**Date:** 6-17-67
**Source:** General Tire Added
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AKRON, Ohio—Another rub- i during the coming week, possi- ber company was added to the bly Monday or Tuesday. three already on strike Friday This is the only major change when the executive board of the in the picture, and Uniroyal ne- United Rubber Workers Union gotiations were reported as voted to send out General Tire making no progress Friday. and Rubber Co. workers. The fact that General Tire’s More than 3,000 employees in URW members will be on strike is two plants, Akron and Waco, expected to put pressure on Texas, will be directly affected Goodyear, the only company of by the walkout. the so called “big five” not on Top sources indicated that the strike. pickling would begin sometime General Tire executives were informed of the executive board’s decision Friday evening. The pickelring will also proba- bly put pressure on the union’s strike fund, already seriously depleted. What financial action the union plans to take to alleviate pressure was not learned Friday. Although the United Auto Workers union had promised fi- nancial aid to the striking union in the form of a loan, the URW has been hesitant to accept the loan and has tried, instead, to raise money through donations from URW members still work- ing. These efforts have been re- portedly unsuccessful, and the original strike fund of $6.5 mil- lion has been drained at a rate of $1.25 million a week. Unfair labor practice charges filed by International Union Pres. Peter Bommarito are pre- sently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board. Bommarito charged that the strike pact agreed upon by the companies involved in the nego- tiations was hindering progress. The pact reportedly states that companies affected by a strike will be given financial aid by those which are not struck. Obstacles preventing a settle- ment at the present time were reported Friday as being mainly economic. The union feels that the value of the economic offers being made by the companies is not high enough yet. Sources also indicated that the supplemental unemployment benefits are not high enough and may well end up as the number one obstacle to a settle- ment. According to those close to the negotiations, the companies have a “philosophical objection” to paying people for not work- ing. In addition it is possible that the auto manufacturers are put- ting pressure on the rubber firms not to grant the so-called guaranteed annual wage be- cause the car companies will be facing the same request when the United Auto Workers begin talks in July. The union’s counter proposal, submitted over a week ago, is still being discussed. Talks re- cessed for the weekend Friday and are scheduled to resume Monday.