Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 6, 1990 TAG: 9005060085
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service said both sides were reviewing proposals and that mediators hoped to schedule new talks within a few days.
The talks were the first in the walkout since mid-March and came a day after the company reported a $56 million loss for the first three months this year.
Much of Saturday's session was devoted to a review of the company's financial situation and how it would affect a potential contract, said a source close to negotiations. Money problems made the bargaining process "extremely difficult," the source said.
The lack of another scheduled meeting "is not a good sign," the source said, noting negotiators had originally talked of possibly meeting today and Monday as well.
A four-hour round of morning negotiations, which mostly involved each side talking separately with federal mediators, produced "very little" progress, said union President Edward M. Strait.
"We're feeling the process out right now," Strait said. "We're hopeful we'll reach a settlement."
Greyhound Vice President Anthony P. Lannie, the company's top negotiator, also said "nothing's happened so far," but indicated that was because the two sides had spent most of the time in the morning session with mediators.
Lannie and Strait are trying to settle disputes over wages, job security and seniority issues for the 6,300 striking drivers and 3,000 clerical and maintenance workers who walked out March 2.
On Friday, the company said it had suffered a $55.8 million loss in the January-March quarter.
by CNB