**Date:** 6-22-67
**Source:** Unknown
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NAUGATUCK – Representa- no commitments on how much it tives of both management and was prpared to give, high un- the United Rubber Workers are ion officials have been reported gathering their numbers for top as saying they were not pre- level talks today in Pittsburgh, pared to be forced to give up Pa., with William Simkin, di- some of their important de- rector of the Federal Mediation mands. and Conciliation Service. It has been a feeling among Leading the team of union nego- union people that government tiators from Uniroyal will be induced agreements often favor Herbert Dawson. Local 45 Presi- management. dent George Froehlich will be In response to questions about the only one from the borough the meeting, Simkin told the operations to be at the table in Goodyear local in Akron. Pittsburgh. Uniroyal management team will be led by their top negotia- tor Eugene Worchester, who has chosen three men from the New York office to accompany him at the table. Formal talks in Ohio among management and union negotia- tors will be suspended while the Pittsburgh gathering is in ses- sion. There was no progress report- ed in the Ohio talks on the eve of the conference, and URW em- ployees at the General Tire plants in Akron, Ohio and Waco, Texas walked off the job to picket Wednesday night. What the exact nature of the talks in Pittsburgh would be could not be learned, but sources indicated that Simkin would probably act as moderator while union and manage- ment representatives talked at one table. Once’ Simkin finds the real sources of trouble, some of which are said to be personality conflicts, he will probably make recommendations which will en- able each side to move toward settlement. Although management made press that this would be more than exploratory, and that he is hoping that a settlement would result. How long the meeting will last is anyone’s guess, but observers feel that it will be at least a few days before positive action re- sults. On the local level, Local 45 Vice President Raymond Men gacci told reporters Wednesday that over $100,000 has already been contributed to date toward the depleted strike benefit fund by union people still working. The vice president cited a con- tribution of $10,000 weekly by a Goodyear local in Akron.