Evening star., 1952-11-02
|6-Hour Session
Fails 10 Settle
"A. B.&W. Strike
Owner, Union Report
Deadlock; 81 Pct. of
Buses Are Tied Up
RIIl ErGkl
BULLETIN

lions IN the Alexandria, Bar
croft g. Washington bus strike
broke down early today. After
negotiating for six hours spokes-
men for the union and for
management said no settlement
could be arrived at and no plans
were made for further nego-
tiations. The session concluded
at ! am.
Union representatives and r. L.
May owner of the alexandria,
Bancroft & Washington busline.
last night were trying to nego-
tiate an end to a strike which has
tied up about 81 per cent of the
|company's buses.
The extraordinary session at A.
B. g. w Offices at 600 N. Royal
street was brought about largely
through the Intervention of Mayor
Marshall j. Beverly Of Alexandria
who attended the session as a
public representative.
Earlier in the day, Mayor Bev-
erley had conferred at the White
House with Presidential Assistant.
John r. Steelman. Later. Mayor
Beverley reported that Mr.. Steel
man was in contact with Federal
Mediation Service officials SEEK
ing q solution to the dispute.
Foresees Action by Truman.
Mayor Beverley told reporters:
Unless something happens by
Monday or Tuesday, I am conf
dent President Truman will de-
clare an emergency in view Of
the effect the strike has on ma
tional defense, and order the men
to return"
Meantime, the busline was be-
ing operated by Virginia State
employees under direct orders from
Gov. Battle in line with State law
relating to public utilities tieups.
E. S. Hurley, who heads the
State Corporation Commission
group at the company offices, said
81 buses of the lines normal Sat-
urday complement of IS were in
operation yesterday.
Service ended for the day at
ESQ o'clock last night and was
expected to resume between 6 and
u am. today.
Five routes were eliminated en-
|tirely. They were: Arna Valley.
Springfield. Anr1andale, New Alex
|andria and Shirley Duke.
Service was curtailed on a num-
ber Of other routes, State officials
said.
Supervisors Man Buses.
Mr.. Hurley said that a number
OF union members had returned
to work and declared that they.
together with supervisory en-
ployes driving buses, would make
1T unnecessary to call in more
State personnel to assist.
But Joseph c. Maiden. president
OF Local 1881, Amalgamated Asso-
citation Of Street, Electric Railway
and Motor Coach Employees, de-
clared that only one striking driver
had returned to work "out of q
membership of 800 in the local"
MIR. Maiden asserted the union
would return to work if the COM
pany agrees to submit the dispute
to Federal arbitration.
The union voted to strike early
Friday after negotiations had
broken down.
Wages are the main issue. The
union asks % cents an hour in
crease spread over a three-year
period. The contract, which ex-
pired yesterday morning gave
drivers $1.34 an hour to start; a
raise to $1.44 an hour after six
months and $1.57 an hour after
IL months.
Four Holidays Sought.
The union also is seeking four
holidays a year and a three-week
vacation after 10 years service.
The company had offered a raise
OF % cents an hour over the three
year period.
The offer, accepted by a union
negotiating committee, was re-
jected by the membership.
The buSline operates between
Alexandria and sections of Ar
lington and Fairfax Counties and
the District. It serves the Penta-
gon. Navy Annex, National Air
port and Fort Belvoir In addition
to a number Of Government agen-
cies In the District.