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

