Production will grow from its pre-strike level of about 20 planes a month to 22.5 in the fourth quarter of 1996 and 24 in early 1997.

For the six-month period, New York Newsday reported Sunday circulation of 297,000, which represented a gain of about 147,000 over pre-strike levels.

Outside experts expressed doubts that the company was producing even that much oil, and they were immediately skeptical that the plan could revive production to pre-strike levels.

It took five years for attendance to climb back to pre-strike levels after the 234-day work stoppage that wiped out the 1994 playoffs and World Series.

The strength of the strike was reflected in the decline of bank clearings in New Orleans to half their pre-strike levels.

In addition, about $50 million would have to be invested to build circulation and advertising to pre-strike levels.

Although attendance was damaged by the strike-shortened seasons of 1994 and 1995, attendance is now approaching pre-strike levels .

The newspapers published a joint strike edition, but while separate publication of the Journal resumed in 1960, its circulation never approached pre-strike levels.

Circulation sank from a pre-strike level of 1.2 million to 300,000 before Mr. Maxwell's arrival.

They predict that Venezuela's oil industry, with a leaner government-run company leading the way, will soon churn out 3.1 million barrels daily, matching the pre-strike level.