Evening star., 1949-07-09
Building Strike
Settled by 10c
Hourly Raise
Carpenters Resume
Work Monday on
Delayed Projects

The carpenters strike which has
delayed work on 100000, 900
worth of construction projects
here was settled today. The strike
started June l.
Francis j, Kelly, attorney for
the Master Builders Association,
said contract was signed grant,
ing the carpenters a raise of 10
cents an hour-the full amount
asked for when the union men
walked off their jobs.
In return for the increase. Mr..
Kelly said. the union agreed to
waive several fringe benefit clauses
which it had won in previous
negotiations.
The carpenters will return to
work Monday at the new pay scale
of $3.50 an hour.
LaDOrerS Iau Meetiug.
Organized laborers who struck
the day after the carpenters also
we're offered a 10-cent-an-hour
increase today. They had asked
IS cents. The union negotiators
tentatively accepted the offer and
called for membership meeting
later today to ratify the proposal.
The strike halted work at such
heavy construction projects as the
General Accounting Office build
ing, the Dupont Circle underpass.
several schools in the area, the
Whitehurst Freeway connecting
with the Key Bridge in George
town and a power plant in Alex
andria.
District highway officials pre-
dicted yesterday that completion
of the Whitehurst Freeway would
be delayed 10 weeks because OF
the carpenters strike.
1t will take 10 weeks after set
tlement of the strike to complete
forms and pour concrete for the
freeway over K street from ROCK
Greek parkway to Key Bridge.
they said. The $3,294.000 struc-
ture originally was scheduled for
completion July /.
Although originally about $500
carpenters went on strike, B. B.
Blackburn, secretary-treasurer Of
the Carpenters District Council.
said only about 500 now are csf the
Job. A number of smaller suild-
ers signed new contracts meeting
the carpenters demands.
1000 Laborers Off Job.
| The carpenters strike was fol-
lowed the next day by a walk
out of the laborers to enforce
their demands for $1.50 an hour
instead of $1.35. There are now
about 1000 laborers off the job.
The strike of the carpenters and
laborers, hating construction
work, threw other crafts out Of
work and. with the expiration Of
wage contracts new agreements
have to be reached with these
other crafts before building can
be fully resumed.
Mr.. Kelly said meetings were
held also with the rodmen, cement
finishers and teamsters yesterday.
He said the rodmen-the men
who place steel reinforcing for
concrete work-are asking a Is
cent-an-hour increase. Their
contract expired July /. 1t is re-
garded as doubtful that a settle
ment will be reached with them
today. About $50 workers are
involved.
About 500 cement finishers,
whose contract expired also. are
a 'lg an increase of about rs
cents. The teamsters-truck drivers
are asking 25 cents also. The
contract affecting about 300 ex-
pired May /. The present scale
varies from $1.1S to $3.50 an hour.
depending on the type Of equip
ment handled.
Another craft which Is seeking
a new contract is that of the
hosting and operating engineers.
They are asking a health and
welfare fund financed by 8 per
cent of their pay. Their scale
ranges up to $3.50 an hour.