Two small shipping companies reacheda pay deal with striking seamen late yesterday, but union
leaders said most of Brazil's 40,000 seamen were still on
strike.
    A union spokesman in Rio de Janeiro said the seamen had
accepted a 120 pct pay raise offer from the companies, Globo
and Flumar, which have less than 200 employees each.
    The two-week strike comes as Brazil faces a debt crisis and
is delaying exports badly needed to earn foreign exchange.
    Labour Minister Almir Pazzionotto said the government will
not force a settlement of the strike, which was ruled illegal
last Friday.
 Reuter
