Evening star., 1947-06-14
u. 5. Strives 10 Ayeh-
Big Shipping Strike;;'o
~
Outlook Is Dark 70
BY james Y. Newton

/ UY 10HN8S A.tNGWtVB = sec
Federal labor officials still were
hopeful today OF averting an all
coast shipping tieup, although
CIo President Philip Murray
said earlier a maritime strike s"in
all likelihood" will occur whens
contracts expire tomorrow at
midnight.
On the West Coast there was"E
wide difference of opinion as ITO
chances of settling the dispute with:
out stoppage. Negotiators for
shipowners were confident of e
settlement as they entered new talks
with the three CIO unions involveu..
However, union spokesmen talked
darkly about strike. 90
In New York where East Coast
negotiations have been In progress,
= Labor Department conciliator
stepped into the dispute. He, too.
was optimistic that shipping tieup
could De aVoloed. 'vet
Murray Promises Support. ~"
Mr.. Murray issued his pessiniStic
| statement after conference with
officials of five CIO maritime
unions, including Joseph Curran of
the National Maritime Union, and
Harry Bridges of the West Coast
Longshoremen The CIO head
promised the full support of the big
labor organization to the 400 600
maritime workers involved in the
dispute. r''f
William Margolis. assistant direeA
tor of the Cancellation Service office,
in New York, who was assigned to
the dispute. said that he was maxi
ing every effort to bring .epresenta-
| tiyes of the shipping companies and
unions together for continuous meet
ings over the week end. ,1or
II am very hopeful Of avertirfy
the walkout with he help of all part
ties" Mr.. Margoiis said. 81"
In assigning Mr.. Margohs to the
case, Secretary of Labor Schwellefs
bach told the disputants that a
strike would damage the American
merchant marine seriously and EN-
barrass" the Government in carry
ing out foreign commitments.
Other Unions Involved.
Mr.. Murray charged that the ship
owners had shown an unwilling,
ness" to bargain with union repre-
sentatives pending President Tru-
mans action on the Taft-Hartley
labor bill.
In addition to the National Mari
time Union and the longshoremen,
the Marine Cooks and Stewards.
the Marine Engineers Beneficial AS
sociation and the American Com
munications Association are in
volved in the threatened walkout.
MEBA signed an agreement with
the Pacific American Shipowners'
Association yesterday extending the
existing contract for year. The
longshoremen reached agreement
| last week.
However. the five unions have
agreed to the walkout unless agree
ment is reached for all.
| Mr. CurranS NMU is oemanQlng
q 20 per cent wage increase and
other concessions, while the cooks
and stewards and the communica-
tions workers are seeking extension
of the present contract. 't.
Frank ]. Taylor, spokesman for
East and Gulf Coast ship COM
panies. said yesterday he believed
settlement could be reached be-
fore the strike deadline.
A company spokesman for West
Coast interests pointed out that
settlement already had been reached
with MEBA and the Longshoremen,
I'VE confidently hope. to sign up
the others before the deadline," he
added. d. '' ~
The West Coast CIO Maritime
Committee said that unless the
shipowners change their minds to-
day or tomorrow there will be no
work in the maritime industry,