Striking District 65 Members Picket Out of Town Newsstand

Members of District 65, Distributive Workers of America, picketed Out of Town News this weekend to protest the owner's bargaining practices with the employees of Reading International bookstores.

The 15 Reading International workers voted to strike after negotiators for Sheldon Cohen, owner of Out of Town News as well as Reading International bookstores in Belmont and Cambridge, left a mediation meeting Friday afternoon.

Cohen's negotiators offered a 4-per-cent retroactive raise for 1980 and a 3-per-cent increase for 1981. The union, which has represented the employees since last December, made no specific wage raise demand.

Differences

District 65, a United Auto Workers affiliate, also differs with Cohen over holidays and health care. The union has asked that Cohen pay in full for an employee health plan to replace the present arrangement under which workers absorb half the cost.

Out of Town News cashiers yesterday declined to comment on how the picketing affected business. Leslie A. Sullivan, one of District 65's chief organizers, said yesterday the picket line had turned away about 50 per cent of the newsstand's business.

But, Steven Kelly, manager of the adjacent Nini's Corner newsstand, said business had picked up "just a little."

Cohen could not be reached for comment this weekend.

The picketers distributed a leaflet urging passers-by to "patronize other local merchants instead of Reading International and Out of Town News."

Philip I. Chassler, staff member of District 65, said yesterday, "We're ready to negotiate, but right now it's up to the company."

District 65 last March set a May 9 deadline for conclusion of contract negotiations.

The picketers said they could not estimate how long the strike would continue. "He (Cohen) is known as a stubborn person. He might see the strike as a test of his power," Chassler said.

While Cohen closed the Cambridge Reading International store yesterday, the Belmont store remained open.

District 65 is currently engaged in a campaign to unionize clerical and technical workers in the Medical Area.