Evening star., 1950-04-11
Truman Names Board
To Head OF Strike Of
Rail Yardmasters
~ ire Assoeioted Pres,
BULLETIN

strike OF railroad yardmaSters,
set for tomorrow, when he is
sued an executive order creating
an emergency inquiry board.
Members were not Immediately
named, but the order will have
the effect Of stopping the strike
for so days under the provisions
Of the Railway Labor Act.
Threatened strikes in the mari
time. railroad and telephone in
duStries marred the Nations rela-
lively quiet labor relations scene
today.
Walkouts may develop in all
three industries within the next
several weeks.
In addition $500 mechanics
and flight attendants of Pan
American Airways, principal
American overseas carrier, have
authorized a strike but set no
udIC dS yct.
Capt. Charles F. May, general
president of the AFL's Masters,
Mates and Pilots Union. told re-
porters yesterday his union plans
a strike at midnight Saturday of
about 1000 Atlantic and Gulf
ship deck officers.
Mr.. May said this will stop
about 80 per cent of Atlantic Gull
ship tonnage.
Postponed Four Times.
Declaring angrily that the union
was despairing of a new contract
after four times postponing strike
dates, Mr.. May added:
They're forcing us out. We
just can't get anywhere.
His union. Mr.. May said, has
abandoned demands for a wage
increase and now will settle for a
union shop and seniority guaran-
tees. similar to those granted tc
his union last fall by West Coast
shipowners.
In New York, a spokesman fol-
employers said Federal mediation
off1cials were trying to get union
representatives to meet again with
the operators.
Strikes have been authorized by
the Brotherhoods of Locomotive
Engineers and Firemen-Eneine.
men. A walkoYt by either or botf
Of these unions, representing sew.
eral hundred thousand operating
workers, could bring the Nation!
rail transportation system to 6
standstill.
The two unions want a thirc
man assigned to Diesel locomotiv.
crews. now composed of one engi.
neer and one fireman.
Unnecessary, Fact-Finders Say.
Even If the railroads shoule
yield on this issue they would rur
into a problem. Because the en-
gineers' brotherhood wants tn,
proposed third man to be an en-.
gineer, the f1remen's brotherhood
want the third man to be a fire.
man.
Fact-f1nding boards appointed
by President Truman to investi.
gate the proposals of both broth.
erhoods reported the third crew.
man is unnecessary to operate
diesels safely. as the two unions
have contended.
The two unions now are in q
position to strike and the course
Of settlement procedures under
the Railway Labor Law has beer
run.
The engineers brotherhood was
to begin talks with management
representatives of the railroads in
Chicago today. The f1remen-en-
ginemen brotherhood has similar
talks due to start there tomorrow
There appeared but little hope
however. that these meetings
would result in a settlement.
The CLOS Communications
Workers Of America, representina
about 100000 phone operators,
repairmen and equipment in
stallers, is poised for 4 strike on
April IS.
On that day. a 6O-day truce
arranged by President Truman
expires. The union has demanded
4 15-cent an hour boost in wages
and other concessions from Bell
Telephone System companies.
The dispute between the union
and the New Jersey Bell Tele-
phone CO. is in arbitration with
a decision expected by Saturday
This ruling is awaited as 4 pos
sible basis for a Nation wide set
tlement.
In the Pan-American Airways
dispute. the National Mediation
Board called Representatives of
the airline and the CLOS trans
port workers union together again
today for another try at a set
tlement. Wages are not a prin-
cipal issue. the main one among
II unresolved items being the
unions demand that Pan-Ameri-
can workers perform all repair
work.
Elsewhere on the labor scene
the strike of nearly 10O, 900
Chrysler workers for a pension
plan has been the only major
WAlkout for a month. The CLOS
Auto Workers are also girded for
a showdown with General Motors
when the present contract, COW
ering about 100000 workers, ex-
pires May 20.