L to R: George O’Brien, Arthur Hartin, Lawrence O’Sullivan,
Belanger, Endicott Peabody, George Meany, John Lederle,
James Loughlin, Philip Kramer, Joseph DiChiarra,
Joseph Cass, Hugh Thompson Against this backdrop, it was no surprise that negotiations reached a stalemate. The division became so stark, so rapidly, in fact, that by the meeting of October 25, 1957, the two sides were ironically forced into an odd sort of agreement -- an agreement on the necessity of bringing in help to break the impasse. At the suggestion of Meany, R.J. Thomas attended the Massachusetts Merger Committee's meeting of November 8, 1957, and he, in turn, recommended that Regional Director Thompson and his assistant attend all further meetings. Although the CIO concurred, it came as no surprise that the AFL did not. At their next meeting one week later, E. J. Moats from the national office was brought in to focus on the vexing problems of the new leadership. The State Federation remained firmly fixed in its position on the distribution of offices and salary, and with the CIO no less intransigent, additional grievances flared up. The two sides argued over the composition of the new joint governing board and the nature and number of new departments, with the AFL insisting upon three departments, versus the CIO's four, and demanding 16 representatives on the boards, relegating only 11 spots to their rivals.

Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America When the CIO accused the AFL of "wanting everything" and relations between the sides reached low ebb, Moats stepped up his efforts, embarking upon a thankless shuttle diplomacy. Meeting with each group separately, he spent days ferrying proposals and counter-proposals back and forth, most of which were rejected out of hand. Pleading with both sides to consider the positions of the other, he offered to request an extension on the deadline from Meany, hoping against hope that unity could still be reached in Massachusetts.