BRAZIL SEAMEN SAY STRIKE NEAR END

  About half of Brazil's 40,000 seamen
  have returned to work after accords with 22 companies, and the
  national strike which began on February 27 looks close to
  ending, a union spokesman said.
      The spokesman, speaking from strike headquarters in Rio de
  Janeiro, estimated that 80 ships were strike-bound.
      The seamen have settled for 120 pct pay increases with the
  individual companies but are still discussing the issue of
  overtime payments with the shipowners' association, Syndarma.
  

