**Date:** 2/26/69
**Source:** Unknown
—
United Rubber Workers Union Local 45, said, “Although we don’t like to go on strike, it is sometimes necessary to settle contract disputes.”
When asked what they will do during the strike, many workers, including the strike not leaders, said they would “do spring cleaning in the house and in the yard,” “relax,” and “play cards.”
The strike affects four major rubber companies, Firestone, Goodrich, Goodyear and UniRoyal. In Naugatuck, the chemical, footwear and synthetic divisions will idle until the strike is settled.
Headquarters at the Portsideus drive-in were occupied all evening. Phone calls were frequent. By 11:30 the phones were ringing incessantly. At 11:45 Froehlich called informing the other union officials that Firestone had left the negotiation table, but that UniRoyal was still bargaining. He indicated that “it did not look good.”
It appears that the strike was called after the management of the company offered a counter-proposal which did not satisfy the workers’ representatives. Earlier in the evening, local residents speculated on the possibilities of a strike. “I think they’ll be on strike and if they do it’ll be a long one,” a store clerk, “it won’t be so busy here, but then again, I don’t want one because my mother will be home to keep a stricter eye on me,” a customer at a local gas station, “A strike is bad for any town.”