**Date:** 4-21-47
**Source:** Unknown
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By PATRICK KEATING
Register Staff Reporter
NAUGATUCK — A strike, the second in the past two years against the Uni-Royal by the United Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO, has closed the company’s tire-making local divisions and idled some 5,000 workers today.
The decision to strike the entire Uni-Royal operation was made earlier this morning after contract talks between management and the URW’s Internal Policy Committee broke down when the Shelton and Derby plants of the Goodrich-Spooner Products Division were not affected. The old contract between the company and union expired at midnight.
The URW, in addition to striking the Uni-Royal, in four others of the big five of the rubber industry as Firestone and Goodrich were called out. Good Friday, the other members, is presently negotiating with the union on a day-to-day basis.
Although Goodrich is being struck, workers who walked off their jobs Thursday at 11 p.m. for the regular last shift at the three divisions, left, Union officials reported it was an orderly walk-off since the locals and the company had agreed on plans for closing down the operation.
The pickets have been instructed to stop all trucks entering and leaving the plants that might be transporting company products. However, the company will not be affected by such a stoppage as merchandise for customers had been shipped by rail and truck in excessive amount during the past two years.