UNIVERSITY MAY ACCEPT DEMANDS TO AVOID STRIKE

Possibility that the University will be forced to make concessions to the A.F. of L. cooks and waitresses rather than risk the embarrassment of a strike in all the dining halls appeared strong last night after a conferences between College officers and union executives.

"We won't back down now," declared Joseph Stefani, leader of Locals 186 and 112 who are demanding higher wages and a closed shop agreement. "I think they're going to give us something or other."

University is Silent

In the meantime University Hall officials maintained complete silence on the questions, refusing either to clarify the employer's position or comment on the validity of the Union's claims. Aldrich Durant '02, Business Manager, who yesterday met with Stefani behind closed doors, announced: "At the moment the University has nothing to say."

Labor leaders on the other hand insisted that the 300 A.F. of L. employee of the University has spoken and that "they won't yield an inch." They claimed their demand for a closed shop was justified, pointing out that the 10 percent who have not joined the union are enjoying the benefits of the Federation's bargaining and yet are refusing to contribute their share.

Abolition of the compulsory insurance plan, which the union says is forced arbitrarily upon Harvard workers, is another bone of contention between employer and employees. Stefani stated that the labor group prefers U. S. Social Security to Harvard's benefit system.