Negotiators Report:

7-13-67 [handwritten]

Only Economic Issues Block Strike Settlement

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — With four major rubber companies closed by a record long strike, the United Rubber Workers (URW) prepared to walkout at midnight tonight against the fifth and largest firm, Goodyear Tire & Rubber.

Industry capacity would be cut by 75 per cent with the addition of Goodyear to the list of struck firms.

The flow of tires and other materials to the auto and defense industries would be sharply reduced.

Goodyear’s 21,000 workers would bring to 75,000 the number idled across the country.

The union went on strike against Firestone Tire & Rubber, B. F. Goodrich and Uni-

Royal, Inc., April 20, and employes at two of General Tire & Rubber Co.’s nine plants walked out June 21.

Possible Intervention

A reduction in the flow of defense material raised the possibility the federal government would invoke the Taft-Hartley Act to send workers back for an 80-day cooling off period.

William E. Simkin, chief of the Federal Mediation Service, went to Columbus, Ohio, earlier in the week to assist in negotiations with B. F. Goodrich, the largest supplier of aircraft tires with between 35 and 40 per cent of the nation’s production.

The URW also struck the Schenuit Rubber Co. of Balti-

more last Saturday. Schenuit’s entire production of aircraft tires goes to the federal government and represents 20 per cent of the government’s needs.

The contract at Goodyear expired with the others but work continued at the plants on a day-to-day basis while talks continued.

URW negotiators said Thursday only economic issues blocked a settlement with the five major firms. All other contractural matters were settled last Friday.

Benefit Plan

The union originally asked for a supplemental unemployment benefit plan which would

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