UNIROYAL CHEM-TEXTS
Vol. 4, 1970 | PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UNIROYAL CHEMICAL | No. 1
Uniroyal Benefits Help Cover Today’s Staggering Hospital Costs
Joe Scullin and his wife, Elizabeth, look proudly at their 6 day old baby girl held by nurse of the Waterbury Hospital. Uniroyal’s Hospital and Surgical Benefits covered hospital expenses of $368. and the Doctor’s fee of $250. These benefits are provided without cost to you and members of your family.
$70 to $80 a day for a room. $150 to $1,000 for an operation. X-rays. Doctor’s fees. Whether you are having a child or an operation, add them up for one, two or three weeks in the hospital and you get a real picture of how important Uniroyal’s benefit plans are to you.
Doctors in the area consider Uniroyal’s Hospital and Surgical plan one of the most comprehensive and extensive in coverage of hospital and surgical costs.
Unseen Income
Benefits today are part of our unseen income. We feel it when a hospital emergency arises; when we retire and receive regular pension checks; social security payments; and the knowledge that our families are protected by group life insurance.
An Extra $1.62 Per Hour
In 1968 Uniroyal paid out to employees at the 19 plants represented by the United Rubber Workers, $67,146,422. This averages $1.62 per wage hour worked. This amounts to an unseen income of $64.80 for a 40 hour week, or a total of more than $3,200 a year.
121,413 Claims: $12,081,416 Paid
For the fiscal year ending August 1, 1969, under the Hospital-Surgical plan, 121,413 claims were paid, for a total of $12,081,416 for eligible employees.
Claims at the Naugatuck Chemical location came to 4,960 for a total of $586,030 paid out for employees during the same period.
Our Responsibility In Benefit Program
Because employee benefits contribute significantly to total labor costs, it becomes
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Man Slips Off Truck
While attempting to unload a truckload of tires, an employee slipped and fell backwards off the truck, his head barely missing a steel prong on a conveyor belt.
The truck was fully loaded to its rear edge with tires giving the employee little space for solid footing. Old tires lie outside and pick up water until collected by the scrap dealer. When they arrive at the plant, they are frozen together and the truck often covered with a thin layer of ice. Ice is deceptive and difficult to see, creating a safety hazard.
The accident was an unusual and unfortunate incident, as the employee had requested to leave work early to visit his wife in the hospital in the afternoon.
George Aspell, right, shows hospital and surgical bills for $1,100 to Angelo Soares. George had a serious cataract operation performed by world renowned eye surgeon, Dr. Fassanella. The hospital bill was $450; the operation cost $650. During the 3-1/2 months of recovery, George received Sickness and Accident benefits of $70 weekly. All costs were covered by Uniroyal’s Benefits plans.
3 Accidents In December
The truck-slip accident resulted in a compression fracture from the fall. The second accident resulted in a pain in the lumbo-sacral area when an employee moved a 200 lb. pallet. A third employee hurt his back when he lifted a heavy motor.
There were four serious injuries suffered by employees during the month.
55 Work Days Lost
As a result of the 3 accidents, 55 work days or 440 hours were lost in December. The individual’s health and safety is the first concern of the plant. Everything possible is being done to protect employees from accidents and
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Gino Tavares points to ice on bar below license plate and on edge of truck.