Strike
KU Medical Center employees walk out
KANSAS CITY - A strike of non-professional workers at the KU Medical Center became effective. at 9 p.m. last night
Rep. Powell fails to show up for talk at UMKC
KANSAS CITY - Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, D.N.Y., failed to appear at the University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC) yesterday.
Powell was to speak at 2 p.m. in Pierson Hall as the finale of the first annual Afro-American Week, sponsored by three student committees.
Robert Smithy, faculty adviser for Afro-American Week, said he had been in touch with Powell's lawyer and secretary in New York at 3 p.m. Saturday, but at that time they said they did not know where Powell was.
"The fact that he did not appear was not paramount," Smithy said, "but he didn't see fit to let us know."
Smithy said he tried as late as yesterday morning to get a replacement.
Most persons, while diaappointed, were discreet in their remarks on Powell's failure to appear. Others said it was not the first time. Still others said, they were not surprised.
Society seminar was held
Civil disobedience is a necessary element in any viable society, an associate professor of sociology said yesterday in a civil disobedience seminar in Dyche Auditorium.
"The first sign of a degenerate, stagnate, meaningless society is its lack of civil disobedient citizens," Gary Maranell told a crow of nearly 35 persons. "A viable society must have citizens who care enough and are involved enough to be civily disobedient and a citizenry that cares enough to take measures to curtail civil disobedience."
It must be a respected member of the community involved in civil disobedience or there is little chance of significant social change or support. Maranell said.
One must consider, he said, whether the action is merely an attempt to break a law or whether it is designed to adhere to higher, premeditated principles.
A person must be engaged for totally impersonal reasons with the aim of bringing to the surface other citizens feelings, Maranell said.
Finally, one must be ready and willing to accept the consequences of his act "in order to make the world a better place to live in." He said.
10 KANSAN Mar. 10 1969 1969
following a vote by the Public Service Employees Union, local 1132 of the AFLCIO.
HAROLD'S SERVICE
69
1401 WEST 6TH STREET
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
phone 843-3557
The workers include laundry personnel, housekeeping, food service and other maintenance and hospital attendant categories who seek a 25 cent per hour wage increase. The increase would raise worker salaries closer to the $1.70 starting salaries by other non-professional workers in other metropolitan hospitals, said Milton Bedsoe, president of the local union.
"Some of our personnel have already started walking off the job," Miller said. "We don't know yet how extensive the walkout will be, perhaps in the neighborhood of 250 to 350 workers. We won't be able to tell for sure until morning."
A restriction of new admissions and a reduction in the volume of patient activity at the Medical Center may result from the strike, said Russell H. Miller, director of the Center.
"Frankly, what we're afraid of is losing the 190 dietary workers which prepare all of the patients' food," he said. "It is possible all of the Medical Center will be without food service."
Miller said there were 190 workers in housekeeping and janitorial service, such as wall washers, which will be affected by the strike.
Another critical area affected by the strike includes the central sterilizing department where instrument trays, treatment trays and dressings are prepared.
Gov. Robert Docking said in a statement last night, he is uncertain as to the legality of the strike, but he is doubtful it is in the public interest. He said he would have more to say concerning the matter later today.
A similar strike held in June, 1967, by the same union lasted only a short time.
Armed forces unpopular to some
WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Senate Armed Services Committee said 53,357 U.S. servicemen deserted between mid-1967 and mid-1968-an average of one every 10 minutes. The committee reported a
total of 15,536 soldiers, sailors. Marines and Air Force men went "over the hill" during that period, covering fiscal 1968.
The committee reported a
That worked out to one every three minutes.