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Show COPPER STRIKE SCHEDULED TODAY A general strike in the nation's copper industry was set for Thursday, midnight (last night). Meanwhile, federal negotiators in four states worked to avoid the strike. International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers officials offic-ials announced the strike authorization author-ization in Denver. If called, it would begin with the day shift Friday and would affect IUUM-SW IUUM-SW workers in the nonferrous mining industry in 14 states. Union leaders said they had been authorized to call the strike unless satisfactory progress is reported re-ported toward new contract settlements set-tlements by Thursday midnight, when current contracts expire. Union officials said consideration considera-tion would be given to progress of wage talks in Salt Lake City, Butte, Mont., Douglas, Ariz, and San Francisco up until Thursday midnight, before the strike decision de-cision is finally made. In Salt Lake City, union leaders lead-ers met with federal negotiators and officials of Kennecott Copper Cop-per Corp. There were no comments com-ments from anyone involved as to progress of the meeting. Commissioner Ralph R. Williams Wil-liams of the federal Mediation j and Conciliation Service was conducting the Utah meetings, assisted by S. Lyle Johnson, federal fed-eral mediator for Utah. ; Authorization to call the strike would affect IUMMSW workers in 14 states. If called, the strike could completely idle the copper industry and allied smelter and refinery operations as well as other non-ferrous mining operations. opera-tions. The union is seeking wage hikes of 20 cents per hour. The companies in most instances are offering a 10-cent per hour hike. Members of the Bingham and Magna IUMMSW locals held meetings last night, Thursday, to discuss progress of the wage talks and the possibility of a strike. |