Evening star., 1960-02-10
Continued From First Page

that ''if one store is struck, all
are struck" He said that means
there is q good chance" the
Giant stores would shut down
II the struck stores are badly
crippled.
Spurn Recommendations
Mr.. Danzansky called it the
most frustrating labor relations
I have ever been engaged in. |
The membership has turned
down the recommendations Of
their negotiators, and now we
are dealing with 5000 people
Counting the retail clerks and
other employes) and we don't
know what they want"
At q press conference, AL
Gray, secretary treasurer of
Local 393 said the union ex-
pected to abide by its agree
ment not to strike Giant before
February l6.
I'VE sincerely hope Giant will
not lock out our members and
thereby cut of an important
source Of food for the public, 81
he said. Indications are they
are planning such a move. III
there is a lockout, the union
will Immediately institute a |
suit against the company for
loss Of wages"
Woodrow F. Strong, president
OF striking Local SIS, said the
union will continue to negotiate
until an agreement is reached.
Pay Is Key Issue
THE issues quite simply are
that we want a shorter term
contract and higher wages" he
said. Mr.. Gray said members
were demanding a one-year
contract and q 30-cent-an-hour
across-the- board wage increase.
Although the least of the
stores worries today was get
ting new supplies, any linger-
ing thoughts about that were
pretty well dispelled by the
Teamsters Union. Teamster Of
flcials said no deliveries would
be made as long as the butchers
and clerks were out.
One reason stores struggled
to remain open throughout the
day was to give second-shift
employees a chance to report,
and thus prevent possible claims
Tor compensation by them.
The union representing the
f1ve struck chains, Local SIS.
met last night to vote on an
ofter by industry negotiators.
AS the meeting progressed, it |
became evident members were
dissatisfied with certain condi- |
tions, principally the 28-month
duration of the proposal. /
Spokesmen said the wage offer
was not far of what was
wanted, but that the men de-
sired the increases compressed
into o shorter time. |
Package Is Offered
International and local Of
flcers urged the members to
accept a proposal that would
give them increases Of from
7h to 20la cents an hour in
categories ranging from part
time workers to journeymen.
The proposal was conditioned
on the fact that it must be
accepted as a package.
Spokesmen for each category
talked against the offer, COM
pairing it with those Of other
cities having higher scales.
The union negotiators point
ed out the new contract
would raise journeymen meat
cutters from their present
$91.23 weekly to $3.50 for the
next IA months, and boost them
to $103 the second IA months
Of the contract.
Members were pleased with a
plan to increase vacations to
four weeks after 20 years serv-
ice instead Of the present max
imum Of three weeks after 10
years.
But as dissatisfaction mount
ed, the temperature of the
meeting rose. When it came to
a secret ballot, the offer was
rejected, 528 to 224. -.H
Custer Cry Voiced
There were cries suggesting
the custer of Mr.. Strong, who
has led Local SIS for 20 years.
The negotiations began draw
Ing to a head January 81 when
contracts Of Local 555, Local
1893. representing Giant work.
ers, and for the Local 400, Re-
tail Clerks International Asso-
citation, all expired.
While negotiations contin-
ued, the locals took strike votes
and obtained sanction from
the international to strike at
some later date. Last Friday
Local 555 voted to authorize
a strike by a 81 per cent mar
gin.
Last night members of the
local representing Giant work.
ers turned down an agreement
similar to that offered the
larger local by a 254-to-44
count.
Leon Schachter, vice presi-
dent of the Butchers Interna-
tional, said the stores would be
permitted to remove any per-
ishable items they wished to.
Strikes by the union here
have been rare. Two other
strikes, each of 5-day duration,
occurred in 1887 and 1910.
Negotiations have been steered
py Commissioner James A.
Holden of the Federal Media
ton and Cancellation Service.
Members of the striking
butchers union lined up Quietly
today at their headquarters to
get strike placards on which