**Date:** 1967-07-19
**Source:** Naugatuck, Conn.
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AKRON, Ohio (UP) — Observers looked for further breaks in the 88-day-old rubber industry strike today with attention focused on the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. talks in Cleveland. United Rubber Workers International President Peter Bommarito was in Cleveland to assist at the negotiations.
A Firestone spokesman said, “we’re hopeful something will come soon, but there have been no indications yet.”
Future settlements were expected to follow substantially the same pattern set in agreements reached last week with the General Tire & Rubber Co. and the B. F. Goodrich Co.
The agreements provided all workers an increase of 43 cents an hour in steps of 15, 15, and 13 cents over the next three years and a supplemental unemployment benefit plan that gives laid off workers 80 per cent of their regular pay.
The Goodrich agreement achieved a major union goal of equal raises for tire and non-tire workers, eliminating a differential in previous contracts. The union was expected to ask the other companies to also eliminate the differential.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. resumed talks with the URW Tuesday after mass picketing cancelled a day at the bargaining table. The firm Monday had refused to meet with the union until the number of pickets was reduced to comply with a restraining order.
Unitoyal, Inc., also resumed talks Tuesday with the URW. URW Local 9 was to vote here today on the tentative agreement reached with General 312 in Waco, Tex.
Local 5 here scheduled a Sunday vote on the Goodrich offer and other locals at eight Goodrich plants around the country were expected to schedule weekend meetings.