UNITY HAS BROUGHT PROCRESS
Ships of the Alaska Steamship Company are once more back at work serving all Alaska.
This, we believe, is an opportune time to express well-deserved recognition to the many
persons and groups who played such an important part in helping to resolve the recent strike.
It can be said quite fairly that no one ever really "wins” a strike, and this, frankly, was
no exception. Under the terms of the new contract our operating costs have been increased
once again, businesses throughout Alaska have suffered an incalculable set-back and the
strikers themselves as well as men in affected unions have sustained a severe loss of income.
But there is a bright side to the picture. We held out for a long term agreement with the
striking Sailors’ Union and achieved our objective. The contract concluded runs until
September 1953 and, therefore, is a step toward truly dependable, uninterrupted service
which could mean new stability for Alaskan businesses as well as for our own company.
During this recent strike the Alaska Steamship Company sensed an atmosphere of
genuine unity between itself and the entire Territory of Alaska. This spirit of cooperation
gave positive recognition to the close inter-relationship existing between the welfare of
Alaska and the operation of the Alaska Steamship Company.
In addition Alaskan communities manifested a high degree of unselfish cooperation in
helping each other during this time of stress which certainly deserves sincere commendation.
As a result of the vigorous participation of Governor Ernest Gruening, the Chambers
of Commerce of Alaska and many of Alaska’s fine citizens, Mayor Allan Pomeroy of Seattle,
Mr. Tom Pelly and members of the Alaska Lifeline Committee and the Seattle Chamber
of Commerce, we of the Alaska Steamship Company were able to present a solid front
throughout the negotiations.
Wlule we cannot say that all troubles have been resolved, we are confident that ting
demonstration of unity has brought real progress. In this respect it is significant that the
Alaska Lifeline Committee plans to continue its activity on a long-range program to assure
continuous, uninterrupted service to Alaska.
D. E. Skinner,
Vice President & General Manager
ALASKA
STEAMSHIP COMPANY
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