Evening star., 1949-09-21
Truckers
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city shipments which may be di-
verted from other roads.
Over-the-road shipments OF
freight to Washington were dras-
tically curtailed although the big
inter-city trucks continued to roll
through Washington en- route to
Baltimore or Richmond. Truck
shipments to struck companies in
Washington were held up in Bal
timore and Richmond.
Local 639 of the Truck Drivers
Union called a strike of more than
200 drivers, freight handlers and
warehousemen at pm. yester-
day to back up its demands for
a blanket II cent-an-hour wage
increase.
One Of the eight companies
Joseph M. Dignan and Son-yield-
ed to the union demands and
signed a new agreement early
today.
The remaining seven struck
companies, all members of the
Labor Relations Council of the
District of Columbia Trucking
Association. had offered the union
increases of 1872 cents and hour
for drivers and 10 cents an hour
for freight handlers and ware
housemen. These were the same
terms accepted by Baltimore
freight truck drivers to end their
two-day strike last Wednesday.
Some Sign Agreements.
The amount Of the wage in
crease was the only issue on which
union employer negotiators were
deadlocked when collective bar
gaining conferences broke of
Saturday. The employers had
agreed to union demands to re-
duce the work week from 48 to
40 hours.
When intervention of the Fed
eral Mediation and Cancellation
Service failed to break the dead
lock, Charles j. Bell. president of
Local 500, announced efforts would
be made to sign agreements with
truck operators on an individual
basis.
A number Of independent op-
orators and two members of the
Labor Relations Council acceeded
to union demands in these indi-
vidual negotiations, Mr.. Bell said.
He announced that the strike was
directed against the following
firms:
Davidson transfer and Storage
Co., Eagle Transfer and Storage
Co., Baltimore Transfer Co., w. T.
Cowen. Inc, Brooks Transporta-
ton Co., Elliott Motor Lines and
Savage Truck Line.
Railroads Study Situation.
The union estimated the seven
firms handle 40 per cent of the
express and transfer business in
Washington.
Freight agents Of railroads
serving Washington were study
ing the situation this morning to
determine what steps can be
taken to avert a costly tieup. In
1945 when the truck drivers
walked out on a seven-week
strike. the railroads were forced
to embargo freight shipments to
Washington because of the con-
gestion in their terminals.
Thomas ]. Baroody, chairman
Of the Labor Relations Council
and head of the Eagle Transfer
& Storage Co., said the strike
would have to continue several
days before its effect would be-
come serious.
The movement Of perishables,
such as food and drugs, will not
be Immediately affected, Mr.. Ba-
roody predicted. He pointed out
that his firm has contracts with
four Of the railroads shipping
freight to Washington and said
the bulk of the freight involved
was less-than-carload deliveries of
"dry" freight, such as department
store merchandise and household
goods.
Mr.. Baroody said his firm was
not contemplating any effort to
send its trucks through picket
lines and did not expect other
struck firms to do so.
The contract between the union
and truck operators expired August
80, but the drivers have been
working since with. the understand
ing that any benefits they won
through negotiation would be
made retroactive.
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