Page 10-Wednesday, June 27, 1979-The Michigan Daily
Truckers'protest enters third week
Produce spoils across nation
Layoffs hit Mich. meat industry
From theAssociated Press
California farmers plowed up fields
of rotting lettuce and potatoes, and
meat-packers laid off more employees
yesterday as independent truckers
throttled food shipments on the nation's
high*ays.
The violence that has marked the
trucker's protest, now in its third week,
continued with reports of shootings,
truck burnings and roads being booby-
trapped with nails and broken glass.
While in some parts of the country the
truckers' protest appeared to be
moving into low gear, blockades and
picketing were still effective at gasoline
stations and appeared to be threatening
supermarkets, especially on the East
Coast.
IN NEW YORK, a food industry
spokesman said the city's super-
markets would run out of fresh meat by
the end of the week if the truckers con-
tinued to block deliveries from the
Midwest.
"How big is your freezer?" asked
Howard Tisch, spokesman for the
Greater New York Food Council.
"Meat is in very short supply."
In Pennsylvania, independent
haulers blockaded a food distribution
center and two oil-company facilities
over the weekend, and some super-
markets in the Pittsburgh area repor-
ted yesterday that shoppers were
makinga run on the stores.
"There's definitely been panic-
buying," said Tom Hopkins, manager
of Shop 'N Save in Carnegie, near Pit-
tsburgh. "Some people have been
buying $150 to $200 worth of groceries.
Even when we get deliveries, the mer-
chandise goes out as fast as we can put
it on theshelves."
In Washington, the Interstate Com-
merce Commission announced that it
was increasing the fuel surcharge it
allows truckers to charge their
customers to seven per cent. A 5.6 per
cent increase was announced two
weeks ago. It was increased to six per
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cent last week. The commission said
the increase was based on increases in
fuel prices.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., a
leader of the striking truckers urged
Congress on Tuesday to nationalize the
oil industry. William Hill, president of
the Fraternal Order of Steelhaulers,
blamed the shutdown on the oil com-
panies, which he called "highway rob-
bers."
In earlier testimony before the House
Small Business Committee energy sub-
committee, an Energy Department of-
ficial said the government is prepared,
if necessary, to require oil refiners to
increase production of diesel fuel "in
the very near future."
THE TRUCKERS want a guarantee
of 100 per cent of their diesel-fuel needs,
higher rates to compensate for higher
fuel costs, increases in truck weight
and load limits in 10 states, and an in-
crease in the 55 mph speed limit so they
can make deliveries faster.
Deregulation of the trucking industry
also has been a key element in the
protest, although the independents ap-
pear to be divided on the issue.
Teamsters President Frank Fit-
zsimmons told the Senate Commerce
Committee on Tuesday that
deregulation of the trucking industry
would flood the highways with thousan-
ds of independent truckers, threatening
the safety of motorists. Fitzsimmons'
organization represents 500,000
organized trucking employees.
In southern California, temperatures
have hovered around 100 degrees for
the past few days, accelerating the
ripening of crops. Tom Hadden, a
Bakersfield-area farmer said he
plowed under 340 acres of rotting
potatoes Monday and predicted $100
million worth of fruits and potatoes
would be lost in the Bakersfield-Fresno
area in the next few weeks, unless the
transportation situation improves.
CHILD'S VIEW
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP)-Fred Paster
brought home some long cardboard
tubes and told his son, Mark, 4, and
daughter, Lisa, 3, that they were
telescopes.
The following day Mark whispered
confidentially to his mother that he'd
looked through his telescope and seen
God.
"Wht did he look like?" Mrs. Paster
asked.
"He kinda looked like my dad,"
replied the youngster.
From United Press International
The first layoffs in Michigan caused
by the independent truckers strikes
idled 900 workers yesterday at a hog
slaughter-house and meat processing
plant in Detroit.
At truck stops and gasoline bulk
distribution terminals, the striking
truckers replaced blockades with
picket lines under orders from police
and moved from one location to another
in hit-and-run fashion.
Trucks that ignored the pickets out-'
side the Marathon Oil terminal in North
Muskegon were pelted with eggs by the
strikers Monday night. Trucks moved
in and out of the terminal yesterday un-
der police escort.
FREDERICK & HERRUD, one of
Detroit's largest meat processors,
closed down its Crown Packing Co. hog
slaughterhouse and cut operations in
half at its east side Detroit processing
plant because of reduced shipments
caused by the strike.
Joel Dorfman, executive vice
president of the firm, said the cutback
in operations would result in an im-
mediate shortage of fresh pork at some
retail stores and possible shortages of
cold cuts and hot dogs in the next
several weeks.
The company sells its products under
the Thornapple Valley and Beefeater
brand names.
State police headquarters in East
Lansing said the North Muskegon
Marathon facility was the only bulk
gasoline storage facility targeted by
picketers yesterday.
Picketing also was reported at truck
stops along I-94, the state's major east-
west freeway, but it was much more
scattered than Monday.
The Ann Arbor Film Cooperetive Presents at Aud A
$1.50 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27
THE GRADUATE
(Mike Nichols. 1967) 7 only-Aud A
A classic American comedy about a colege graduate who is "a little worried"
about his tuture. Atter being seduced by a family friend (ANNE BANCROFT)
Ben falls in love with her daughter (KATHERINE ROSS). A fine performance
by Dustin Hoffman as Ben, Oscar Winning direction by Nichols and a sound-
track by Simon and Garfunkle highlight a film that is as fresh now as it was
a decade ago.
CALIFORNIA SPLIT
(Robert Altman, 1974) 94only-Aud A
In this engaging film about the fateful union of two gamblers, director
Robert Altman has drown a full house. ELLIOT GOULD & GEORGE SEGAL ore
the gamblers who love to play as much as win. We follow them on their
journey to the climactic, high-stokes poker game in Reno. "Altman is a
magician."-Pouline Koel.
Tomorrow: LET ITBE and BEATLEMANIA
More than 100 independent truckers caused this five-mile-long traffic snarl on
the Long Island Expressway during yesterday's protest against high fuel prices
and government regulations. The nationwide independent truckers strikes is now
in its third week.
"Gimmea *
GimmeonA*
Gimme anl ... .L...Y
Giv6 the MICHIGAN DAILY
tat old college try.
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