Naugatuck, Conn.
Established 1885
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1967
10 PAGES
Price Seven Cents
Ratification Vote On Proposed Pact Set Saturday
Local 45 To Vote In H.S., 2:30 P.M.
By RUTH NICHOLS
At 8:45 last night the telephone call that has been awaited for three months came through from Cincinnati announcing the end of the UniRoyal—URW strike.
George Froehlich, president of Local 45, notified the local headquarters in Naugatuck that a tentative agreement had been reached, ending the record-breaking 97-day-old strike.
Negotiating sessions began at 10 a.m. yesterday and were conducted continuously through the day until an agreement was reached.
Membership of all three borough Locals began celebrating on receipt of the news. The around-the-clock pickets at the UniRoyal Chemical and Synthetic plants were called off the line and some tore up their picket signs in jubilation.
Warehouse employes at the footwear plant were called into work this morning with other workers being called back to their jobs as they are needed, a company spokesman said this morning.
Working on a list of names garnered earlier this week, the company will begin manning departments which are incidental to the starting up of production lines.
According to the company spokesman, there are many auxiliary departments which must be started first before actual production can begin.
A production line involving sample footwear for UniRoyal, Inc. salesman will be given “top priority,” the spokesman said.
Employes of the warehouse on Elm St. may report for work just as soon as possible, a Footwear Division management spokesman said today.
The firm asked employes Tuesday and yesterday if they would be available for work at any time during their vacations, should the strike end. The company had the opportunity to poll the workers as it handed out more than $2 million in vacation checks to the striking workers.
A spokesman said today the response was very good. About 1,000 employes signed up and indicated they would be available. More workers are signing up today, also, the spokesman said. The official said that about 25 per cent of those employes eligible signed up to work at some time during the vacation shutdown.
The official pointed out that any employe who has not worked at the firm long enough to earn a vacation may also sign up for work during the shutdown. They should report to the firm’s employment office.
Vice-president of Local 45, Raymond Mengacci, said this morning, “I want to thank all the members of Local 45 for
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PHOTO CAPTION:
REPARATIONS FOR getting UniRoyal, Inc., production lines back in operation were made this morning by officials of the local rubber firm and Raymond Mengacci, vice-president Local 45, United Rubber Workers. Factory Manager Jack Smith is seated. Standing, left to right, are Mengacci, Charles F. Welsh, general superintendent of fabric shoes sponge and shoe hardware, and Edmund W. Fossbender, general superintendent of the waterproof mill. —(News Photo by Baker)