Train Enters
Continued From Page 1
negotiations. “There’s nothing to comment on, progress is very slow,” he said.
The basic issues are salary hikes and a guaranteed annual wage.
Newspaper Clippings
ONE OF EIGHT Local 218 members arrested in Naugatuck at the gate of the Uniroyal Chemical Plant this morning is led away by police to be booked on charges of breach of peace. Local Pres. Joseph Rzeszutek was one of those charged.
ONE OF EIGHT Local 218 members arrested in Naugatuck at the gate of the Uniroyal Chemical Plant this morning is led away by police to be booked on charges of breach of peace. Local Pres. Joseph Rzeszutek was one of those charged.—King Photo.
LONG LINE of non-union employes at the Chemical Plant of Uniroyal in Naugatuck files down hill toward the plant gate in the rain this morning to square off against picketing members of Local 218. Eight pickets were arrested and, after Police Capt. Joseph Summa read the riot act in the state statutes, the pickets allowed the workers to enter the plant. —King Photo
No Violence As Management Crosses Lines
No Violence As Management Crosses Lines
By Ruth Nichols
Police were alerted early this morning when it was noticed that an unusually large number of pickets were massing at the gates of the Chemical Division of UniRoyal, Inc.
An attempt was made by approximately 30 pickets to keep management of the Chemical Division from entering the plant.
A large contingent of policemen, led by Capt. Joseph Summa, was dispatched to the trouble area. Capt. Summa read the riot act to the pickets when they refused to open their ranks to allow management through.
However, there was no violence committed by the pickets in their attempt to seal off the gates.
A group of eight pickets, including Joseph Rzeszutek, president of Local 218, URW, were taken to the police station in patrol cars where they were booked on breach of peace charges at 8 o’clock this morning. No resistance was offered.
Rzeszutek said this morning that the union had been notified that the company intended to resume production yesterday using supervisory personnel.
Rzeszutek issued the following statement on behalf of the Local: “The membership questioned the poor judgment of management’s decision to operate equipment with personnel unfamiliar with operation procedure and safety hazards involved. Serious accidents occur with experienced operators at the control of equipment and with a full compliment of people who were fortunate to contain hazardous situations.”
Rzeszutek continued by saying, “Operating production equipment with inexperienced personnel and only skeleton crews presents definite hazards
to townspeople in the area sur- rounding the Naugatuck Chemi- cal plant. It exposes all to the possibility of explosion or dead- ly gases being released in the atmosphere.
to townspeople in the area surrounding the Naugatuck Chemical plant. It exposes all to the possibility of explosion or deadly gasses being released in the atmosphere.”
He concluded with the statement that betterment of safety and progress at the Naugatuck Chemical plant has been the main concern of Local 218 in past years.
John Evans, manager of the Chemical Division, said this morning that no violence occurred at the gates this morning. He said the company was forced to resume production to serve key accounts which include defense contracts.
He had no comment to make on the union statement as to the danger of inexperienced people operating equipment.
Evans and Ronald Pohl, labor relations manager at the Chemical Division, conferred with Police Chief Frank Mariano early this morning. No information on this meeting was released.
Local 218 has been maintaining around-the-clock picket lines at the Chemical since the beginning of the strike 35-days ago. The normal picket line has been three or four men throughout the period, with Cy Blanchard, vice president of the Local in charge while Rzeszutek was in Cincinnati participating in the negotiation sessions.
Negotiations are continuing in Cincinnati today with strong rumors circulating the borough that settlement is imminent. No confirmation has been made as to this, however.
The following eight pickets were booked at 8 a.m. at the police station on breach of peace charges. They were released under the no cash bond program for appearance in Waterbury Circuit Court June 8.
Albert R. Lestage, 37, 85 Vernon St., Waterbury; Tano
SanAngelo, 53, 82 Pinehurst
Ave., Waterbury; Dominic A.
George, 55, 33 Railroad Ave.,
Beacon Falls; Robert Ander-
son, 37, 84 Svea Ave.; Joseph
P. Paplauskas, 46, 99 Gorman
St.; Joseph Rzeszutek, 45, 236
Riggs St., Oxford; Marcel H.
Herbert, 39, 179 Tudor St., Wa-
terbury; and Henry Hook, no age
given, 167 West Church St.,
Seymour. Hook posted a $20
cash bond.
Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney this morning denied a petition for an injunction and restraining order against Local 218, United Rubber Workers, sought by UniRoyal, Inc., Chemical Division, and continued the case until next Thursday.
Superior Court Judge Leo V.
Gaffney this morning denied a
petition for an injunction and
restraining order against Local
218, United Rubber Workers,
sought by UniRoyal, Inc., Chem-
ical Division, and continued the
case until next Thursday.
George Froehlich, president
of Local 45 URW, who has been
in Cincinnati participating in
negotiation session has re-
turned to the borough due to
the death of his sister, Mrs. Ma-
tilda (Froelich) Donston.
Froehlich announced that a
meeting for the membership of
Local 45 will be held at the Nau-
gatuck High School auditorium,
Monday at 2:30 p.m. presuma-
bly to inform them about the
negotiations.
Officials of the rubber firm
went into the Waterbury court
today in an effort to stop block-
ing of management personnel
by union workers at gates to
the Chemical Division.
Judge Gaffney said the injunc-
tion, if granted, would only
cause more tension in the mat-
ter.
For the second morning in a
row, pickets at the Chemical
Co. gates attempted to keep
management from entering the
plant.
John Evans, manager of the
Chemical plant, reported to the
police station this morning and
informed Police Chief Frank
Mariano that pickets were again
barring entry into the plant.
Mariano dispatched the entire
special strike force to the plant
to reinforce the four officers on
duty there. No violence was used
today and no arrests were made.
When the officers arrived the
pickets opened up the lines and
admitted management.
Local 218 threw a heavy pick-
et line around the plant yester-
day morning after it had been
notified by UniRoyal that super-
visory personnel would begin
production at the plant. Both
yesterday and this morning
strikers attempted by peaceful
methods to keep supervisory
personnel from entering the
plant at the beginning of the
work day.
Evans, in answer to these charges issued the following statement:
Evans, in answer to these
charges issued the following
statement: “We consider the
safety of all personnel in the
plant as well as that of the
residents of Naugatuck to be the
first consideration of manage-
ment in all decisions regarding
operations, regardless of cir-
cumstance.”
“At the present time oper-
ations are limited in scope and
are being achieved by crews completely familiar in all operating procedure and safety practices.
are being achieved by crews
completely familiar in all oper-
ating procedure and safety
practices.”
“Indeed, these personnel are
normally responsible for the
training and direction of the
regular operators.”
Rzeszutek also said yester-
day that he is considering ask-
ing the membership of Local
218 at their next meeting to no
longer honor withdrawal cards
of personnel who have salaried
positions.
He said the union considers
these people “undesirable for
readmittance to the Local in the
event they are removed from
salary.”
Evans said yesterday, that the plant was forced to start production in order to service key accounts which include defense contracts.
Evans said yesterday, that
the plant was forced to start
production in order to service
key accounts which include de-
fense contracts.
An issue was raised yester-
day by Joseph Rzeszutek, pres-
ident of Local 218, as to the
safety of management oper-
ating production especially with
skeleton crews.
The striking Local circulated
handbills to this effect around
the borough yesterday.
Management lawyer, Atty. J. Kenneth Bradley, said Friday that the production was ”partially” for the defense effort, and partially of items ”for use in other parts of the country.”
Management lawyer, Atty. J.
Kenneth Bradley, said Friday
that the production was “par-
tially” for the defense effort,
and partially of items “for use
in other parts of the country.”
He did not go into detail on
the use of the items except to
say the items “are not for use
by ourselves.”
Naugatuck Police Chief Frank
J. Mariano and Capt. Joseph
Summa were in the courtroom
for Friday’s session but were
not called upon to testify.
In asking for an end to the
picket line difficulties, Judge
Gaffney said it was easy for
him to understand them when it
appears to union members that
“someone is destroying … the
right to work and live.”
“I trust we will never have a
hearing” on the matter, the
judge said. He added that he
hoped he would not be forced to
issue an injunction against the
union.
Judge Gaffney on May 6 is-
sued an order for a show cause
hearing against Local 45 of the
United Rubber Workers in con-
nection with picketing at the
Footwear Division, also in Nau-
gatuck, but a hearing has never
been held.
It has been continued twice
and more continuances will be
entered as long as the picketing
remains peaceful, Judge Gaff-
ney said.
Seeks Same Effect
He said he hopes the issuance
of a show cause order against
Local 218 will have the same
pacifying effect on picketing ac-
tivities at the Chemical Plant.
The United Rubber Workers
has been on strike for five
weeks.
Negotiations in Cincinnati,
Ohio, on the master contract re-
cessed Friday until Wednesday
SATURDAY
MAY 27, 1967
UniRoyal
Continued From Page 1
According to Rzeszutek, the
only items shipped from the
Chemical were “slabs of re-
claim”, slabs of rubber re-
claimed from old tires and
other rubber items.
“What are they going to do
with slabs of reclaim, drop them
from airplanes and smother the
Viet Cong?” he asked.
Rzeszutek, a veteran of com-
bat who “had been shot up a few
times” himself, resented the
implication that he and his union
were unpatriotic. He said he
could guarantee that not one
thing had been shipped from the
Chemical plant to Vietnam.
Management lawyer, Atty. J.
Kenneth Bradley, said Friday
that the production was “par-
tially” for the defense effort,
and partially “for use in other
parts of the country.” The only
additional information he would
give was that the items “are not
for use by ourselves.”
A company official was quot-
ed Thursday as saying the oper-
ation of plant by management
personnel was for the produc-
tion of some key items neces-
sary for the Vietnam defense
effort.
In asking for an end to picket
line difficulties, Gaffney sym-
pathized with the union mem-
bers who felt that “someone is
destroying. . .the right to live
and work.” “I trust we will
never have a hearing”, the judge
said, adding that he hoped he
would not be forced to issue
an injunction against the union.
Judge Gaffney on May 6 issued
a show cause order against
Local 45 of the United Rubber
Workers in connection with
picketing at the Footwear Divi-
sion, but a hearing has never
been held. There have been two
continuances and more are ex-
pected as long as the picketing
remains peaceful.
The judge said he hoped the
issuance of a show cause order
will have the same effect at the
Chemical plant.
The United Rubber Workers
have been on strike for five-
weeks. Negotiations on the mas-
ter contract, being held in Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, recessed Friday
until Wednesday.
Union officials said, “The union wishes to set the record straight on the qualifications of the supervisory personnel who operate the process equipment.”
Union officials said, “The union wishes to set the record straight on the qualifications of the supervisory personnel who operate the process equipment.
“Mr. John Evans, plant manager, stated that the supervisory personnel normally train the regular operators, when in fact, new or transferred operators are trained by qualified operators from the bargaining unit.
“Mr. Evans’ consideration for the safety of personnel, as well as the residents of Naugatuck, can be refuted by the fact that in some instances, it had taken months to force the company to correct safety hazards in the plant. It also has been necessary to resort to grievance procedure and use of the extreme measure of refusing to operate some process equipment.
“The inaccurate statements made by the factory manager of the Chemical can be attributed to his inexperience, due to the fact that he was only recently appointed to the post of factory manager,” the official claimed.
Strikers Give URW Union Vote Of Confidence Monday
Strikers Give URW Union Vote Of Confidence Monday
By Cynthia Baran
UniRoyal workers, members of the United Rubber Workers Union Local 45, received word Monday from both the union and the company that indicates that both parties are miles away from a strike settlement.
From the factory manager of the local footwear plant, John M. Smith, the employees received a letter stating, “The strike need not have occurred. Prior to the expiration of the contract, the company proposed one of the largest offers ever made to our employees. It also proposed that our factories keep operating on a day-to-day basis under the contract while a new one was finalized.”
“Our company has bargained and continues to bargain in good faith. Its negotiating representatives are making every effort to establish a basis for settlement. The union has made only minor changes in its original demands which were beyond reasonable or justifiable limits for our highly competitive industry.”
Monday afternoon, President of URW Local 45, George Froehlich, conducted a meeting for union members to inform them of negotiation proceedings in Cincinnati. That was the first time the membership had been called together since the strike began.
Froehlich reported the negotiations as the “wierdest” he has ever been in since 1942.” He claimed that company officials were being “arrogant and reluctant” to settle the strike.
In rebuttal to Smith’s letter, he said that the company had not proposed working on a day-to-day basis until 15 minutes before the contract deadline. At this time, according to Froehlich, nothing had been offered or settled by or with the company.
He added that while union officials had been willing to negotiate on weekends, Sundays, and even the Memorial Day holiday, the company officials were not.
Froehlich told the union members, that union officials were not bargaining for a “few pieces of silver.” The main issues, according to the president, concern “decent treatment of employees.”
The union members were informed that during the strike they are still covered by health
Please Turn to Page 14
GEORGE FROEHLICH, president of Local 45, United Rubber Workers, addressed union members in the Naugatuck High School auditorium Monday afternoon. Those in attendance gave the negotiating committee a vote of confidence in negotiating sessions in Ohio. –(News Photo by Baker)
PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 308 Edward Alves, is shown, center of picture, as he leaves,the pickets, this morning. Alves had instructed the pickets to remain calm and under no circumstances to become violent. Management was waiting in cars to enter the gate and the police force was approaching the gate to open the line.
PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 308 Edward Alves, is shown, center of picture, as he leaves, the pickets, this morning. Alves had instructed the pickets to remain calm and under no circumstances to become violent. Management was waiting in cars to enter the gate and the police force was approaching the gate to open the line. –(News photo by Nichols)
Questioned Decision
Questioned Decision
Alves questioned the decision of the management, criticizing its actions in attempting production with “unskilled personnel.” The union president further asserted that because of the “danger of work involved at the plant, a disaster could occur, not only endangering the lives and property of those in close proximity to the plant, but to also those in the neighborhood.”
Alves said the union has contacted the insurance company on whether they had been informed of the production work by the unskilled personnel and reported the insurance company had not been notified to date. He said periodic inspections are conducted at the plant due to the nature of work involved.
Third Plant Involved
The mass picketing at the Synthetic Plant, makes the third plant of the Uniroyal company to be involved since the three plants were struck 41 days ago.
Both Locals 218 of the Chemical and 308 of Synthetic Plants have maintained around-the-clock picketing since the beginning of the strike.
Two of the pickets had to be forcibly ejected by police, following the reading of the riot act from the state statutes by Capt. Joseph Summa, when they refused to step aside for the plant’s personnel.
Two of the pickets had to be
forcibly ejected by police, fol-
lowing the reading of the riot
act from the state statutes by
Capt. Joseph Summa, when they
refused to step aside for the
plant’s personnel. All personnel
entered the plant, after a wedge
had been formed by about a do-
zen police breaking the picket
line.
The four arrested were
brought to police headquarters,
for booking in the patrol cars.
However, about 30 of the pickets
also arrived at the station ask-
ing to be arrested in sympathy
with those already arrested.
Arrested or charges of breach
of peace were John A. Painter,
38, Morris Rd., Prospect; Paul
Laurenzi, 41, 30 Serry Rd., Wol-
cott; Jesse J. Silva, 23, 143
Cherry St. and Anthony Gam-
bardella, 54, 53 Brichwood Rd.,
Seymour. Court appearances
were set for June 8.
Negotiators Not
Negotiators Not c-2c
Continued From Page 1
in early April, however, that it wouldn’t prohibit any of the member companies from reaching an independent agreement with the union satisfactory to itself.
The effect of the pact, Bommarito charged, has been interference with employes’ rights to engage in concerted activities guaranteed by law because their “exertion of economic pressure is diminished or destroyed.” The result has been, he held, that Firestone has refused and is refusing to bargain collectively, in violation of the law.
He reiterated earlier charges that the five rubber companies for 20 years have negotiated wage increases and other benefits that parallel or are in tandem with those in the auto industry but that “now they have refused” to follow this policy.
All have made identically inadequate wage offers, he said, and are prevented from meeting their collective bargaining obligations by the strike assistance pact
“All have made identically in-
adequate wage offers,” he said,
“and are prevented from meet-
ing their collective bargain-
ing obligations by the strike as-
sistance pact.”
A Firestone spokesman said
the company wouldn’t have any
official comment on the NLRB
complaint by the union.
“We can see no legal basis
for their claims,” he said.
Spokesmen for the four other
rubber companies also declined
comment on the complaint.
The issuance of this com-
plaint and the meeting held
Monday by Local 45 is the first
real information and indication
the striking rubber workers
have received on how the nego-
tiating sessions are progress-
ing.
The strike, now entering its
42nd day, has been a long, drag-
ged out affair filled with rumors
but without any definite releases
as to the proceedings in Ohio.
Both the companies and union
had agreed that neither party
would give out information as
to the negotiations without the
others consent.
Striking Local 45 members
gave their President George
Froehlich a vote of confidence
at the meeting held Monday;
however, Froehlich gave the
members no encouragement as
far as a fast settlement was
concerned.
Picketing at all three local
plants remain quiet as UniRoyal
supervisory personnel carry on
limited production at the
Chemical and Synthetic plants
and shipping is carried out at
the Footwear warehouse.
Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich
received a complaint from a
Cotton Hollow resident this
morning that a heavy smog
covered the area. The com-
plainant also said that the
air was irritating to the nose
and eyes.
However, the source of the
“smog” was not identified, and
this seems to be the only area
of the borough so effected.
Striking Rubber Workers, Five Companies May Agree on a Single Package Contract
Striking Rubber Workers, Five Companies May Agree on a Single Package Contract
By a WALL STREET JOURNAL Staff Reporter
CLEVELAND—Contract negotiations between the United Rubber Workers Union and five major rubber companies may take a long step toward a settlement this week as sentiment appeared to grow for linking pension and welfare improvements into a single package with wages and other benefits.
This would be a departure from previous industry policy of keeping the usual two-year master wage contracts separate from the longer term pension and welfare agreements.
Strikes by the union have closed 39 plants of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Uniroyal Inc. and B. F. Goodrich Co. for 45 days. Contracts at those concerns expired April 20, as did those at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., whose plants have continued to operate on a day-to-day basis. Plants of General Tire & Rubber Co. also continued to operate since its contract expiration May 15.
Existing three-year pension and welfare agreements with Goodyear, Firestone, Uniroyal and Goodrich also are due to expire on Sept. 15, however, and the time proximity of the two rounds of negotiations has created a hurdle in reaching a wage contract agreement. Company executives, even before wage contract talks started, cited the prospect of facing two boosts in employment costs, plus two strike threats, in a single year.
More recently, with strike benefit funds about depleted by the lengthy work stoppages of some 51,000 employes of the three struck concerns, union officials were said to be becoming less adamant about keeping pension and welfare agreements separate from wage contracts.
While Peter Bommarito, URW international president, said a month ago the union was willing to consider a joint package proposal from the companies it is understood nothing more than exploratory discussions have taken place thus far in negotiations on this score.
At the weekend, however, a URW spkesman said the union would be “wide open to any proposals” from managements for wrapping up the two contracts in a single package. Company spokesmen also reiterated the contention that such a move common in most other industries, is “the most logical and sensible thing to do.”
Whether the resumption of talks, recessed since Thursday, between the union and Firestone, Goodyear, Goodrich and Uniroyal this morning will result in any moves toward a single, overall contract remains to be seen. But the belief of sources close to the negotiations indicated prospects are better than ever before.
One possibly sticky point is whether a single, overall agreement would be for two years or for three. Earlier pension and welfare agreements have been for as much as five years. But both union and company sources noted this could be an issue for negotiation.
Mr. Bommarito earlier disclosed he has called a meeting for June 25 and 27, in Cleveland, of union pension and welfare contract officials. A union spokesman said the meeting still is scheduled, but he indicated this would not necessarily rule out a possibility of negotiating a combined contract before then.
The union’s strike benefit fund, amounting to about $6.5 million at the start of the three-company strike, presumably is exhausted as a result of the prescribed $25 weekly payments to striking members. The union has called on working members for voluntary contributions
equivalent to one hour’s pay a week, but the extent of the response has not been disclosed.
Walter Reuther, president of the United Auto Workers union, has pledged striking rubber workers financial and other assistance in their dispute. But both UAW and URW officials decline to say whether any financial aid has been asked for or given.
Whatever the prospects for gaining an early single contract settlement, the union indicated at the weekend it intends to press its unfair labor practice charge against the five companies for their mutual strike aid pact reached last April 1.
In a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board regional office in Cleveland last week against Firestone, the union charged the pact thwarted free collective bargaining and is prolonging the strike against the three companies.
The union spokesman said identical complaints are in the mail to the NLRB against Uniroyal and Goodrich and will be followed today with complaints against Goodyear and General Tire.
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Talks To Be Recessed
Talks To Be Recessed
Talks between the five union negotiating teams and the companies will be recessed today so that the package can be studied and to permit union officers to attend the funeral of Garnet L. Patterson, URW general counsel who died Saturday. It is doubtful, however, that the proposal would be accepted without several counterproposals being made.
Contention most likely would develop, it is understood, over the companies’ continued plan for pay-boost differentials between tire workers and other employes, the length of the contract and the guaranteed annual wage provisions. A pay-boost differential has been contained in each of the last three wage contracts, though the margins were narrowed in the 1965 agreement. Mr. Bommarito has labeled the differentials as discriminatory, however.
But the proposal has activated the negotiations, which had become somewhat passive. Moreover, the size of the proposed pay boosts indicate substantially higher employment costs, pointing to increased prices. Executives of the companies had said the negotiations were likely to increase costs so much that price boosts would be necessary.
URW Prepared To Continue Strike Another Month
URW Prepared To Continue Strike Another Month
AKRON, OHIO (UPI) — United Rubber Workers President Peter Bommarito, said today that the United Rubber Workers had rejected an offer by the nation’s five leading rubber producers and that the URW was prepared to continue the strike for another month.
The URW had been offered a 38 cent per hour wage increase, an increase in pension, unemployment and welfare benefits.
Bommarito did not indicate what it would take for a settlement.
Strikers in the borough, out of work for 49-days, had their hopes of a settlement dashed with the announcement of the rejection today. The rejection coupled with the announcement of a cut in union weekly benefits from $25 to $15 was a bitter pill to swallow.
According to a letter received by UniRoyal employes today, the union rejected the proposal late Tuesday afternoon.
The UniRoyal letter received in today’s mail by employes, listing the companies offer in full is as follows:
June 8, 1967
Dear Fellow Employee:
The Company and Union negotiating committees have been meeting in Cincinnati since March 21 in an effort to negotiate a contract and wage agreement. The Union presented demands to the Company which would cost at least $1.40 per hour, as well as seriously impair its ability to operate its plants on a competitive basis. The Union presented a portion of these demands on April 12, but did not present its full proposal until 11 a.m. on April 19-just 37 hours before the strike deadline.
Prior to the strike deadline, the Company offered the Union a proposal on wages and benefits which was worth approximately 26 cents an hour. This was greater than the total settlement in 1965. The Company also offered to continue negotiations on a day-to-day basis in order to reach an agreement. The Union rejected this proposal. Two of the unions in the major rubber companies did agree to continue negotiations on this basis and their employees are still working. Your Union made no change in its position prior to the strike deadline.
Meanwhile, the Union criticized the Company’s proposal by stating that it amounted to only about a 2 1/2% increase, whereas other industries have made settlements amounting to about 5%. The Company pointed out to the Union that the 5% settlements to which they referred covered not only wage and contract matters but also pension and insurance benefits and that they afforded these industries a high degree of stability since they were generally for a three year period.
The Company told the union repeatedly that it could not increase its offer because it was faced with a large cost exposure when the pension and insurance agreement is opened for negotiation later this summer. Because this unknown factor acted as an obstacle to successfully concluding negotiations, an effort was made by the Company to open the pension and insurance negotiations now and attempts to negotiate all matters to a conclusion. This, of course, would provide improvements in pensions and insurance several months earlier in the year. This offer was made with full recognition that neither the Company nor the Union could insist that the other party negotiate on pensions and insurance at this time as a condition to settlement, but it was felt that this was a fair and reasonable method of resolving the problem.
In order that you may properly evaluate the situation, we felt you should know what the Company has offered. Following are the principal points in the proposal made to the Union on June 5, 1967:
- Wages – In tire plants, an increase of 16¢ per hour in 1967, 11¢ per hour in 1968 and 11¢ per hour in 1969. In non-tire plants, an increase of 13¢ per hour in 1967, 9¢ per hour in 1968 and 9¢ per hour in 1969. This would provide wage increases of 38¢ and 31¢ an hour respectively in a span of 24 months. The reason for the difference between tire and non-tire increases is that our competitors in the non-tire segment of our business do not pay the same high wages and benefits and do not provide the same increases as UniRoyal does. This has resulted in a severe economic squeeze in our non-tire plants.
- Skilled Trades – A 10¢ an hour increase in addition to the above increases, in the year 1967.
- Liberalized Vacation Pay – Two weeks vacation pay for employees with one year of seniority and 3 weeks of vacation pay for employees with 5 years of seniority (the present provisions of 4 weeks vacation pay after 15 years seniority and 5 weeks vacation pay after 25 years seniority would continue).
Please Turn to Page 12
Union Threatens Goodyear Strike
SEYMOUR 7-12-62
Union Threatens Goodyear Strike
The United Rubber Workers union said yesterday that Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. might become the fifth of the rubber industry’s big five producers to be struck if progress was not made in negotiations by midnight tomorrow.
If Goodyear is struck, 21,000 more rubber workers will be out of jobs, making a total of 76,000 union members idled.
The Firestone Tire and Rubbber Co., Uniroyal, Inc., and Goodrich Tire and Rubber Co. were struck June 21. Goodyear has been operating on a day-to – day basis.
The union charged that Goodyear has failed to bargain in good faith.
Uniroyal has plants in Beacon Falls and Naugatuck.
Rubber Workers Strike Goodyear
Rubber Workers Strike Goodyear
7-14-67 [handwritten]
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — More than 20,000 United Rubber Workers at 11 Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. plants in 10 states joined today in the union’s longest and largest walkout against the rubber industry’s major producers.
Pickets appeared at plant gates at the Thursday midnight deadline—less than two hours after contract negotiations at Cincinnati had recessed with union representatives rejecting
Goodyear’s third offer in bargaining that has been going on nearly four months.
Goodyear had continued work on a day-to-day basis after the union struck Firestone, B.F. Goodrich and Uniroyal April 21, idling 51,000 employes. On June 2, General Tire & Rubber, smallest member of the industry’s big five was struck, adding 3,050 more workers to the walkout.
PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10
Strike— 7-14-67 [handwritten]
Continued from Page 1
The first break in the tie-up came Thursday when negotiators agreed to a contract covering 3,300 General Tire and Rubber Co. employes in Arkon, Ohio and Waco, Tex.
Negotiations are continuing in Cincinnati in attempts to reach agreement with other major rubber industries. About 5,000 Uniroyal employes in Naugatuck and Beacon Falls have been idled by the strike.
Goodyear employs 8,300 at its plants here and has another Ohio plant at St. Marys. Remaining plants are in Gadsden, Ala.; Los Angeles; Jackson, Mich.; Muncie, Ind.; North Chicago, Ill.; Topeka, Kan.; Lincoln, Neb.; Windsor, Vt., and New Bedford, Mass.
Meeting Called By Mediators
Meeting Called By Mediators
6-21-67 [handwritten]
NAUGATUCK—Small negotiating teams from each of the five major rubber companies and the United Rubber Workers Union have been called for a special group meeting Thursday by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
The federal government has evidently decided that a 62-day-old strike involving over 51,000 people constitutes a problem requiring high-level action.
The meeting, scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa., will include teams of three management negotiators and three union negotiators from each of the five companies.
Although the full compliment of Uniroyal teams could not be learned Tuesday night, it was known that chief Uniroyal management negotiator will be Eugene Worchester and the chief Uniroyal union negotiator will be Herbert Dawson.
A URW local negotiator, contacted Tuesday, said that the union groups will choose the two
(Cont’d On Page 2—Uniroyal)
Uniroval
Uniroyal– 6-21-67
(Continued from Page One)
men to accompany Dawson today.
The announcement of this meeting represents one of the more significant aspects of the talks, although observers were hesitant to say whether it meant a possible breakthrough in the negotiations.
The meeting could go on for weeks, said a union observer, adding that union officials are tightening their jaws and preparing to hold out on their demands.
The feeling among union people, according to union spokesmen, is that government-included settlements generaly go in favor of management.
This represents the second attempt to get all five companies and the union to sit down at one table and talk.
A previous attempt failed when union negotiators from B. F. Goodrich refused to join because they did not want to talk in terms of a three-year contract agreement.
Union spokesmen from General Tire and Rubber Co. said that the gathering in Pittsburgh would not affect their scheduled walkout in two plants at midnight tonight.
Picketing by over 3,000 members of the URW at plants in Waco, Tex. and Akron, Ohio, will begin as scheduled, bringing the total number of URW members on strike to 54,100.
Goodyear, the only company not on strike, is continuing work on a day-to-day basis.
Uniroyal
Uniroyal 6-28-61
(Continued from Page One)
Uniroyal counsel J. Kenneth Bradley questioned Mengacci at some length about flare-ups at the gates early in May when pickets attempted to keep office personnel from entering the plant.
71 Arrests
The three days of clashes between pickets and police resulted in arrests of 71 strikers and a warning from Judge Gaffney that he would issue an injunction against the union if the violence didn’t stop.
The judge Tuesday gave some hint as to how he will accept such a defense, when he interrupted Bradley during questioning about a meeting between union officials and John Smith, plant manager.
Mengacci quoted Smith as saying at that meeting that in his opinion, no agreement existed because of the picket line troubles.
Judge Gaffney declared, “I’m not concerned with what some Mr. Smith thought about whether the agreement was null and void—it does not substitute for my judgment.”
At another point, while Bradley cross-examined Mengacci about alleged offers by the company to have union members perform certain jobs at the plant, the judge chided the lawyer to “come to the issue here, whether or not there’s been a violation of this contract.”
Mengacci also claimed that the company had announced at a May 8 meeting that “it needed to get samples out and they (company officials) intended to start production on samples with supervisory help.”
The union official said that after union protests, Smith told Local 45 leaders at a meeting a week later that the company “would honor the agreement” not to go into production and plans to start work on the samples would be dropped.
Mengacci said the company announced at that time that it wanted to produce 400 to 500 pairs of shoes a day.
Joseph DeCarlo, a member of the union negotiating committee, and Walter Beckwith, a picket captain, also voiced the opinion that violence would break out in the picket lines if production is allowed to begin.
Uniroyal cites Continued from Page 1
UniRoyal Cites
Continued From Page 1
plant during the evening hours
set off the mass picketing and
violence in the borough.
The union attorney then asked Smith how many shoes were
normally produced in the plant
a day, to which Smith answered
120,000. Baker then asked if,
after the strike is settled,
couldn’t the company in two
days, by using all its facilities, produce the necessary
number of sample shoes, which
was said to be 45,000 pairs.
Smith said, “Emphatically No”,
adding this would not be practical.
Ronald Hadley, model sales
manager, was called to the stand
to testify to the need for the
sample shoes.
Judge Gaffney stated that he
recognizes the fact that if the
strike is prolonged everybody
will be hurt. The union members and families are already
hurt.
The Judge said that he wants
to stop violence and is not interested in who is going to suffer
the most, union or company.
Nelligan was again called to
the stand to be questioned by
the union attorney as to the oral
agreement that no one enter
the plant after 6 p.m.
Nelligan said that he didn’t
expect anyone would enter the
plant after the normal working
hours. Under questioning he
said that approximately 30 or
40 persons had been brought into the plant the evening before
the first violence when the union
said it would not permit shipment.
Nelligan said, however, no
work was started before 8 a.m.
the following day. He said that
he believed that there was
around-the-clock picketing in
the earlier days of the strike
before he had had an informal
conversation with Mengacci.
Then picketing was only conducted between the hours of 6
a.m. and 6 p.m.
Mengacci was returned to the
stand on the request of the union
attorney to testify on whether
Smith stated at the May 15th
meeting that he would “honor the
agreement.” Mengacci said that
Smith had not made such a statement.
Judge Gaffney asked again
yesterday if a written notice had
been given the union that
the company did not consider
the agreement no longer in effect. He was told, no, that it was
merely an oral announcement.
Approximately a dozen Local
45 members were in court as
spectators to the afternoon session yesterday. They thought
possibly a ruling on the injunction would be announced at the
close of the hearing and were
disappointed that it will be
another week before the decision is reached.
Judge Gaffney reminded the
company and assured the union
that no production would be allowed at the footwear plant until
an announcement of the decision
on the restraining injunction
was made.
He said that he was anxious
to receive the briefs as soon
as possible in order to expedite the matter. The decision
is expected sometime near the
end of next week.
However, Judge Gaffney said
that he would not be hurt to find
the strike was settled first
Handwritten notation in top right corner: 6-29-68
Reuther Calls Rubber Offer “Miserly”
Reuther Calls Rubber Offer “Miserly”
7-1
AKRON, Ohio (UPI)—The head of the United Auto Workers Union said Friday a wage offer to striking United Rubber Workers (URW) by major tire producers was “miserly.”
Walter Reuther, who has taken up the cause of the striking rubber workers by pumping more than $1 million into the URW’s strike fund, said a wage increase offer of 43 cents per hour by the “big five” tire producers was “miserable, inadequate and unacceptable.”
The 43-cent wage offer, which would boost the hourly pay of rubber workers to $4.11, was made by General Tire & Rubber Co., which was struck last week.
The 10-week-old walkout, longest in industry history, has idled 54,000 workers across the nation.
General also offered an 80 per cent supplemental unemployment payment plan.
Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich, UniRoyal Inc., and Goodyear have offered to raise hourly pay by 40 cents, plus 75 per cent supplemental payments.
Goodyear, where work is continuing on a day-to-day basis, was the only one of the “big five” still operating. Firestone, Goodrich and UniRoyal were struck April 20.
No progress was reported in negotiations Friday.
Talks between bargainers for Goodyear and UniRoyal and the union were recessed until Wednesday while Goodrich and Firestone were to meet with union representatives again today.
Besides the wage issue, talks have deadlocked over union demands that the wage differential between tire and non-tire workers be eliminated.
Average pay for non-tire workers under the old contract was $2.69 per hour, 99-cents less than tire workers earned.
While talks continued, the 54,000 strikers were faced with an increasing financial burden.
The URW’s depleted strike fund can now pay only $15 per week to many of the union members in strike benefits. Union officials said the auto worker’s loan would only enable the union to continue benefit payments at that level, not increase them.
County welfare officials report many of the striking rubber workers have joined the welfare rolls, with more being added every day.
Few of the strikers have been able to find temporary jobs in an area dominated by the rubber industry.
Rumors yesterday in downtown Naugatuck to the effect that the strike had ended once again raised the hopes of many families feeling the pinch of the 71-day old United Rubber Workers strike against UniRoyal.
The fact that the company had asked permission of Local 45 to allow oilers to work in the plant, added to the knowledge that George Froehlich, president of Local 45 and Joseph Rzeszutek, president of Local 218, were returning to the borough for the long holiday weekend, was like adding fuel to the fire.
A second story circulating the borough yesterday sent many strikers to the Unemployment
Please Turn to Page 10
Reuther Calls Rubber
Continued From Page 1
7-1
Office in Waterbury seeking compensation.
Gov. John Dempsey signed into law yesterday a more liberal compensation act; however, the portion of that bill covering strikers receiving compensation was stricken from the bill before it was passed in the General Assembly.
Local 45 had not come to a decision yesterday as to whether it would permit oilers to work in the plant but, according to Vice President Raymond Mengacci, it would be discussed further today. He was unavailable for comment this morning.
GOODRICH
GOODRICH 7-16-67
(Continued from Page 1)
hikes proposed for the workers
probably will mean a substan-
tial price increase in Goodrich
products.
URW President Peter Bom-
marito said the Goodrich pact
“gives the blue collar worker a
status which we set out to
achieve.” He called parts of the
proposed contract “historic.”
The tentative agreement calls
for a 33-month contract running
until April 20, 1970. It would
give all the 12,000 Goodrich
workers at least a 43-cent hour-
ly increase with skilled em-
ployes getting a 53-cent in-
crease.
The current top scale at Good-
rich is $3.88.
Keener said, “This increase is
well in excess of anticipated
productivity gains per worker.
It is certain that B.F. Goodrich
cannot absorb these increased
costs without substantial and
effective price increases over a
broad range of our product
line.”
Bommarito said the Goodrich
agreement was another step
toward ending the longest strike
in the industry’s history, involv-
ing the nation’s top five produc-
ers. General Tire & Rubber Co.
reached a tentative agreement
earlier this week.
Negotiations are continuing
with Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber
Co. and Uniroyal, but were re-
cessed for the weekend.
Nearly 75,000 workers have
been involved in the strike
against the “big five.” The un-
ion struck Goodrich, Uniroyal
and Firestone on April 21.
General Tire was struck by its
3,050 employes June 22, and 21,-
000 workers of Goodyear, the
nation’s top rubber producer,
walked out at midnight Thurs-
day.
Spokesmen said there has not
been a shortage of tires and
rubber products during the
strike as the companies had
large stockpiles before it start-
ed.
Strikers Give
Strikers Give
3-31 [handwritten]
Continued From Page 1
and life insurance and may contact headquarters if they have questions.
A vote of confidence was requested and received for the union officials from the members present.
Froehlich’s speech spelled out the fact that the union would negotiate until its terms are reached, but Froehlich mentioned no specific arguments or stumbling blocks that are keeping the footwear plants idle. He neglected to estimate how much longer the strike would last, but by indications from the Union and company alike, Naugatuck and its counterparts will remain strike victims for a while to come.
Arrest 4
Arrest 4
Continued From Page 1
only to realize that they all hadn’t been arrested. Much time was spent trying to figure out who the four were that they had arrested. Some pickets rode to the station in police cars but hadn’t been arrested. They all wanted to be booked. One picket, when asked why he was in the cruiser, said he wanted a ride to the station.
The following four persons were booked on breach of peace charges, released on $100 no cash bonds for appearance in Waterbury Circuit Court June 8, the same day that the pickets from the footwear plant and the Chemical plant are scheduled to appear.
John A. Painter, 38, Morris Rd., Prospect; Paul Laurenzi, 41, 30 Seery Rd., Wolcott, Jesse J. Silva, 23, 143 Cherry St., and Anthony Gambardella, 53 Birchwood Rd., Seymour.
Alves intends to stay in the borough only long enough to straighten out this matter and hopes to fly to Cincinnati to continue taking part in the negotiating sessions. A session is scheduled for 2 p.m. today but he doubts he will be there. Another session is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow.
The show cause hearing between Local 218, chemical plant and UniRoyal is scheduled for tomorrow in Waterbury Superior Court. Judge Leo Gaffney set the date to allow the union officials time to show why a restraining injunction should not be imposed upon them.
No incidents have taken place at the Chemical Company since last week. Supervisory personnel has been allowed to enter the plant without incident. Production on a limited scale is being carried on at the plant.
Local 45 is also conducting peaceful picketing at the footwear plants. An injunction has been postponed as long as no violence is recorded.
Handwritten note at top right: 5-31
Rubber Negotiations Off Until Wednesday
Rubber Negotiations Off Until Wednesday
4-24-67 [handwritten date in top right corner]
Picketing has been resumed today at all UniRoyal plants in the borough following a weekend respite.
A token team of pickets is being maintained at all gates and no incidents have been reported.
Executives of the three borough Locals are being briefed at meetings today on the contract negotiating sessions held last week in Cincinnati.
The three local presidents, George Froehlich, Local 45; Joseph Rzeszutek, Local 218; and Edward Alves, Local 308, along with three additional policymaking session to be held in Cincinnati tomorrow evening.
The next negotiation session is called for Wednesday morning. Both management and labor representatives have said privately they see little chance of an early settlement.
Union demands for higher wages and a guaranteed minimum wage have been the most difficult issues to resolve. The Union seeks payments to laid off workers totaling 93 per cent of their regular wage.