Memphis strikes end

Press, 21 August 1978, Page 9

Memphis strikes end

iINZPA Memphisj 1 Poli.ce and firemen’s union leaders, after hours of con,l fusion, shook hands with; 'j Mayor Wyeth Chandler, on I iFriday to end a strike that! , had hamstrung Memphis for! ; la week. ■ Mr Chandler emerged ! from his office to tell jour- ' nalists that there finally appeared to be “total agreedment” between the city and [the unions. The Mayor said he and; !union leaders had a rough; ■ draft of a contract that! J would become legal when it| was typed and signed. Agreement was first an- [ nounced at midday. But Mr ' I Chandler then backed off, * I saying he had not agreed to; l !the terms that the union j ' ! leaders were passing on to '[their followers. Further jI meetings then ensued, with! the police returning to work ; for two hours and then jstriking again. t Finally, after a further fl six-hour meeting, the “mis-; J understanding” was resolved.' . Tide city’s 1000 policemen i! returned to work at the mid-> , | night shift, while its 1400 j striking firemen returned to i I their stations at 7 a.m. on s! Saturday. t. ! During the strike, thou- • sands of fans of Elvis Prejbsley had been converging on r'his Tennessee hometown for fl the first anniversary of his I death.