Factor Of Safety In Production Move Sparks Dispute At Uniroyal
Friday MAY 26, 1967
NAUGATUCK — Efforts by management personnel to produce what were termed defense sub-contract items at the Uniroyal Chemical Plant Thursday touched off a controversy with URW Local 218 over the question of safety.
An announcement by management Wednesday that it planned to produce the items also resulted in an effort by about 30 members of the local to bar management personnel from entering the plant Thursday morning.
After the management personnel entered the plant to begin production, members of the striking local circulated handbills around the borough questioning the decision to produce.
The handbills claimed that the personnel were “unfamiliar with the operating procedures and safety hazards involved” in the machines.
It was further added that “serious accidents have occurred with experienced operators in control of the equipment, and a full compliment of people who were fortunate enough to contain these hazards.”
John D. Evans, manager of the chemical plant, answered the safety charges with a statement that “at present, operations are limited in scope and are being achieved by crews completely familiar with all operating procedures and safety practices.
“In fact,” added Evans, “these (management) personnel are normally responsible for the training and direction of the regular operators.”
Local 218 hinged its complaint on the claim that “the operating of process equipment with inexperienced personnel and only a skeleton crew present a definite hazard to the townspeople . . . It exposes the citizens to the possibility of explosion or deadly gases being released to the atmosphere.”
Evans answered the charge that the safety of the borough was being jeapordized with the statement that “We consider the safety of all personnel in the plant as well as that of the residents—to be the first consideration of management in all decisions regarding operations regardless of circumstance.”
The early morning efforts to block the personnel from entering the plant resulted in the arrest of eight members of the local, although there was no shoving or pushing in the incident and no injuries were reported.
According to Evans, the purpose of the move to produce was to fulfill a sub-contract for a material which protects the plexiglass windshields of planes during shipment. The material, he added, would be used on planes destined for Vietnam.
While management personnel waited to enter the plant at about 7 a.m. Thursday, Police Capt. Joseph Summa read the riot act to the assembled pickets. The arrest of the eight union members followed, and they were taken to the police station in patrol cars.
All arrested were charged with breach of peace and released under the no cash bail program, except for Henry Hook, 167 West Church St., Seymour, who posted a $20 cash bond due to being arrested for the second time within six months. Hook had been arrested on the same charge during the scuffle with police and Local 45 pickets at the Maple St. Footwear Plant.
Others arrested were Rzeszutek, 45, 236 Riggs St., Oxford; Joseph P. Paplauskas, 46, 99 Gorman St.; Marcel H. Herbert, 39, 179 Tudor St., Waterbury; Robert Anderson, 37, 84 Svea Ave.; Dominic A. George, 55, 33 Railroad Ave., Beacon Falls; Tano Sanangelo, 53, 82 Pinehurst Ave., Waterbury and Albert R. Lestage, 37, 85 Vernon St., Waterbury.
Rzeszutek also said that he is considering asking the membership at their next meeting to no longer honor withdrawal cards of personnel who have salaried positions. Rzeszutek said the union considers these people “undesirable for readmittance to the local in the event they are removed from salary.”
In response to Rzeszutek’s statement, Plant Mgr. John Evans said that the union had been given ample notice that there would be some production on key items necessary to the defense effort in Vietnam. However, he declined to comment on the rest of the union local president’s statement.