Evening star., 1949-09-07
Union Threatens
ToHa|tA.B.
Service toD.C.
Ruling on Enforcing
Virginia Strike Law
Across Border Sought

Employees OF the A. 3. & W..
busline, on strike against the COM
pany,, but working under State
MANAGEMENT, threatened today to
suspend service to the District If
the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion rules that Virginia is power
less to enforce it's anti-strike law
across its borders.
Fred Dominy. president OF the
striking union, said the member
ship voted overwhelmingly for the
plan at a meeting today, after re-
jecting a new company proposal
to settle the wage and hours dis
pute.
Mr.. Dominy said an attorney
for the union will file petition
with the ICC in the next few days
asking for a ruling on the point.
In the event the Virginia anti
strike law is found to be unen-
forcable in out-of-State operations
of utilities, the bus drivers viii
refuse to enter the District, thus
possibly leaving about $4,000 COM
muters stranded on the Virginia
side of the. Potomac, Mr.. Dominy
said.
Strike Started in July.
"It will be up to the State OF
Virginia then to decide just what
our schedules will be inside the
State" the union president added.
1--WE are not questioning the right
of the State to run the business in
Virginia, only it's right to extend
jurisdiction into the District or
elsewhere"
The company, which serves
Arlington, Alexandria and part OF
Fairfax County. was seized by the
State "in the interest OF public
welfare and safety" when Divi-
sion 1,131, Amalgamated Associa-
ton of Street, Electric Railway
and Motor Coach Employees Of
America, struck on July 81.
The company's administrative
staff continued in charge with
State sanction and the operating
and maintenance employees, about
400 of whom belong to the union.
agreed to keep the 1875 red, black
and silver buses running at their
old contract terms.
New Proposal Presented.
With Twelfth and Pennsylvania
as the District terminal point, the
company operates five local and
two through lines over Highway
Bridge, all but one serving Alex
andria, and three lines over Me-
mortal Bridge, with Virginia term
inal points at darlington. Eight
eenth and Quincy, in Arlington,
and Arna Valley.
The union struck for a 30-cent
hourly wage increase, a pension
plan and fringe benefits. The
company, showing losses for 1947
and 194S and estimating another
drop in revenue this year, offered
an increase of cents an hour be-
fore the strike.
After two meetings last week
with Federal and State concilia-
tors sitting in, union negotiators
took a new proposal to the mem
bership at 2 am. today.
The company offered scent
across-the-board increase, re-
duction in the platform work week
from 421a to 40 hours. 10 minutes
additional reporting time for
swing run men, and 5 cents more
an hour for night mechanics in
charge.
Retroactive Raise Sought.
A company spokesman said the
entire package would cost 100000
additional a year. which it could
i'll afford to pay. This is $4,000
more than the original 4-cent
offer was estimated to cost.
One reason the union turned
down the offer was the company S
proposal to start the higher pay
September S, instead of July 81,
date the old contract expired. The
company asked that the new 40
hour week start November 1, and
that the new contract be dated
that time.
Because it lost $35, 900 in both
1947 and 1948, the company could
not afford to make the new wage
rates retroactive. a spokesman
said.
The top pay for operators is now
$1.35 an hour and for mechanics,
$1.45 an hour.