**Date:** 6-30-67
**Source:** Rubber Strike
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Rumors were running hot and heavy around the borough this morning that work would begin at the UniRoyal Footwear plant next Wednesday.
The rumors were two-fold; first that settlement of the strike was imminent and the other version was that the Footwear plant would start production on its own.
However, Thomas Nelligan, labor relations manager of UniRoyal Footwear Plant, told the NEWS this morning, that to the best of his knowledge no production was anticipated at the plant Wednesday, either through the settlement of the strike or by the company.
The Footwear plant officials had asked Local 45 if it would permit oilers to come into the plant and lubricate machinery that had been standing idle for the 10-weeks of the strike, according to Nelligan. He said that as yet, the company had not received an answer to this request from the Local.
Raymond Mengacci, vice-president of Local 45, verified the fact that the company had requested the union to allow mechanics to enter the plant for the purpose of maintaining the machinery. Mengacci said that he and other union officials toured the plant this morning to inspect the machinery. The union officials were meeting at press time today to decide on the request.
UniRoyal Footwear plant officials had agreed before Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney, not to run production lines in the plant using non-bargaining personnel until the Judge has ruled on the application submitted to the court by Local 45 seeking a restraining injunction against the Footwear division of UniRoyal.
The issue in point in the restraining injunction is whether or not the company violated an agreement with Local 45 on April 18 not to produce using non-bargaining unit personnel and whether or not the agreement was in effect or had been previously violated by the Local.
Factory Manager Jack Smith testified in court that he considered the agreement no longer in effect following the two days of violence in the first week of May. However, no written notice of this had been given to the Local, according to only an oral announcement.
Company officials repeatedly testified to the necessity of producing sample shoes and having them available by August 1. This, according to the company, would be to the benefit of union members as well as the company.
This, Judge Gaffney said, was beside the point; the issue was the agreement of April 18 which called for an orderly shut-down and maintenance of the plant and orderly picking up of production at the plant during the strike and permission for the union to make tours of inspection of the facilities during this period.
AKRON, OHIO (UPI)—Progress toward a wage contract settlement was a standstill today in the 10-week-old strike by the United Rubber Workers Union (URW) against major rubber companies.
A spokesman for the URW said a wage offer of 43 cents an hour from the General Tire & Rubber Co. and 38 cents from the other four members of the ‘big five’ remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, merchants and city officials here hoped the strike would end soon.
Finance Director Daniel Zeno said the walkout has reduced
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