**Date:** 3-10-67
**Source:** BEACON FALLS
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Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney yesterday continued for two weeks the petition of Uniroyal for an injunction against the United Rubber Workers Union to restrain mass picketing at the strike-bound footwear plant in Naugatuck.
The company accepted the agreement suggested by Judge Gaffney “with the understanding that there will be no interference whatsoever with the company’s operations,” Dwight F. Fanton of Bridgeport, company attorney, said today.
Judge Gaffney, at a “show cause” hearing yesterday in Waterbury, said he felt issuing a restraining order was not necessary at this time.
Judge Gaffney said he will be available should the situation change.
Union officials are to notify picket captains of the continuance.
While Gaffney heard testimony from both sides, pickets relations at the Borough plant remained quiet and small in number. This was in contrast to last week when pickets rioted for 2 days in opposition to the company’s plan to resume shipping.
Three locals of the United Rubber Workers, representing about 5,000 employes, have been on strike since April 21 as part of a nationwide walkout affecting 50,000 workers.
Judge Gaffney told union officials that it is their right to have picket captains use their powers of persuasion to prevent carrier drivers from crossing picket lines.
“But there is to be no loud or threatening language or bodily harm,” the judge said.
Present at Hearing
Present at the hearing were John M. Smith, plant manager; Thomas J. Nelligan, industrial relations representative, and Raymond Mengacci, William Fernandez and Daniel Baker, union representative. Also in attendance were Naugatuck Police Chief Frank J. Mariano and Capt. Joseph J. Summa.
A check of local and area retail merchants showed no appreciable drop in business volume to date.
Mengacci told The Sentinel that the company offered a 121/2 cent an hour increase for the tire workers and nine cents for other production employes. It was not learned whether the offer was made before the strike or during the present negotiations.
Management would not comment on the statement, explaining there is an agreement between union and management that only joint statements are to be issued on the negotiations.