Evening star., 1952-07-25
BY the Associated Press

~ '.'S fN~SS~'S'SA ''SSS
The great steel strike which was
settled yesterday has q history dat
ing back to November of 1851
when the CIO United Steelwork-
ers first listed their contract de-
mandS.
Those demands included an
181a-cent hourly pay boost, union
shop. guaranteed annual wage,
improved premium pay and other
concessions.
Here's a step-by-step account
of the events which followed:
December 17-USW Wage Policy
Committee voted to strike January
/ when old contract expired. Com
mittee accused industry of failing
to bargain in good faith and with
fatty refusing all demands.
December 22-President Truman
turned dispute over to Wage Sta
bilization Board for recommended
settlement. Union agreed to stay
at work past strike deadline and
let USW convention decide future
course.
January special convention
voted to delay strike to February
% to give WSB more time to work
out recommendations. Union on
February 81 moved strike dead
line to March % for same reason.
Strike Again Postponed.
March 20-WSB recommended
a 26-cent hourly pay package and
a union shop. The union ac-
cepted and postponed strike to
April 9. Industry said it couldn't
meet recommendations unless
granted price relief. Industry
agreed to negotiate on basis of
WSB plan but talks were fruit
less.
April B New negotiations
opened in New York but collapsed
after industry offered 16-cent
hourly raise which USW rejected.
April 8-Few hours before start
of strike, President Truman went
on air to say he was taking
over industry under Government
seizure. Men went back to work
after Mr.. Murray called off strike
Industry was shut down in prep
aration for a walkout but was
not actually struck.
April 29--Federal Court ruled
the Government seizure invalid
USW promptly went on strike.
April 30-United States Court
tof Appeals restored Government
seizure but strike continued.
Strike Called Off.
May president Truman ap-
pealed to Mr.. Murray to end strike
and called both sides to White
House. Mr.. Murray called of
strike May 2 and mills reopened
Both sides appealed to Supreme
Court May 2 for final ruling or
legality of seizure. Negotiations
got under way at White House.
May 4-White House talks broke
off with Mr.. Murray saying he hat
no intention of renewing strike.
! June 2-Supreme Court ruled
against legality of seizure. MI
Murray Immediately ordered an
other strike.
June 5-More White Hous.
peace talks opened. They col.
'lapsed June 9 on union shop issue
Industry revealed it had Offered
24.6-cent wage boost. Congress.
called on President Truman to in.
woke Taft-Hartley Act.
June 27-Union and Pittsburgh
Steel Co. signed contract basec
|on WSB recommendations except
that the union shop agreed upor
was modified to let workers quit
lUSW between Goth and 30th day
on job. In subsequent weeks more
than 30 small steel firms signed
similar pacts but big firms re.
fused.
July big companies met II
Cleveland and decided to continue
stand in opposing union shop.
! July 3-Truman said situation
did not call for use of Taft Hart.
ley Act.
July 10-New contract negotia.
tions held in Pittsburgh. No prog.
ress reported.
More Talks Held.
July 15-More peace talks ir
Pittsburgh at White House prod.
ding. Industry said it offered 25