Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-21
/. Initial Union
Demands :

Few strikes have taken more
twists and turns than the long
Capital Transit strike which
ended today. For citizens who
patiently waited it out, here is
Q chronological review of what
everybody has gone through:
May 11-Bargaining opens on
IS pages Of union demands.
High points of demands--25
cents an hour for operators: 81
cents for top mechanics: PEN
sion boost of about $50 a month:
hberalized sick leave. vacation.
holiday and health and welfare
plans. Company estimated it
would cost 81 million: offered
only TO renew contract then in
force.
May 12-June 26-Numerous
bargaining sessions get nowhere.
Company cuts contract extern
sion time to six months. Union
offers arbitration, but company
refuses. Federal mediators are
called in.
June 27-Strike appears in
evitable, Commissioners release
emergency traffic plan. police
leaves are Cancelled. Senate Dis
trict Committee urges considera-
ton Of arbitration, financial re-
lief for company.
June 28-CitizenS' committee
backs Board Of Trade in asking
S0-day postponement In strike.
Committee said strike would cost
S. million to $40 million o
month.
June 29-Capital Transit gives
Senate District Committee SIX
point plan for "averting" strike.
including q six-month extension
Of contract and financial relief
through lower taxes and higher
school fares. CTC President
J. A. B. Broadwater enters nego-
tiations for first time. Union
President Walter j. Bierwagen
challenges" CTC Board Chair
man Louis e. Woifson to come
to Washington for showdown.
June 3O-Union turns down
company offer to "earmark" rev.
enues from tax relief and higher
school fares for wages and pen
sions. Representative Broyhill,
Republican Of Virginia. intro
duces bill for seizure of company
and making 1t a crime for work
ers to strike.
July Strike begins at 1910
am. Downtown traffic Is up IS
to 40 per cent, resulting in
numerous rush-hour snarls. Alb
senteeism and hardness surpris-
ingly light. Senator Morse. DEM
ocrat Of Oregon, invited Mr..
Wolfson to testify on his bill to
revoke the company's operating
franchise.
July 2M e diation efforts
break down, Senate District sub
committee subpoenas Mr.. Wolf
son for appearances July z.
July 3-District Commission
ers hold Sunday afternoon meet
ing with company Board Of d.
rectors; subpoena search con-
tinues for Mr.. Wolfson.
July 5-Washington police
men, working long overtime
hours on hot streets. keep
heavy post holiday traffic flow
ing smoothly. Board Of Trade
urges strike truce of 30 days.
Senate District subcommittee is
sues forthwith" subpoenas for
Mr.. Wolfson. located in Los An
eeles.
July president Eisenhower
says parties should settle dispute
without his Intervention; urges
continuous negotiations" Sub
committee Chairman MacNa-
mara said FBI would be asked
to help find Mr.. Wolfson.
July From San Francisco,
Mr.. Wolfson wires subcommittee
blistering reply. offering to tes-
tify voluntarily on arrival In
Washington. Blames Public IT'LL
tiles Commission for strike. APP
pearing before subcommittee.
Mr.. Broadwater denies knowl-
edge of a company plot to ''un-
load, company on the public
Utilities Commission issues state
ment clarifying Its position on
granting o quick fare increase.
July S-To make 1t more con-
fusing, an appeals court opinion
questions methods by which
Utilities Commission computed a
fare increase in 1854.
July 11-Mr. Wolfson, SUBJ
poenaed In Los Angeles, arrives
in Washington for sincere ef-
fort to end the strike"
July 12-Capital Transit board
led by Mr.. Wolfson, offers strike
ending plan. Union would re-
turn to work for To-day period
at q 10-cent hourly wage increase
while negotiations continued
Senator Morse doubts whether
utilities commission could legally