Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-20
Transit Union
Mass Meeting
Set Wednesday
Action Follows
Breakdown Of
Contract Talks

i'd. C. Transit System owner.
| This came as the Federal Me-
diation and Cancellation Service
called in men from Philadelphia
land Baltimore to increase pres
sure on both sides for a settle
ment.
4 They called another meeting
for 2 pm. Monday.
Both developments followed
the breakdown of negotiations
yesterday when union leaders
branded offers by Mr.. Chalk as
I wholly inadequate" totally
unacceptable" and provocative.
/ Meanwhile, Mr.. Chalk was tC
/ get a chance to address several
hundred of his union employees
tonight at a dinner honorine
those who have been with the
system more than Is years. The
dinner will start at 7 pm. ir
the Sheraton-Pa Hotel.
Strike Possibility Flares
The possibility Of a transit
strike fiared into the open less
than two weeks from the end,
October 81, of the contract ex-
tension which Mr.. Chalk won
from the union when he bought
out Capital Transit Co. Au-
gust Is.
Walter j. Bierwagen. president
of the transit union and who led
the workers through a 52-day
strike last year. assailed an offer
from Mr.. Chalk as totally I'M
acceptable and said there
seemed to be an "insurmountable
gulf" between the company and
the union.
The union negotiating team
was Joined yesterday by o.
David zimring, head of the
Labor Bureau of the Middle
West. who is regarded as a for
midable labor consultant in the
transit industry.
/ Cut Arbitration
/ He called Mr.. Chalk's position
on the key issue of arbitration as
one which would ."cut the arbi-
tration to ribbons"
! Mr.. Chalk told the Congress
sional Conference Committee
which gave him his 20-year
partly taX-exempt franchise thai
he would welcome and accept
impartial and binding arbitra.
ton as a method for resolving
any disputes that collective bar
gaining negotiations may fail tc
resolve and shall agree to 9
formula for the selection of ar
impartial chairman of a three
member board of arbitration tt
make sure that no impaSse could
occur in the setup Of the arbi-
Itration machinery"
! Mr.. zimring said Mr.. Chalk
wanted to require that members
lof any arbitration board be resi-
dents of the area; that any Of
their decisions allow him the 6ls
per cent profit which Congress.
has said he ought to have ar
opportunity to earn: that
nothing be arbitrated if the COM
pany and the union are more
than $500,000 apart, and that
there be no arbitration of mon
financial" items.
3-Ycar Pact Only
Bernard Cushman, an asso-
ciate of Mr.. Zimring and counsel
for the local union, said Mr.
Chalk would make no offer con.
corning a one-year or two-yeai
contract, and will discuss only a
three-year agreement.
In the first year, Mr.. Cush-
man said, Mr.. Chalk proposed
to give no wage increase. The
union has asked for a boost of
25 cents an hour over the pres
ent base pay of $2.05. He did,
however. offer an additional
paid holiday, the eighth. and a
$4,000 contribution to the
unions health and welfare fund,
Mr.. Cushman said.
In the second year, he added,
Mr.. Chalk offered to negotiate
on a wage increase ranging from
zero to 2 or 2l2 per cent. which
the union estimated to equal a
maximum of 5 cents an hour
Also. he offered to improve va
cation schedules, allowing two
weeks after two years service,
three weeks after five years and
four weeks after Is years. The
present schedule allows one
week after one year, two weeks
after three years, three weeks
after 10 years and four weeks
after rs years.
Third-Year Offers
In the third year of the con-
tract. Mr.. Cushman said, Mr.
Chalk offered to negotiate again
ON another wage increase of from
zero to 2l2 per cent: guarantee
full pay for eight holidays to all
workers Cthey now lose the holi-
day pay II a holiday falls on a
day of or during vacations), and
to make another contribution To
the health and welfare fund
ranging from $4,000 to $4,000
The three-man team planned
by the Federal Mediation Service
will be made up of James A.
Holden of the Washington Office,
Gilbert r. Lee Of the Baltimore
Office and r. w. Donnahoo. re-
gional director Of the Philadel-
phia Office.