Evening star., 1949-06-03
Little Hope Seen
ToEnd Bui|dinq
Tieup This Week
Both Sides Stand Pat
In Their Positions
On Wage Increase

On Wage Increase
Strikes tying up $780, .000, ,00C
worth of construction work since
Wednesday gave little promise to-
day of settlement before next
week.
From the striking Carpenters
District Council came this word
ANY time the builders are will
ing to offer 10 cents we are ready
to meet with them, and not be-
fore"
From the striking Building
Laborers Local IA came this an
nouncement:
Our members struck for is
cents an hour and it Is up to them
to make the next move. But we
want to get it over and will meet
with the builders at any time"
Builders Standing Pat.
The Master Builders Associa-
ton, against which both unions
are striking, planned no meeting
for today and was standing pat on
its refusal to grant wage increases
It wants to extend wage provi-
sions of recently expired contracts
James A. Holden, Federal Con-
ciliation Commissioner. planned
to talk to both sides today. but
saw little chance Of getting them
together before next week.
Randall c. Wyant. builders Sec
retary. admitted that practically
all commercial, Government and
large apartment house construc-
ton in the area was halted by the
double barreled walkout.
The carpenters strike had the
sanction of both the AFL Building
Trades Council and the Central
Labor Union. c. F. Preller. presi-
dent of the latter group, which
comprises practically every major
AFL union. said the central body
supports the demands Of the car
penters as fair and ethical"
Executive Board to Meet.
The Building Trades Council,
which earlier voted "all assistance
within the law" scheduled ap /.
other Executive Board meeting to-
day. Frank O'Connor, council
secretary, said the entire strike
situation would be surveyed and
. decision probably would be made
as to whether other building
crafts should respect picket lines.
The exact number of nonwork-
ing carpenters and laborers was
unknown even to their union
leaders.
B. B. Blackburn. carpenters
secretary treasurer. said more
carpenters are working than are
idle"
BY that he meant that many
carpenters are working on projects
being built by more than 80 con-
tractors who have agreed to the
union terms in separate contracts,
Mr.. Blackburn said.
These contractors are both big
and little, some hiring as many
as 100 or 200 carpenters, he said.
Laborers Also Working.
Henry Thomas. president OF
AFL Laborers Local IA, also
claimed that many laborers were
working on jobs for which his
union had obtained contracts.
The laborers now receive $1.35
an hour. They have dropped their
original demands of 40 cents an
hour increase and now want Is
cents. Mr.. Thomas said the build
ers have offered to continue the
present wages, but have intro
duced other demands the laborers
could not accept.
The carpenters want 10 cents
on top of their present $2.4O an
hour, but the builders have offered
an extension of the present terms
for another two years.
Most of the picket lines manned
by the laborers yesterday were
withdrawn today. Mr.. Thomas
said a membership meeting will
be held at 5 pm. today in La
borers Hall, 525 New Jersey ave-
nue. NV. to acquaint members
with the contractors who have
signed up and we're offering work.
Two Are Arrested.
Settles M. Leak, business agent,
and Thomas G. Sampler, secre-
tary-treasurer of the striking
laborers' local, were arrested yes
terday morning at the Madison
Street High School construction
project in Alexandria and charged
with trespassing. Both are colored.
The warrant was sworn to by
Clarence Simpson of the contract
ing firm of Eugene Simpson d
Brother. He charged the men had
gone on the property, in violation
of insurance compensation laws,
after he had warned them not to.
Mr.. Sampler said he and Mr..
Leak were inquiring into the re-
ported firing of a job steward at
the project, and also advising Ia
borers that the local had been on
strike since z pm. yesterday.
While the men packed up, pre-
paratory to leaving, he and Mr..
Leak went to an adjoining restau-
rant, and it was here that they
were encountered by police and
Mr.. Simpson, he said.
The case was postponed in Alex
andria Police Court today until
June II and both defendants were
freed in 500 bond.
Veteran in Hospital
Az Second Polio Case