Evening star., 1953-06-28
DC Heads Call
Meeting Over
Transit Crisis
Confer Tomorrow
Over Strike Threat
Here Wednesday

meet tomorrow morning to study
problems posed by the threat
ened strike of Capital Transit
union workers.
although representatives Of
10th the company and the
Union said last night they would
welcome an invitation to sit
down in conference with the
cmmissionerS, it was not clear
whether this would be done.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss.
engineer commissioner, said he
did not know whether the utility
and union SpokeSmen would be
acked to the meeting. He ex-
planned that no thought had
been given to the question.
Strike Is Possible Wednesday.
In the absence of a settlement
on the issue Of pensions there is
the possibility a strike will tie
up the city's transit facilities on
Wednesday. Union members
authorized their executive board
to call a strike if the company
persists in its refusal to submit
the dispute to arbitration.
Gen. PrentisS said the city has
the benefit of the planning done
two years ago. when there was
strike, and last year, when a
strike was averted at the last
moment. These plans concern
parking arrangements for the
myriadS of private automobiles
entering the downtown area
where there is a transit tie-up.
and police direction of traffic
Gen. Prentiss said both Chief
of Police Robert v. Murray and
Traffic Director George E. Ken
eipp have been alerted to the
situation.
May Attend Farley. 1
E. Cleveland Giddings, vice
president of Capital Transit,
asked, whether the company
would meet with Samuel Spen-
Ger and other Commissioners,
said:
We would be very happy to-
sit down with them and union
representatives and explore the
possibility Of settlement. Any
thing that might tend to resolve
this dispute would be helpful"
Walter j. Bierwagen, union
president, also said the union
officials would be anxious to ex-
plore any avenue leading toward
a settlement with the Com
miSSionerS.
A year ago. after union mem
bers had authorized a strike to
back up their wage demands, a
settlement was reached at a
conference of the two sides with
F. Joseph Donohue, then. presi-
dent of the Commissioners.
There was q 5h-hour meet
ing. Then the company receded
from Its position that any wage
increase must be contingent on
obtaining higher fares. A new
three-year wage contract-dis-
tinct from the pension contract
around which the present dis
pute revolveS-was signed at
2:40 pm. June 80. That was q
little more than nine hours be-
fore the strike was to start.
Fare Boost Plea Pending.
The company now has pending
before the Public Utilities Com
mission an application for a 20
cent fare. or five token for 95
cents. Robert E. Mclaughlin,
head of the commission, said the
company has kept it informed
of the current dispute.
He said the company has in
timated that because outcome of
the rate case is still to be deter
mined, the company is in no pos
ition to bargain with union en-
ployes on question that might |
result in increased costs.
He said that, on the contrary,
he told the company it is in a
good bargaining position. He |
said he pointed out that If a
settlement Of the present dispute |
means increased expenses the
company could amend the Pc
tition already before the COM
mission.
Company and union negotia-
tors are scheduled to meet at
10 am. tomorrow with D. Yates
Heafner Of the Federal Media
ton and Cancellation Service. |
Their. last meeting was Friday |
morning when the company re-
fused arbitration and warned the
union that If there was a strike
the c0mDanV would size the |