**Source:** Unknown
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AKRON (AP) – Negotiating sessions between the United Rubber Workers union and five major rubber companies, including Uniroyal, resumed Tuesday, the 53rd day of the strike against three of the companies.
Although negotiators for URW and Uniroyal management could not be contacted for comment Monday night, reliable sources pointed to the progress made during the past week and held out hope that a settlement might be reached before another weekend recess.
According to these sources, union members in some plants that had been affected by the walkout, were told Monday that a settlement was expected soon. No further details were provided, however.
General Tire, however, has only 3,000 workers in two tire plants. In addition, General Tire said to have boosted its plant operations to 80 per cent and offered a provision for 30 weeks of vacation for employes with over 30 years service.
It could not be determined Monday night whether Uniroyal had made a similar offer.
Reliable sources have called General Tire and Goodyear, who are both working on a day-to-day basis, pattern companies. According to the sources, a settlement with Uniroyal, B.F. Goodrich and Firestone, the struck companies, is expected to set a pattern for settlements with the other two.
During the past two weeks, all companies have been talking a pattern contract with the union, and some union sources have indicated a feeling that the final settlement would be for three years.
According to Vice President Raymond Meagaci, in a statement to local newspapers Monday, said that although he didn’t want to debate whether the company’s Firestone Plant manager John Smith, had compelled to answer a letter sent to employes last week by the company, Meagaci noted that both the company and the union committees had agreed time in Cincinnati, Ohio, to go through the newspapers’ “Naugahyde,” without doing it through the newspapers.
Meagaci said when the union negotiating committee left for Cincinnati it was for the sole purpose of making a sincere effort to negotiate a contract and wage agreement with Uniroyal, “without passing judgement on the negotations” which began in Cincinnati March 31, and “rt weren’t until April 12 that the company made its first final offer to the union on contract and wages, eight days before the deadline.”
This, Meagaci stated, “has never happened in the history of the company nor of my experiences on the negotiating committees of that of President Grant.”
Meagaci’s statement also was the last. No one can call this negotating. This has never been done before. It wasn’t until a few days later that the the union found out that this was being done in all of the other companies, not the company would not give a sense of commitment, “which would not seem a parity to treat them well decency respect if management expects the same treatment.”
Documents were also made as to the position and bargaining Mr. George Fronehand and the rest of the company’s committee will do everything in their power to bring this dispute to a settlement as fast as possible, concurred.