News In Brief

Strikebound W. German metal industry talks set

Negotiators for West Germany's metal workers' union and employers will meet with an arbitrator today to try to end West Germany's worst labor dispute in six years, the employers said Tuesday.

Some 400,000 workers have been idled by strikes, lockouts, layoffs, and forced vacations. The strike, which has nearly shut down German auto production, began May 14 when 58,000 metalworkers went on strike in support of a 35-hour workweek without pay cuts.