Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-24
,o,l IS IS: ISIlI,E, .EpIlyQl
For EorIy Settings Dim


For Early Sc
There are no prospects for
resumption anytime soon Of the
old Bay Line steamship service
between here and Norfolk. Va.
land between Baltimore and Nor
folk because Of picketing ct the
Icompany's three piers.
The line suspended service
with the premature departure
last Saturday of the steamer
District Of Columbia from the
Maine avenue s.W. dock.
The company and the Marine
Allied Workers Union. afiiliated
with the Seafarers' international
Union (AFL). are deadlocked
over an attempt to enter into q
contract for the first time.
The dispute has been further
complicated by the alleged firing
LOT three union sympathizers who
were part Of the crew Of the
District Of Columbia. The men.
who live In Baltimore, were fred
lin Norfolk, the union says.
r. E. Dunn, president Of the
line. said the company consented
to Q union demand 10 hold an
election on Sept. 20 and 81 to
determine whether q majority
LOT the employees wanted to Join
1.-THE union. Then. Mr.. Dunn
added. the union Withdrew its
request because Of the alleged
Iflrings.
Effective Agreement Denied
Charles Raymond. Of Balti-
more, counsel for the union. said
mo formal agreement for the
election had been entered into.
He said that. on September Is,
union and company representa-
tiyes held q conference in the
National Labor Relations Board
Ioffices In Baltimore and reached
Ia tentative agreement.
Mr.. Dunn was not present,
and the company Spokesman said
they could not give the final de-
cision until they talked with him.
He was supposed to be out Of
town and they promised to see
him that night"
Then. according to Mr.. Hay
|mond, the three men were dis
charged at Norfolk and because
Iof that, he informed the NLRB
I"the next morning" (September
|l6) that the union felt q fair
election could not be held ct this
time.
The NLRB ONCE In Baltimore
said no date for an election had
lever been formally set.
Mr.. Dunn said crewmen held
ian election six or seven years ago
and turned down proposals to
Iafhliate either with the AFL or
CLIO unions.
Instead. the company presi-
dent said. they voted for a third
lalternative---to form their own
independent union and represent
themselves In any negotiations
with management.
Not Active Recently
"There were perhaps 100 20
$50 members Of the union" MFR.
Dunn said. From time to time,
they would form committees and
lcal on us with certain griev-
ances. In recent years. 1t was
not very active; but we would
hear employees complaints when
they sent committees or spokes-
men to us.
Since the election six or seven
years ago, numerous attempts
have been made to organize our
crews. We were and still are
ready to hold an election. We
don't believe the majority Of
our men want to be represented
by the tMarine Allied Workers.
union"
The MRB said it had q petit
|tion from the union to order an
election and that q hearing had
been scheduled for next week.
The hearing has been deferred
until October s at the request
Iof the union, the NLRB said.
MIR. Raymond contends more
than so per cent Of the crewmen
have signed pledge cards to join
the union, but that the discharge
of the three men would sway the
vote If an election were held now.
Mr.. Dunn said the union gave
the alleged firings as a reason
for withdrawing its request for
ian election. He commended the
men were not made ineligible to
vote. even IL they were fired.
Mr.. Raymond disputed this. He
said the three were made ineli-
Igible, under NLRB procedure.