18—Friday, June 24, 1966
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
will the strike at Edison
affect your electric service?
Local 223, Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, representing
about 3000 of Detroit Edison's 9500 employes, _called a strike at
midnight,,June 15.
Local 223 is chiefly composed of operators of power plants and
substations, underground linemen, and construction and mainte-
nance personnel.
As in the base of Local 17, International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers, AFL-CIO, which is already on strike, the issue is money.
The present average pay of Local 223 members is $3.46 an hour.
Benefits are additional. Edison has offered the union a two-year
contract-21.4 cents an hour more in cash and benefits in 1966 and_
17.2 cents more in cash and benefits in 1967. The offer amounts-to
a 10.9 per cent raise in cash and benefits by June 1967. Accdrding
to Edison's understanding, the union leaders want a 12.5 per cent
increase.
Edison has always treated employes fairly. Pay and benefits are
higher than those provided by most other major employers in the
area. The company is widely known as a good place to work.
On any basis of comparison, the present offer is a good one.
Although about one third of our employes are on strike, Edison
intends to maintain near-normal customer service with the help of
supervisors and other employes. Unless a severe storm causes an
emergency, it is unlikely that the two walkouts will affect users of
electricity._
Walker L. Cisler, Chairman of the Board
The Detroit Edison Company
Donald F. Kigar, President
The Detroit Edison Company