strike.
!, Strike Notices Filed. ,,.,,.,,..,
I. The a 11le stst6ment, rni5H
was released here, came close after
announcement that 30-day strike
notices had been fled with the
Government by telephone unions in
at least IS States, representing more
than 100000 workers. The notices
were described by one union official
as "a mere formality to keep within
the law in case negotiations break
down."
Meanwhile, officials of two Wash
ington unions representing more
than 5000 employees of the Chesa-
peake & Potomac Telephone Co. re-
ported they were making little
progress in their talks with COM
pany officials.
Both the Washington Telephone
Traffic Union, made up of more than
5000 operators, and the District
Federation Of Telephone Workers,
representing another 5000 employees
in plant, accounting and commercial
departments, filed strike notices Fri
day.
Mrs. Mary E. Cannon, president
Of WITH, said no wage proposal
had been made by the company, al
though the union had asked a $l2
a week wage increase for all work
ers. Helery Robinson, president of
DFTW, took the same stand. The
first group has been negotiating with
the company since February II, and
the second group since January q,
according to union leaders.
Both contracts expire March 81,
they said. Contract talks here re-
sumo tomorrow.
All Proposals Rejected.
Mr.. Beirne declared:
After more than month of con-
tinuous bargaining, not one Bell
telephone company has offered a
penny of wage increases. They have
rejected all our proposals for union
shop, shortened apprentice periods,
narrowing of wage differences be-
tween large and small towns, and
have refused to consider improve
ments in vacations and pensions"
The union official added that ION
the contrary, they are trying to
move backward in contract matters
and seek return to conditions as
they existed 10 years ago before the
industry was organized"
Mr.. Beirne. celebrating on his
charge of "stalling," declared that
the companies seem almost to want
to push us into a Nation wide tele-
phone strike, a strike our whole pro-
gram, set up last November is in
tended to avoid"
Company Position Stated.
The spokesman for the four COM
panies has said:
Management representatives OF
our four companies began bargain
ing with the representatives of the
seven unions, the first negotiations
being held February 13. The num-
ber Of demands the unions made
upon the companies average 40 per
union and would cost approximately
$3S, 900 900 annually. This represents
more than half of the four COM
panies' payroll and also represents
four times the companies earnings
and SO per cent OF the total revenues
of the four companies.
"The demands In Washington rep
resent about nine and half mil
lion dollars, which is equal to half
OF the total payroll Of the Wash
ington company and three times its
earnings and one-third Of It's reve-
nue.
THE four companies policy is to
pay wages which compare favorably
with other concerns in the COM
munity for work that requires SINH
lar skill and. training. This policy
has been followed over the years
and Is being followed today. Such
a policy IS to the best interest of
the customers, the employees and the
owners. since good wages are essen-