Evening star., 1947-03-26
Phone Workers
Bar Bargaining
On Local Basis
Progress Is Seont
Toward Preventing
Nationwide Strike

Nationwide Strike
1ndustry-wide bargaining was the
basic issue today as the National
Federation Of Telephone Workers
Policy Committee, the telephone
companies and Federal conciliators
reported little headway in trying to
prevent a coast-to-coast strike April
Z.
The federation's Policy Committee
resumed its sessions in the Raleigh
Hotel this morning after rejecting
stand by the American Telephone
& Telegraph Co. officials that all bar
gaining on the 10 contract demands
be carried on at local level.
The Policy Committee expected to
wind UP its deliberations today or
tomorrow. 1t designated a three
member committee to remain in
constant session here ito explore
all avenues which may now be
available of the 10 co-ordinated
items, including $12 weekly pay
increase demand"
Members Anxious to Go Home.
An NFTW spokesman explained
that creation of the committee con-
sisting of NFTW President Joseph
A. Beirne, Chairman John T. Moran
of the Policy Committee and Chair
man John L. Crull of the National
Bargaining Committee was largely
as matter of convenience. Mem
bers of the 49-member Policy Com
mittee "are anxious to get back to
their home unions to get ready for
whatever happens" he said.
officials of the Chesapeake & Po-
tomac Telephone Co. said here today
that they consider negotiations for
a contract a purely local matter"
I'VE have always maintained wage
levels that compare favorably with
wages being paid for similar work
in this community" they declared.
THE matter of arbitration is a SUBJ
1ect for bargaining. The telephone
company is ready and willing to
continue negotiations with the union
at any time, as we have continually
stated"
But the NFTW Policy Commit
tee, spokesman said, "is not back
ing down here or anywhere else"
on its demand for "system-wide
bargaining at this stage of the
game"
Company Rejects Plan.
MIR. Beirne interrupted the Pol
Icy Committees meeting late yes
terday to announce A. T. g. T. Co.
officials in New York had ere
jected" the committees proposal
that a bargaining committee be
appointed to negotiate the contract
demands on a Nation wide basis
The telephone company officials
stated in New York that the NFTWs
proposal was being referred to the
Bell Systems various operating COM
panies.
In telegram read by Mr.. Beirne
to the Policy Committee, the COM
pany officials said:
Your telegram of March "a has
been sent to Bell System companies
whose employees are represented by
NFTW representatives. for their con-
sideration. AS you know, labor
agreements with the unions afflli-
ated with NFTW are with operating
telephone companies and all bar
gaining matters are handled by each
company with it's union"
NJ. poiyy,a Ino1oroI LOT +loot &L,ir
not only was rejection" of the
Policy Committees request for
national pattern" of bargaining but
also continues the fiction and the
story book tale" of independent
opera ton of telephone company
units
Sees Crazy Quilt Pattern.
Individual arbitration of the type
advocated by the telephone COM
pany, he said, would cause crazy
quilt pattern of wages and working
conditions
The telephone officials declared,
however, that leach company must
work out the matter under local
conditions"
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of
Labor John w. Gibson was in New
York today to confer with A. T. & T.
Co. officials. He indicated he would
also meet with NFTW Policy Com
mittee representatives. A Policy
Committee spokesman said the
group has not yet heard from Mr..
Gibson "but of course would be
glad to see him at any time"
The Labor Department announced
that Federal conciliators are work
ing in 30 cities but have reported
no substantial progress in heading
off the threatened strike of $4,000
telephone workers.
Although preliminary arrange
ments for a strike are being made,
the NFTW Policy Committee is
concentrating" on ways to arrive
at an agreement, a spokesman said.
But such an agreement, he declared,
could not be limited to wages, so
far as the union is concerned. 1t
would have to include demands con-
corning working conditions and
- L. 4 y