Evening star., 1951-12-18
|Par|ey Is Called
Here on Steel
Strike Crisis
Ching Invites Union
And Producers to
Confer Thursday
By jones Y. Newton

~ SoutSS J. iNGWtUV
The Government today sum-
moned the CIO United Steelwork-
ers and the big producers of steel
to a conference here Thursday in
an effort to avert Nation wide
strike threatened for New Years
Day.
Cyrus S. Ching. director of the
Federal Mediation and Concilla-
ton Service, sent invitations to
the union headed by CIO Presi-
dent Philip Murray and represent
atives of 10 companies producing
about 10 per cent of the Nation s
steel.
The meeting will be held at the
Statler Hotel at 10 am.
Mr.. Murray and leaders of the
steelWorkers announced in Pitts
burgh last night that the mil
lion members would not work
after midnight December 81 un-
less new contract agreements are
reached with producers by that
time. The present industry-wide
contract expires at that time and
no progress has been made in
negotiations to draft a new pact.
Gravely Concerned.
In his telegram to the union
and producers. Mr.. Ching said:
The possibility of an Interrupt
ton of production in the steel
industry is matter of grave con-
Germ to the people of the United
States. Any curtailment of oper-
ations in this key industry will
seriously affect our national
economy and have a direct and
critical impact on our defense
effort.
The national welfare demands
that l Immediately place at the
disposal of the parties all the facil-
tiles at my command to assist
them in a speedy resolution of
this dispute"
The steel workers are demand
ing a general wage increase of Is
cents an hour plus a score of other
demands which raise the total in
money to somewhere over 80 cents
an hour per worker.
The union is entitled to only a
fraction of its monetary demand
under Federal wage stabilizatlon
policy which ties pay generally to
the cost of living.
Working on Prices.
The steel companies have said
that they must be allowed to
raise prices Of their products If
any wage increase is to be given.
The companies and the Office of
Price Sterilization are working
together to determine the size of
the increase the companies are
entitled to under price control
policies.
In the conference here Thurs
day Mr.. Ching said, I'VE will en-
deavor to find out what the posi-
tions of the parties are, and every
angle will be discussed to see if
there is any possibility of reach
ing an agreement"
When asked if the government
held that steel strike is newt
able, Mr.. Ching said "We never
admit a strike is inevitable and
we will do all we can in this in
stance to prevent one"
II a steel strike comes. a size
able part of the aluminium indus
try also will be shut down. Con-
tracts between the steelworkers
and the Aluminium Co. of America
and Kaiser Aluminium also expire
on December 81.
Price Structure in Balance.
Hanging in the balance is the
Nations price and wage ceiling
structure.
If the situation drifts steadilv
toward a certain steel strike, Mr.
truman could invoke the Taft
Hartley Act. he could refer the
case to the Wage Sterilization
Board for settlement recommen-
cations. or he could make an 11th-
hour personal appeal to Mr.. MUIR
ray for a strike delay.
Price Director Michael v. Di-
Sale summoned five steel in
dustry representatives to another
conference today. Yesterday he
outlined proposed steps by which
the industry might apply for price
adjustments under the Capehart
Amendment to the economic con-
trolls act.