Evening star., 1948-06-27
Labor Picture Made
Brightest in Months
By Lewis Settlement
By jones Y. Newton

by james J.. NEWTON
The Nations labor-manasement
relations were the most peaceful In
months last night following the con-
tract settlement worked out by John
L. Lewis with . major portion Of the
soft coal industry.
There were still q few dark spots
but the labor picture ~ . hole was
the brightest In . long time. The
giant steel industry still had not
signed the new contract with the
United Mine WORKERS for their cap
tive" mines, but was expected to
eapitulate in few days.
No agreement had been reached
IN the old dispute between three
operating unions and national rail-
road management. The Army still
is in technical control Of the car
riers. But even there things were
not too dark, and there was some
Eeason to hope for early settlement.
Hiring Halls Disputed.
Seven maritime unions are under
an S0-day Taft-Hartley Act court
Injunction not to strike. Federal
labor onicials fear real and serious
troubles. in the shipping industry
when the truce period expires. The
main dispute there is over the oon-
tinuance OF union hiring halls,
which lead to the now illegal closed
shop.
Omcials saw nothing the holdout
steel industry could do other than
come to terms with Mr.. Lewis as two
thirds of the coal industry-the COM
mercial operators-already have
done. Steel accepted reluctantly"
all other points OF the contract,
including the 81 per day wage hike
and the 100000, ,000-a-year UNIV
welfare and retirement fund, but
refused to sign because the pact
continued the union shop.
Harry M. Moses, chief negotiator
for the captive" mines, pointed
out that the union shop is illegal
unless approved in formal election
by majority OF the workers. How
ever, there was no doubt that the
100000 miners would vote over
whelmingly for the closed shop.
Confessional leaders have indicated
the provision for the union shop
vote probably will be removed from
the Taft-Hartley law.
Steel Pay Raise Held Certain.
The steel industry's refusal to sign
the contract Immediately was re-
garded in Government and industry
circles as merely gesture OF re-
calcitrance made necessary by the
refusal two months ago of the big
producers to grant a pay raise to
the CIO United Steelworkers.
When the Captive" interests
finally sign up with Mr.. Lewis, 1t
was held almost foregone copclu-
sion that a raise in wages to about
100000 steel mill workers would fol-
low. The increase probably would
follow the big industry pattern OF
from II to IA cents an hour.
The miners themselves began a
To-day vacation yesterday. They
are due back In the pits July 6.
Mr.. Lewis will 60 to New York
early in the week to put the finish
ing touches to q new contract for
the hard coal industry. That settle
ment probably will be patterned
closely after the soft coal settle
ment and little difficulty il expected
In reaching agreement. 8r -
Board Reports All IL Well.
President Truman's fact-findins
board, appointed to inquire into the
Lewis operator dispute. made Its re-
port to the White House, saying, in
effect, that all is we'll.
The board told the President the
snag over the union shop, cited by
the steel industry. would not i'm
peril the National health and safety
and SO would not make necessary
application for an anti-strike in
junction.
The board, headed by David L.
Cole, was the most successful ap-
pointed under the Taft-Hartley Act.
It had considerable to do with the
coal settlement, tactfully prodding
Mr.. Lewis and operator negotiators
ut the right moments.
But the thing that actually broke
the miners dispute was the decision
OF Justice T. Alan Goldsborough in
favor of Mr.. Lewis in his long con-
troversy over 500 monthly pensions
and welfare and distress benefit for
the miners. The ruling pulled the
rug from under the operators.
Raise Granted by Aluminium Co.
Resolution of all the big industry
labor disputes was made much easier
by the May Is action of General
Motors Corp. giving an 1l-cents per
hour wage increase. tied to the cost
of living. GIN workers pay will be
raised still further if living costs
continue upward. Until that break
came, it had appeared big industry
was determined to hold the line on
wages this year.
Pressure on the steel industry to
raise wages of mill workers was in
creased by the announcement yes
terday that the United Steelworkers
had accepted a pay raise of from
Q to is cents an hour from the
Aluminium Company of America.
Presidential Assistant John r.
steelman was still trying hard to
settle the railroad dispute which
forced the Government to take over
the carriers last month. Charles G.
Ross, White House press secretary,
told reporters Mr.. Steelman was
continuing the effort to find some
basis for agreement" Mr.. Ross re-
fused to say whether the Army IT.
self might attempt to negotiate
contract with the three rail unions
indicative of the optimistic turn
In labor relations, Cyrus 8. Ching.
head of the Federal Mediation and
Cancellation Service, left yesterday
for a long-planned rest and salmon
fishing expedition to Nova Scotia.
Woman J Men Charmed