Evening star., 1948-02-26
Philadelphia Printers
Vote 10. Quit Work in
Commercial Plants
BY the Assoeioisd Press

by the Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 26-Union
printers failed to report for work
today In Philadelphia's 20 major
commercial printing firms.
Sinclair Muir, president Of the AFL
International Typographical Unions
Local 2, refused to call the action
by the 900 printers a strike.
He said they merely were mot de-
sirous Of continuing their employ
ment under the present low wage
SCALE"
The work stoppage-first here in
u years-was decided on last night
by a vote Of LILO to So, Mr.. Muir
reported.
Printers at Philadelphia newspa-
per plants are not involved in the
dispute. However, Mr.. Muir said
that they had been permitted to take
part In the strike vote.
The strike action overshadowed
another development yesterday in
which the ITU called National
Labor Relations Board hearing here
"a court Of persecution" and, in ef-
feet, walked out Of the hearing.
Postponement Request Refused.
Benjamin r. Simon, attorney for
the Philadelphia local, as well as
Local 6 of the union in New York,
asked the NLRB to postpone the
hearing 48 hours so he could get in
structions from officers of the two
locals. 3.
But Howard Myers, NLRB trial
examiner, refused and ordered the
hearings resumed at pm. today.
He also consolidated seven COM
plants by employers against locals
of the ITU on charges OF unfair
labor practices.
Howard Thomas, president OF
Allied Printing Employers Associ-
alton, asserted:
1--WE will not connive with the
union to evade the laws OF this
country, and neither the threat OF
| a strike nor any other coercive
action can compel us to adhere to
the unions unlawful policy" He
did not amplify the statement.
Lower Pay Scale Stressed.
Announcing the strike action,
Muir said:
"The union conducted . secret
ballot for the purpose of setting. .
wage scale. The wage scale In Phil
adelphia has been at least from
$12 to $40 q week less than that
being paid for similar work done
in other cities"
A union spokesman said the
printers are seeking an $85 a week
scale at the 28 big shops-as con-
trasted with current weekly
scale Of $50.
| Among big shops affected by the
strike are the Cuneo Eastern Press,
which prints Eastern editions OF
Time and Life magazines, and Chill
ten Press, which prints many lead
ing trade journals.
| Other Locals Quit Hearings.
Locals from st. Louis, Newark, De-
troit and Pittsburgh Joined the in
ternational union in withdrawing
from the hearing. Counsel for the
Philadelphia local said he was 'in
complete sympathy" with the walk
out. .,.e
Soon after Mr.. Myers announced
his decision, Gerhard Van Arkel, q
former general counsel for the
NLRB and now representing the in
ternational union, rose to read 9
f2,O00-worti letter addressed to Rob-
ert N. Denham, NLRB counsel.
In this letter Mr.. Van Arkel said
the cases were essentially the same
as litigated at Baltimore last Octo-
ber" and could not be profitably
heard until the NLRB rules on the
Baltimore cases. isM a.ft8asd e..ajsj
"A s contrary position would
amount to acceding to q court OF
persecution which We feel to be
completely unjustified," MIR. Van
| Arkel's letter said.
All Involves Similar Complaints.
The Baltimore and similar cases
aau involve substantially the same
complaints and we don't intend to
spend 1856 days q year in court dis
cussing the same case" the letter
continued.
He then announced the unions
decision not to. Cooperate further
in the proceedings and the cases
consolidated with It,"
The charges against the Phila-
delphia local-filed by the major
commercial Arms struck today
said the ITU refused and con-
tinued to refuse" to bargain col
lectively in good faith since last
August, when the ft-Hartley ban
on the closed shop went into effect.
The employer group here is seek
ing $3S0,000 damages from the
union-the first such damage action
/ in the Nation.