Show Rail Union Postpones Strike Against S S. P. P Till January 18 Cite Holiday Traffic I As Reason SAN FRANCISCO Dec 13 UP The UP-The The Brotherhood of Locomotive Locomotive Loco Loco- motive Firemen and Monday postponed its scheduled Dec 15 strike against Southern Pacific and Northwestern Pacific until Jan 18 1919 1949 G. G A. A Meade vice president of ot the union announced the postponement post post- pon ment of the walkout which was called after the union and railroads failed to settle longstanding longstanding long long- standing differences in interpretation tation of their contract In order to afford the traveling public uninterrupted transportation tion during the holiday season and to afford the conferees additional time to negotiate the Southern Pacific and Northwestern Pacific strike has been postponed Until Jan 18 1949 Meade said William F. F Mitchell representative represent represent- of the national mediation board confirmed that the union had postponed its walkout I have been informed by a representative representative representative rep rep- of the union that the strike set on Southern Pacific for 6 am a.m. Wednesday Dec 15 has been postponed for at least 30 days Mitchell said No Comment Southern Pacific officials had no comment on the postponement Union president D. D B. B Robertson announced last weel week weela a strike had been called because of the failure of the carriers to settle approximately approximately approximately issues which have been in dispute since 1940 Chairman Frank P. P Douglass of the national ll mediation board sent Mitchell ell from Washington to San Fr Francisco in an effort to settle the dispute Mitchell has been meeting separately with union and company com corn pany officials since Monday Another strike threat also Is pending against Southern Pacific early next year This dispute in involves in in- the Brotherhood of Locomotive Locomotive Locomotive Loco Loco- motive Engineers whose members now are casting strike ballots Time Lag If the B L E votes in favor of a walkout it would not be called for 30 days and might be postponed days through appointment of ot ofa ofa ota a presidential fact finding board and other mediation moves |