**Source:** Unknown
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Many Footwear employes are entitled to four weeks and in some instances five weeks of vacation. These workers are permitted to take the extra weeks at various intervals through the year so as not to conflict with the annual vacation shutdown.
Employes of the Chemical and Synthetic Divisions now on strike are allowed to stagger their vacations. Accordingly, the plant under normal conditions do not close for any allotted vacation-time as is the case at Footwear.
Meanwhile, the negotiations between the Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO and Uniroyal have developed into a cliff-hanging affair.
Reportedly, this past Friday, the two teams were close to a settlement on a new master contract. However a hitch over some clauses reportedly caused a new disagreement.
The decision of Firestone to settle this past Thursday was the signal for considerable optimism here. It was expected that Uniroyal would follow not only Firestone, but also General and Goodrich, the other companies that came to an earlier agreement with URW.
A reliable report has indicated that some problems with Article 9 are holding up the agreement on the new contract. The article refers to working conditions, notably speed-up of production operations.
URW workers affiliated with Uniroyal including those of the three divisions here, Footwear, Chemical and Synthetic have the dubious honor of participating in the longest strike in the history of the rubber industry.
The strike against Uniroyal is now in its 94th day. Back on April 21, union workers of Uni-royal, Firestone and Goodrich began the marathon walkout.