Pacific Coast leaders of maritime
and lumber workers joined forces
in Seattle today against whatjft&t
called "dictatorial officials" of the
Teamsters' Union, which a maritime affiliate is opposing in a jurisdictional battle at Seattle wholesale drug houses. The officials met
at the Stratford Hotel.
They issued the following state-
"OfficiaLs of the Maritime Federation and the Woodworkers' Federation, representing 125,000 workers on the Pacific Coast, met in
joint conference in Seattle, where
definite plans were laid to stop the
infringement of dictatorial officials
of the Teamsters' Union and other
craft unions which have a concerted move on foot to disrupt the
harmonious relations established
through collective bargaining established between legitimate trade
unions and the employers.
"The meeting indorsed the stand
of the I. L. A. warehousemen, affiliate body of the Maritime Federation, who were working under
signed union agreements, and the
warehouse operators.
"A large conference was also
planned foi
where deli
unions of
ten
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m 1
ate future
all local
all inriustri
injected to
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'ill comple
te detailed
defi
itely
t ci-
ninate in-
plans
fringing on our rights.
Disputes Termed 'Detriment'
"The membership of these major
unions demand the elimination of
jurisdictional disputes which have
proved a detriment to the labor
movement, industrial peace and
the general public."
A proposal that strikers who
have closed seven Seattle sawmills
accept employers' offer of a basic
wage increase of t% cents an
hour and return to work pending
negotiation of their demand for 10
cents an hour, was being voted on
by the union members today.
The peace proposal was made
by the executive board of the
Federation of Woodworkers and
by district negotiators far the
union from all parts of the Northwest at an all-day session in
Seattle yesterday.
All Puget Sound locals of the
Lumber and Sawmill Workers'
Union will vote on the proposal,
and it was not expected that the
vote would be completed before
tomorrow night.
Board Recommends Action
Similar action was recommended
by the federation board in all districts where employers have offered the 7^ cents an hour increase. In other districts the
unions' demands are being negotiated and no recommendation was
Bellingham Mills Down
While the step toward settlement
of the industry's difficulties was
being taken here, eight lumber and
shingle mills in Anacortes closed
today as 800 workers went on
strike, demanding the full 10 cents
an hour increase, the Associated
Press said. . .
The jurisdictional dispute between the Teamsters1 and I. L. A.
warehousemen's unions, which is
keeping three Seattle wholesale
drug firms closed, broadened today.
The Teamsters' Union halted dray-!
age to a steel company plant and
another company, demanding that
employes now members of the
I. L. A. branch join the Teamsters'
branch.
Biscuit Firms to Open
Meanwhile the strikes which
closed the Seattle plants of the
National Biscuit Company and the
Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company five
months ago were settled late yesterday and the plants will reopen
Thursday, Approximately eighty-
five men will return to work.
The settlement, in the nature of
a declaration of policy by the two
companies, was reached through a
conciliation group composed of representatives of the employers, the
union and the labor relations department of the Seattle Chamber
of Commerce. Both sides expressed
appreciation for the aid given by
the chamber.
Both companies accepted the
Cracker & Confectionery Union as
bargaining agent for its members.
