Whatever might have resulted either from the exercise of those emergency powers or the CIO’s entry into the strike will never be known. Late Wednesday night, Oakland city manager J.F. Hassler issued a verbal assurance to union leaders that the police would not in the future escort strikebreakers and would remain impartial in labor disputes. On the strength of that statement, Bob Ash and the other strike committee leaders called an end to the general strike Thursday morning, December 5, at 11 A.M.

Many union members were upset at the decision, figuring that if the CIO unions—representing 30,000 workers at the docks, in heavy industry, in warehouses, and at the public utilities—joined them, they would be invincible. But AFL leaders believed they had achieved the main goal of the general strike. In addition, they feared association with Communists in the CIO leadership and perhaps worried they might lose direction of the general strike to the militant CIO if it became involved. AFL leaders were also concerned at the possible effect of Beck’s back-to-work order on the crucial support of the Teamster drivers.