**Date:** 6-17-67
**Source:** Unknown
—
Continued From Page 1
from rubber workers had been
approved by mid-week, and a
big influx of further applications
had come in since then.
She said the county at first
requested rubber workers to
spend strike benefits for shelter
and utilities and use public as-sistance for food.
“But now,” she said, “the
benefits are so low they do not
meet the other bills.”
Union-paid strike benefits
totalled $25 at the start of the
strike. They were cut to $15 this
week and were expected to go
lower, and possibly end, in a
few weeks.
The URW struck the Fire-stone Tire & Rubber Co., the
B.F. Goodrich Co. and UniRoyal
Inc. on April 20 when wage
contracts expired. Contracts
with Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Co. and General Tire & Rubber
Co. also expired, but work has
continued on a day-to-day basis.
In Connecticut the strike has
crippled production at three
UniRoyal plants in Naugatuck.
The union’s treasury, which
contained about $6.5 million at
the start of the strike, has been
reduced at a rate of $1.25 mil-lion a week. Union President
Peter Bommarito recently turn-ed down an offer of a loan or
a gift from the United Auto
Workers strike fund. Speculation
here places the refusal to a
wish not to be obligated to
Walter Reuther in his feud with
the leaders of the AFL—CIO.
The companies have offered
hourly wage increases of 38
cents over a three-year contract
period to rubber workers, who
average $3.69 hourly. To non-tire workers, the companies
have offered 31-cent increases.
These workers average $2.68
hourly.
The union contended the offer
was not in line with the 5 per
cent wage increases granted in
other industries.