Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 28, 1946.
Phone Strike May Be Felt Here, Report
Walkout Over Indiana Set For Next Week; No Local Grievance
Valparaiso and Porter county’s telephone system of communication may be affected unless conciliation efforts to forestall a March 7 strike of two unions against the Indiana Bell Telephone company are successful, Henry W. Sauter, of this city, district manager of the Indiana Associated Telephone Corporation, which operates in Porter and Lake counties, and today.
The strike would shut down all manually-operated telephone exchanges throughout the state, it was announced by Mrs. Mae Mann, South Bend, president of the Indiana Telephone Traffic union, who is in Indianapolis for a meeting with telephone company officials. Mrs. Mann said that ITTU switchboard operators, although not members of a striking union, would honor all picket lines set up in the threatened communication stoppage.
Long Distance Affected
Also affected by the traffic union action will be long distance calls in all exchanges, she added.
Dial services would not be affected, but maintenance workers who normally keep dial systems in repair would be on strike.
Strike notices have been filed with the Indiana Bell company by the Indiana Bell Accounting Department Employes' association and the Indiana Telephone Workers Union. Both are members of the National Federation of Telephone Workers, which has called the strike.
In Valparaiso telephone workers have no grievance, according to Manager Sauter. However, the union may call on the workers here for aid. Just how far the situation will go, Sauter was unable to say. He anticipated a walkout where employees have a grievance, and this may affect other exchanges.
