Airline Strike Continues

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31108, 11 July 1966, Page 13

Airline Strike Continues

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, July 10.

All aircraft of five American airlines remained grounded today as talks were resumed in an attempt to end the mechanics’ strike that has jammed transport at the height of the summer nsh.

Little progress appeared to have been made when the talks, between the airlines and the International Machinists’ Association, over a wage claim by 35,000 mechanics, adjourned yesterday. A major stumbling block was the absence of the airline chairmen, who returned home when the talks were broken off last Thursday with no agreement in sight. They found it difficult to return to Washington because of the strike when talks were resumed yesterday at the re-

quest of President Johnson.

The five affected airlines — Eastern, National, Northwest, United and Transworld—estimate that revenue a-nd wages losses will total 8 million dollars daily as a result of the strike.

More than 35,000 mechanics and ground staff are out in support of wage and other claims against the companies, which between them serve 231 American cities and 23 overseas centres.

A union spokesman said the two sides in the negotiations are poles apart. Meanwhile, businessmen, beauty queens bound for the Miss Universe contest in Miami, servicemen on leave and foreign tourists had to find alternative routes, or alternative transport—or remain stranded in airport queues.

Rail and bus services are fully extended, as are the 40 per cent of domestic flights not affected by, the strike. Some businessmen are tak-

ing to long-haul and expensive routes, such as San Francisco to New York via London, and Miami to San Francisco via Guatemala.

Union spokesmen have predicted more or less indefinite duration of the strike, now entering its third day.