RAIL STRIKE THREAT

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 13

RAIL STRIKE THREAT

Unions Reject Compromise

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) WASHINGTON, July 7. President Kennedy will return from a long week-end in the country tomorrow to face the threat of a nation-wide railway strike, the Associated Press reported. He is scheduled to hold urgent talks with the Labour Secretary (Mr Willard Wirtz), after being notified today that the rail unions had rejected a Government compromise designed to avert a strike over a work rules dispute. The nation’s railways have said they will put the work rules into effect at 42.01 a.m. on Thursday unless Congress epacts a Government-spon-sored bill calling for compulsory arbitration. The new.rules would mean the elimination of 40,000 firemen’s jobs which, the railways say, are unnecessary on diesel engines. The unions have retorted that any sackings would mean a strike. Mr Wirtz has already announced that the Administration will ask for emergency legislation to hold off the strike. He telephoned President Kennedy at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, today to tell him of the railwaymen’s decision The President and his family are holidaying at Hyannis Port.

’Chute Fails To Open

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) MELBOURNE. July 'B.

A ,19-year-old girl who plummeted 8900 ft to her death at Pakenham, Victoria, yesterday, was the sixth parachutist to be killed in Australia since “sky-diving” began as a spcrt here in 1958.

Miss T. Bliahut, a bank clerk, died on her thirtieth jump since she took up parachuting in March, 1962. She had intended making a 40-second “free fall” from an aircraft flying at 8900 ft, but she went into a spin and did not come out of it until she was 1500 ft from the ground. Her parachute began to open at 400 ft. but it was too late. Miss Blahut struck the ground at about 80 miles an hour and died instantly.