Evening star., 1953-12-27
MA Threatens Strike
Jan. ; if Employers
Don I Negotiate
BY the Assoeiofed Press


BY ihs Assoeiafed Press
NEW YORK, Dec. 26.-The
international Longshoremen's s
Association today posed a strike
threat for January 8 if dock en-
ployers don't agree to resume
negotiations.
Capt. William v. Bradley,
president Of the independent
union which was ousted from
the AFL as racket-ridden. said
the lila would feel free to call a
waterfront strike II the New
York Shipping Association ig-
nores his union.
Claiming a "clear-cut" victory
In this weeks NLRB bargaining
vote on the piers, Capt. Bradley
told a news conference:
1--WE plan to fight right down
the middle to get a contract and
If we have to strike to get one,
We'll strike"
See No Need to Wait.
He said he had been given to
understand the shipping inter-
ests would resume negotiations
with the winner of the election.
They did not have to wait for
formal certif1cation of the win
ner by the NLRB, he said.
Actually, the LILA came out
1,498 votes on top of new union
by the same name sponsored by
the AFL in the election last
Tuesday and Wednesday. This
union is called the HA-AFL.
flea )PJu
However, 4.405 other ballots
were challenged, and the NLRB
said no determination could be
made until they are disposed Of
next week.
Capt. Bradley confidently pre-
dicted the lila margin Of the
$1,000 total votes cast would
grow to 1000 when the chal-
lenged ballots are recorded.
ST call on the owners to nego-
tiate Immediately" he asserted.
1--WE will do everything in our
power to consummate contract
"a contract negotiated as soon
as possible"
Calls Council Session.
To emphasize his stand, he
summoned the unions Atlantic
coast district council into session
tomorrow afternoon to discuss
steps to force" employers into
negotiations.
The shipping association re-
sponded to Capt. Bradleys strike
threat by saying its position has
not changed. that it would enter
contract talks with the side
which won this weeks vote.
The dock situation, however,
involves more than Capt. Brad
ley's claim of victory.
For one thing, John L. Lewis
threw his United Mine Workers
support behind the lila on the
eve of the election. Today Capt.
Bradley again thanked Mr.. Lewis
for his help and for the first
time expressed the hope that
We will one day be affiliated with
John L. Lewis
He added, however, that Il
have not any indication that the
UNIV will accept our aff1liation
at the present time"
He said there were "some
blocks" to affiliation, but de-
clined to be more specific.
Il don't see how we could go
back to the AFL under president
George) Meany after the kicking
around we got" Capt. Bradley
said.
He said, also without elaborat-
ing, that Mr.. Meany had tried
to deal secretly with u.s. and that
some former lila men Mr.. Meany
had charged with being rack
eteers we're hired as organizers by
the new union.
II charge that George Meany
has written a black page in the
history of American labor" Capt.
Bradley declared.
Mr. Meany could not be
reached for comment.
The AFL president is respon-
sible for another complicating
factor in the dock situation.
He has protested the NLRB
election. claiming that long
shoremen were forced to vote
under threats and actual per-
sonal assault"
There were several fist fights
and knifings on the docks dur
ing the baIoting last Wednesday.
Might Delay Certification.
Should the labor board inves-
tigate Mr.. Meany's complaint. 1t
might hold up certifying the
winner-aS distinguished from
announcing the vote, which
seems to be all the shipping
association is waiting for.
However, a contract signing
as distinct from negotiating
would, under the law, have to
wait until a union was certified
as bargaining agent.
Capt. Bradley said nothing
about the extent Of a possible
walkout. though he talked of q
general strike"
Before a Taft-Hartley Act in
junction put an end to a five
day tieup last October. 10000
East Coast longshoremen were
idle from Maine to Virginia.
Capt. Bradley made it clear he
wants to meet with the shipping
association before the January 3
deadline. He said:
I'VE are going to do eVery-