Atlanta Daily World

Seek U. S. Aid In Settling
Howard-Freedmen Differences

WASHINGTON
(ANP)

Secretary Arthur S. Flemming
of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, has been urged to use the influence of his
office to bring together the top
executives at Howard University
and representatives of the labor
union for further conferences regarding the employees at Howard
University and Freedmen's Hospital.

The request was made by
Local 1, American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees,
AFL-CIO, which represents a
group of employees at the two institutions. The union has been
negotiating for a contract covering the Howard unit for two years.
Although the contract terms have
been agreed upon, the university
refuses to consummate the agreement.

REFUSAL CHARGED

Union officials charged that the
university's refusal can be traced
to their opposition to the proposed transfer of Freedmen's Hospital from the Federal Government to Howard. The union's
position is that the proposed legislation would deprive 700 Freed-
men employees of their job security through the loss of civil service status.

Senator Wayne Morse (D-Ore.)
chairman of the Senate subcommittee which held hearings in
August on the transfer, advised
the university president, Dr. Mordecai Johnson to "get together"
with the president of Local 1, Sam
Vernoff "and resolve any of these
differences that seem to be implied" by Vernoff's testimony. During the hearings, the Local president raised the question about how
Freedmen's employees would be treated by the administration at
Howard.

UNION LEADERS

Union leaders claim that Dr.
Johnson has made himself unavailable to them since Congress
adjourned. Vernoff and other officials of the union reviewed the
stalemate with Secretary Flemming at a meeting early in December. Since nothing was done
about the matter they later sent
a telegram urging him to use
good offices to effect a face-to-
face meeting between Dr. Mordecai Johnson... and representatives of our union so that our
differences can be resolved before
Congress convenes.

These differences now include
both the unconsummated contract
for the unit at Howard and the
lack of civil service guarantee for
Freedmen's employees who would
under the proposed legislation, become employees of the university.

Freedmen's employees who would
become employees, discharged etc.

versity.