Saturday. June 21, 1975 THE MICHIGAN DAILY. UNION HOPES FOR SETTLEMENT Railway strike delayed Pae Thrde W A S H I N G TO N (l) - Responding to a plea from fed- eral mediators, the railway clerks union' agreed yesterday to postpone for 30 days its threatened national rail strike in hopes of reaching a settle- ment. But the union's president, C.L. Dennis, warned that unless management indicates a will- ingness to compromise "it is difficult to see how strikes may be avoided next month." POST PONEMENT of the strike deadline to July 21 was requested by chief fed- eral mediator W. J. Usery Jr. following an all-night bargain- ing session with union leaders and representatives of the ma- jor railroads. The Brotherhood of Railway and Airline Clerks had planned to strike at 12:01 a.m. Monday when all legal delays under the Federal Railway Labor Act were to expire. During the night, Dennis said the union made "a serious ef- fort" to scale down its contract demands only to be "complete- ly and contemptuously reject- ed" by management. W I L L I A M DEMPSEY, the industry's chief negotiator and spokesman, called the un- ion's revised demands "unrea- sonable and inflationary." Un - ion negotiators, he added, con- tinued to resist the recommen- dations of a presidential emer- gency board which urged the clerks to accept basically the same pattern agreement app- roved earlier by seven other rail unions. The pact provided for a 41 per cent boost in wages and benefits over three years. The clerks union ountended the pattern agreement failed to U malpractice insurance will skyrocket next year fly JEFF RISTINE Medical malpractice insurance premiums paid by the Uni- versity will skyrocket next year, the Board of Regents was told yesterday. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Wilbur Pierpont said the University will need $2.5 million during 1975-76 to cover malpractice rates for the 'U' Hospital and other units covered by an overall insurance program. The cost in 1971-72, he said, was only $237,000. PIERPONT ADDED that although the University's situation reflects a nationwide trend, a survey of Big Ten Schools shows "our costs are very favorable compared to other Universities with large hospitals." The $2.5 million figure represents about four per cent of the University's medical budget, according-to Pierpont, and includes a $1 million deductible clause. The Regents also voted to defer until July action on a dispute with the City Council over payments for city services, appoint- ment of student members to the Board in Control of Intercol- legiate Athletics and University, family housing rents. IN OTHER action, the Regents: -approved emergency actions for expenditures until the 1975- 76 budget is finalized. Pierpont said the actions were necessary because state appropriations for the new fiscal year beginning July 1 have not yet been determined. -approved designs of new individual flags for the School of Art, the College of Architecture and Urban Planning and the School of Library Science. The lighthearted presentation of the three stylized, colorful flags was highlighted by -Regent Paul See 'U', Page 10 address itself to the special needs of its 117,000 members employed as office and ticket agents. Railway clerks cur- rently average $5,66 an hour. With labor and management apparently still far apart. Us- ery said he and Chairman George Ives of the National Mediation Board would remain in touch with both sides and call for a resumption of negotiations "as soon as we feel further pro- gress can be made." Usery said he was hopeful the 30-day de- la would permit bargaining to continue 'in a non-crisis atmos- phere." SOURCES CLOSE to the talks said the union agreed to the postponement after Usery ap- pealed for more time to nego- tiate a settlement and stressed that a crippling nationwide strike next week could prompt Congress to pass emergency legislation to end the walkout. The sources said it was Usery's view that Congress would have been reluctant to leave town for its July 4 recess without taking some action. In a statement explaining his decision, Dennis expressed con- cern about 'the difficult eco- nomic burdens," a strike would place on the economy and the possibility of jeopardizing legis- lation pending before Congress that would improve unemploy- nsent compensation for railroad workers. The labor chief also said the postponement will provide the union with the legal option call- ing selective strikes against in- dividual railroads next month instead of a national work stop- page. In all likelihood, such a tactic would reduce pressure for strike - breaking legislation. M E A N W H I L E, the Penn Central, the nation's larg- est railroad, commemorates the fifth anniversary of its bank- ruptcy today. Penn Central's collapse, on June 21, 1970, was the largest corporate failure in U. S. history. The railroad now is headed toward incorporation into the proposed semipublic freight carrier, Conrail, which is simi- lar to Amtrak and aims to abandon the little-used, second- ary spurs of seven bankrupt Northeast railroads Tennis snooze Seven-year-old Tommy Horkay of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., is caught catching a few z's while waiting for business to pick up at his make-shift shoe shine stand. Like other youngsters, Timmy is enjoying the lazy, hazy days of summer, and decided to make this afternoon a profitable one. Orieo'ntation: It's that time o--f Year ... agavin By CATHERINE REUTTER Once you've spotted those bubbly mobs of people, with a seemingly bottomless resevoir of energy and that star-spangled look in their eyes, you can be sure of one thing. The summer orientation program has begun. The new . freshpeople, who started flowing in last Sunday for their three-day stay at Markley, are now experiencing the same get-acquainted ses- sions, campus tours, tests and registration headaches that most University students have bitter- sweet memories of. AND THEN there's the fun. "You could find a wild party around here every other night," said orientation leader Denise Morgan. "They have to have a break sometime." The traditional tour of the campus is always one of the highlights of the hectic three day session. Spicing the walk with fabricated tales, the orien- tation leaders never fail to draw combinations of total naivete and unbelieving laughter when they recount the legend of the George P. Wheeler Menorial Bridge or the myth behind the Natural History Museum lions. which allegedly roar when a virgin walks by. . During one of his tours, orien- tation leader Mike Alpern told his group of 35 wide-eyed rook- ies, "Some of my friends were walking back after sampling some of the local brew and they swore that the lions were talk- ing to them," Alpern told the students. THERE IS a less pleasant side to orientation, however- the testing, According to Mor- gan, that stinging process be- gins the iorning after the fresh- people arrive, at the god-awful hour of 8 a.m. While Morgan claims she hasn't had any trouble waking people up by 7 a.m., she was quick to add that the new LSA testing requirements have been a big problem. Because of the "tip in the air" nature of the graduation requirement changes passed by the Regents, said Morgan, registration has been one huge hassle. Commenting on the over all nature of the class of '79, Al- pern said, "They're typical freshmen." "All these kids come in with very high energy levels, and an openness to many things," said Morgan. "You get some that aren't that enthused, but a lot of energetic people." Wonder how long that wilt last? rHE MICHIGAN DAILV Volumei XXXV, No. i'-S I'riday, June 20, 11U I-s edited and nanagerd iby atudenta. at t1e University of Michigan. News ilaine 764-0562. Second class piosnae paid at Ann Arbor, Mlichivan 48150. Pulished d a 1ty Tuesday through- Suniay morning during the Univer- sity year at 420 Maynavd Street. An Arbor Michigan 48104. Sutscriptimt rates: l by carrier (campus area); $11 local mail (Michiain and Ohlo); $12 non-local mall tother states and foreign. Summer session pubtished Tues- day through Saturday morning, aubscription rates: $5.50 by carrier (campu saea); $6.00 locaiman (Michigan and Ohio; $6.0snon- local mait (other states and toreigni, ,hG.. r r rr. . Prne Gadi defends policies - Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addresses a mass rally in New Delhi yesterday defending her criticized policies. An Indian Supreme Coutt Justice agreed yesterday to hold an urgent hearing Monday on whether Gandhi can remain in office until the court decides her appeal of a convic- tion for corrupt campaign practices.