Evening star., 1949-09-16

the steelworkers toward a walk
out.
Mr.. Fairless said United States
steel is ready to meet with the
union for negotiations but does
not accept the non-contributory
plan for insurance and pensions.
II there is a strike, Mr.. Fairless
added. the union must take
responsibility for it.
EARLIER, at Chicago, Inland Steel
Co. called on Mr.. Murray to re-
sumo contract talks Immediately
without reference to whatever
United States Steel may or may
not do"
Inland quoted Mr.. Murray as
saying August 20 that the union
has always been ready. and is
ready now, not only to negotiate
separately, but to reach separate
agreement with any steel COM
pany, big or little" The firm
called on Mr.. Murray ito make
good the commitment"
Says Union Rejected Plan.
Inland said that on July 18 it
submitted a pension plan to the
union but that the union rejected
it. The company said the plan
would cost the company $3,O00,-
900 annually, or about 10 cents
an hour. Employees would be re-
quired to share the cost.
In Washington President Tru-
man indicated he thought it was
we'll understood his ct-f1nding
boards plan for settling the dis
pute was intended as a guide for
bargaining.
He told a news conference
there is a decided difference be-
tween accepting the boards find
ings outright and accepting them
as basis for negotiating a
strike agreement.
The President said he hoped
negotiations would progress to a
settlement.
Mr.. Murray, in telegram to
Mr.. Fairless yesterday, charged
Big Steel had fatty rejected the
recommendations of the Presi-
dents fact-finders. He demanded
that United States Steel say
plainly whether it would accept
the findings.
Mr.. Fairless replied that Mr..
Murray's telegram was nothing
more than a repetition of your
dictatorial message of yesterday
wednesday, that we must accept
the recommendations before
your union is willing to resume COL
lective bargaining negotiations"
Il now confirm" Mr.. Fairless
went on, that we declined to
accept your ultimatum which is
both unfair and contrary to the
assurance given to us in advance
by the President of the United
States that the recommendations
of the board would not be binding
on either party"
Bethlehem Steel Co. informed
a steel workers committee at
Buffalo. N. Y, that the company
is ready to negotiate ION such
date and at such time as you shall
designate" Joseph P. Malony,
chairman Of the committee. an
swered the union "is prepared to
meet Immediately with the COM
pany-provided, of course. that
we know in advance just what
we are going to talk about"
Mayor Urges Acceptance.
Mayor John j. Mullen of nearby
Clarion, today appealed to Mr..
Fairless and c. r. Cox, president
of the subsidiary Carnegie Illinois
Steel. to accept the fact-f1nding
boards recommendations.
Mayor Mullen, who also is direc-
tor Of political action for steel
workers, said in identical letters
to both steel leaders:
Wont you please accept the
report in order to avert the
possibility OF q strike?''
He added:
Your industrial publication,
Iron Age, proved your own admit
ted ability to comply with the
recommendations of the board. In
order that untold and unwanted
suffering may be avoided, please,
in the name Of humanity, accept
these findings"
Clarion is the site Of Carnegie
Illinois huge Irwin works.