Strike's End

For 181 days in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., the city's only two dailies have been closed by a strike of the American Newspaper Guild. When Guild members on the morning Record (circ. 29,177) and evening Times-Leader-News (circ. 59,594) walked out during bargaining on a new contract, mechanical employees of the papers refused to cross the picket lines, thus forcing the papers to stop publishing altogether. Guildsmen wanted five-year minimums raised to $125 a week (from $103), a 35-hour work week (instead of 39), and fringe benefits. The Guild also objected to compulsory arbitration of all disputes, which tne management wanted in the contract. During the strike, Guilds-men put out their own temporary daily, reached a circulation of 37,500 in news-paperless Wilkes-Barre.

Last week the strike was finally settled after both the Guild and management compromised on all points, e.g., a minimum of $109 next year, a 37 1/2-hour week, etc. Said American Newspaper Guild President Joseph F. Collis. who is also assistant managing editor of the Record and leader of the strikers: "We think we won because we came out with a better contract and a stronger membership." Disagreed Management Representative A. Dewitt Smith: "In strikes, as in wars, nobody wins." Cost to the employees: more than $650,000 in wages. Cost to the papers: more than $1,000,000 in revenue.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.