LABOR: New Target: September 30

The eleventh hour had passed; it was five minutes to twelve when the great maritime strike was called off. The outcome was expected (TIME, June 17); what was unexpected was the time it took to reach agreement.

Joe Curran, who had never really wanted a strike, was soon satisfied after Government spokesmen pushed a stack of chips to the middle of the table. The chips: for all seamen, a $17.50 flat monthly increase and overtime at $1 an hour. With normal overtime, now to begin after 48 hours instead of 56, this would give an AB (now making $145 a month) close to $200—what he earned in wartime. This was good enough for Curran’s seagoing National Maritime Union.

But it meant nothing to Harry Bridges. His men were West Coast dockside workers. The Government offered them $1.37 an hour, whereas 700 A.F.L. longshoremen on the same coast get $1.38. Bridges wanted that extra cent. He stayed balky until it was too late to prevent walkouts in all major U.S. ports, then gave in with bad grace. There was an untidy rash of local stoppages which lasted until the seven unions involved could get their scattered locals to ratify the deal. Last to act were Bridges’ longshoremen. After all, the deal covers them only until September 30, when their contract expires, and they can threaten to strike again.