**Date:** 6-16-69
**Source:** Unknown
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If the United Rubber Work-ers strike continue past Satur-day, a new record will be set for duration of strikes in the rubber industry. In 1959, the Firestone fire and Rubber Co. was struck by URW for 58 days. Negotiations continued yes-terday with the groups still dis-cussing a counter-proposal submitted by the union last week. Talks are scheduled to continue today.* The membership of the three borough Locals faithfully take their turn at picketing at the plants here in Naugatuck. The pickets are stationed at the Footwear plant gates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. leaving their strike placards hanging on the gates at night. Pickets are at the Chemical Co. gates on a round-the-clock basis; and in their cars on rainy days and can be seen lounging on blan-kets on the hot humid days. Some strikers have found oth-er employment on a full time basis in other industry in the area, according to reports, ter-minating their employment at UniRoyal.* The union is seeking a higher hourly rate and a 95 per cent supplementary benefit for workers who are laid off. The “Big Five” has dubbed the de-mand as a request for a guar-anteed annual wage.* Tire workers currently aver-age $3.69 an hour while other production workers aver-age $2.68. The union is also trying to do away with the pay differ-ential for the two classes of employes.* Negotiations between the rub-ber companies and the union continue on a daily basis but thus far, there has been no signs of settlement.* According to sources, true negotiations have begun at last. Both sides are giving on a few minor points.* Sessions began in Cincinnati on March 20, one month before the contract was due to ex-pire. Up until this point, nei-ther side was willing to give.* The companies know what they wanted to give and the union clung to its demands.