**Date:** 1967-08-01
**Source:** The Evening Sentinel
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BEACON FALLS
Local 308’s Contract Rejection Won’t Affect Uniroyal Production
Local 308, United Rubber Workers Synthetic division, rejected the master contract Friday night which was recently agreed upon by the union and Uniroyal, Inc., in Cincinnati. Less than one-fourth of the 240 members of the local turned out for the vote. The tally was 32 to 26 against ratification.
Of the three Naugatuck locals, this was the only one to reject the contract. Local 45 ratified it Saturday, followed by Local 218 Sunday.
It was understood that Local 308’s action would not affect production at Uniroyal, where the 14-week strike ended this week as the union employees returned to their jobs.
Reason for rejecting it according to President Edward Alves, was that it did not offer time-and-a-half for Saturdays and a night shift bonus.
Alves said that under the present system workers get time-and-a-half after 40 hours. The membership was satisfied will all other aspects of the contract, he said.
Requires Majority
Union sources say that in order for the new contract to be effective it must be ratified by the majority of the Uniroyal URW membership and the majority of the company’s 19 locals.
If the majority of the Uniroyal locals ratify the master contract, Alves said, it will go into effect when the secondary contract is signed.
Although the vote cast by the local will not hold up talks on supplemental contract, Alves said that a date has not been set for the talks. A membership meeting will have to be held first. This has been tentatively set for Aug. 15.