from an industrial correspondent
Two of the largest unions in the printing industry: the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers (170,000 members) and the National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants (45,000 members), have agreed in principle to amalgamate. Their membership will vote by ballot later this year on the issue. The new union would be called the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades. NATSOPA announced last week that its executive and the leaders of the Paper Workers had decided on "central principles guiding their amalgamation." If this and other amalgamations take place the number of printing unions will be reduced from nine to five,