OCR Text |
Show San Francisco Stores Hit By Clerks' Strike BY MILLER HOLLAND United Press Staff Correspondent SAN FRANCISCO, Sept- 7 (U,R) Several thousand sales girls and clerks went on strike in 35 of San Francisco's Fran-cisco's biftEest department stores today, practically paralyzing par-alyzing the city's famous shopping district. The stores opened for "business "busi-ness as usual," but hundreds of pickets, mostly women, made shopping difficult as they booed and jeered persons who attempted attempt-ed to enter. Scores of police patrolled pa-trolled the district. Dispute Over Hiring The A. F. O. L,. Retail Clerks' I union called the strike in a dispute over preferential hiring. Store executives said the union's demand de-mand was tantamount to the hiring hir-ing hall. Union leaders charged the stores refused to arbitrate. The union claimed 7,000 of its members were out and that 24 other unions, including teamsters, elevator operators and janitors, agreed to observe picket lines. Store executives said the number num-ber of strikers was "far below" the union's estimate. Half On Duty The Emporium, one of the biggest big-gest department stores in the hnlf its force Of 1700 employes were on the job. The management said non-selling employes, such as advertising men, were impressed into service behind the counters to handle shoppers. More than 300 police were assigned as-signed on call for strike duty. Acting Chief Charles Skelly ordered ord-ered his men to "see that no violations vio-lations of law are permitted, to prevent any blockading of the streets and sidewalks." Pickets Parade Pickets paraded in double lines in front of most of the stores. They let out loud boos and sounded sound-ed the "bird" whenever anyone worker or shopper passed their lines. A few skirmishes between pickets pick-ets and workers were reported. They were minor however. Police quickly restored order. Police reported a flying wedge of officers escorted 75 employes into Hales a half block up Market Mar-ket street from the Emporium. The Retailers' council, in which all the affected stores are members, mem-bers, announced the stores "are open and will stay open." The council said nearly every department depart-ment in the stores was "at least partially manned.'' - |