ITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Labor Month in Review

MANY MAJOR LABOR MATTERS were in a state of abeyance or uncertainty as the second half of the year began.

Presidents of two unions condemned by the AFL-CIO for corruption-James R. Hoffa of the Teamsters and William V. Bradley of the International Longshoremen's Association-along with a member of the AFL-CIO Ethical Practices Committee, Maritime Union President Joseph Curran, on July 2 announced formation of the Conference of Transportation Unity. The trio proposed joint action, through the conference, of all transportation unions to end jurisdiction disputes and provide mutual assistance in collective bargaining. As in August 1957, when Hoffa first suggested such a venture, leaders of rail unions and the airline pilots expressed disinterest. Harry Bridges, leftwing head of the West Coast longshore union, at that time endorsed the idea, and more recently entered into a mutual assistance pact with the Teamsters.

The announcement followed a complex series of conferences-all involving Hoffa-between various maritime labor organizations on both coasts, where interunion rivalries are intense. In addition, the Teamsters have entered into or renewed mutual assistance agreements with such diverse AFL-CIO unions as the Machinists, Meat Cutters, Flight Engineers, Upholsterers, Carpenters, Operating Engineers, Office Employees, and Retail Clerks (for whom Teamster aid was decisive in settling a bogged down strike against Montgomery Ward). Moves were made to end the 50-year-old jurisdictional fight with the Brewery Workers.

Hoffa on June 23 was accquitted of Federal charges that he and two others had illegally tapped the telephones of union offices in Detroit. At about the same time, the three monitors whom a Federal judge placed in surveillance over the

Teamsters moved to correct malpractices in several locals of the union, ranging from improper financial practices to undemocratic procedures.

NEGOTIATIONS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY were in recess as of mid-July, with members of the United Auto Workers employed in the major plants continuing on the job for the sixth week without a contract, but not without a measure of discontent. In Chrysler plants, unauthorized strikes over production speed and alleged discrimination (in the missile plant) against union members in assigning overtime work have occurred intermittently since expiration of the contract. The UAW has taken strike votes in all General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler locals, but high unemployment and large inventories in the industry appear to make authorized strike action unlikely.

Steel wages on July 1 were increased an average of 13 cents an hour, according to estimates, combining a 4-cent-an-hour cost-of-living allowance and an average of 9 cents due as a contractual wage increase.

Several contracts between various maritime unions and representatives of Atlantic and Gulf port shipowners were signed in mid-June. Involved were 40,000 crewmen on passenger ships, freighters, and tankers represented by the National Maritime Union, along with 3,500 radio personnel and engineers. The latter two groups, members of the American Radio Association and the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, conducted brief strikes. No wage increases were granted, but all agreements were for 3 years and provided for wage reopenings, improved vacations and pensions, and other fringe benefits. Similar agreement was reached earlier by the Masters, Mates, and Pilots and the Engineers with the Pacific Maritime Association.

On June 19, the Seafarers' International Union won representation rights on the Liberian-flag vessel Florida, owned by the Peninsular and Occidental Steamship Co. Maritime unions have long complained that American-owned vessels of foreign registry hire alien seamen at lower wage scales than American crews command. The National Labor Relations Board, on petition of the Seafarers, ruled that the ship came under the Board's jurisdiction. In the subsequent