The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-05-07

Carter. You are conversant with the contract?
 Gustafson: Yes.
 Carter: Who is the sole bargain ing agent?
 Gustafson: We are.
 Carter: Has any other union a right to demand a portion of your work?
 Gustafson: No portion of our work, no.
 Carter: What is your reaction to this controversy?
 Gustafson A union man is not required to cross a picket line and they wont.
 Carter What is the reaction of your union? Gustafson: The boys don't want to cross picke time.
 Carter: What do you think of the picket line?
 Gustafson: think it is legal. That seems to be the opinion of the National Labor Relations Board
 Carter: Did the authority not say that his recommendation might be that no case exists?
 Gustafson The sawmill brought a case against the longshoremen and the matter was taken back to Seat tie and they said it was not an unfair practice on the part of the longshoremen.
 Carter: Has he turned in any commentators?
 Gustafson: I don't know. Word has come back that they did but his recommendation have to be O.K.ed by Washington, D. C.
 Moore: What does your work con- sists of?
 Gustafson: From the beginning to the finished product.
 Hendrickson; But that is not in the contract?
 Gustafson: No.
 Hendrickson: Have your men loaded?
 Gustafson. Yes, We have. When the mill was run by Mir. Rutherford the longshoremen had the work. We have not the right to take this work away from the longshoremen. This is a new practice to this particular mill.
 Moore: Was this particular work included in the contract?
 Gustafson: No. We have no dis pute.
 Hendrickson And has your union ever asked your headquarters whether you should do this work? Gustafson: Two weeks ago our president was here and he met with MT. Card and MT Hawkins and do not know about the outcome. understood there are meetings go- ing on below between the wood workers and the longshoremen and the conciliators down below. An out come has not yet been reported. Carter: If the NLR.B. rules that the longshoremen are not bargain ing agent, would you continue to do the work?
 Gustafson: That would have to be left up to the members.
 Carter: Where is your headquart- CTS?
 Gustafson: The woodworkers in Seattle.
 Carter: They would instruct you not to cross the picket line?
 Gustafson: Our president was here. If our president had said ''go back to work it would have done. Carter: So you have to sit tight? Gustafson: Yes. No man will cross the picket line. Carter: In your personal opinion, who would load if they could not become a bargaining agent?
 Gustafson: I cannot answer. This dispute has been going on for months. It must be settled between the longshoremen and the firm.
 Hendrickson: Would you not be obliged to do it if the longshoremen concede?
 Gustafson: Yes.
 Hendrickson: Have you been sec retary long?
 GustafSon Three months.
 Hendrickson Have you any ideas for a settlement?
 Gustafson. I would like to see it settled. Our president, William Flint has done his best. A week ago he thought the management and the longshoremen could get together. They had a session for about 3l2 hours. On Friday. There was to have been another meeting last Monday and then MT. Card phoned and said he had nothing to discuss.
 Hendrickson: MT. Card said he was anxious to settle through the right bargaining group. Gustafson: went to MT Hawkins when this came up and he said he didn't want to talk to the long shoremen. Whichever way it goes we are caught. If we had sided with the mill our union would have been broke.
 Carter: Why don't the longshore- men take it up through channels