**Date:** MAY 11, 1967
**Source:** Unknown
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As a pensioner of UniRoyal * certainly disgusted to read the letter to the Editor on May 11, 1967 where a member of Local #45 vote concerning striking the picket line, the policemen and management personnel. I was there and had seen what was going on and at no time was there any rough tactics used by members of Local #45-#218-#308. It was an impossibility for anyone to get hurt when all the pickets had their hands in their pockets, as I saw it, the group of members of Local #45-#218-#308 formed a solid line, then a certain few, of the militant and aggressive from the police department along with management personnel tried to break through by using strong arm tactics, which caused minor injuries. Also when Captain Joseph Summa read the laws to the members three times and the crowd did not disburse he motioned to his men that were standing in the street to come and arrest the members and that was done in an orderly basis. Also Captain Summa pointed to other members to follow the police to the police station to be booked. There is no question about who pays the salaries of the police. We all know the taxpayers do and we also know that we need a good police force to protect all of us. I want to say that this problem could have been avoided if management had not violated the verbal agreement that was negotiated by them and the negotiating committee prior to leaving for Cincinnati to negotiate the Master Contract. The verbal agreement was and has been in the past to allow management personnel in the plant for training purposes and for whatever other work that concerned management, but not to work on production of any kind. The only union members to be allowed to work in the plant was for the proper maintenance of the plant. I know these are the rules we followed in the past. I have served under four different Presidents as a Steward, Division Chairman, Policy Committee member, Executive board member, Safety Committee, Negotiating Committee and others. I want to say that since we organized in 1935 we have come a long way and that it was not handed to us on a gold platter. If the members will look back some years and see what the wages and benefits were, they were very nil. In fact no benefits at all. The member, referring to the one who wrote the May 11 letter, stresses the point of Vickers closing down. That is not a fact, all they did was to move to where they could get cheaper labor. They did not tell you that they ‘reaped the harvest’ for years. Those members had no seniority rights on job security like you have. As for the newspaper closing down in New York, from what i read in other newspapers it was from poor management. They have to blame someone, so they blame the Union because of high labor cost. They did not get down with the Union and tell them their problems so that they could solve them. It seems to me ‘name withheld’ that you are anti-union or you are well taken care of by your boss by getting all the over-time you want. You also say you will never make up the loss, this is not a fact for the simple reason you will get a wage increase, benefits, better working conditions and numerous other gains. Another point I want to stress that, the cost of living has already gone up for the past 2 years. You also say it is ridiculous to get 93% of your wages in case of lay off this, in the long run would cost the company about $.02 more per hour. This does not compare with the 14 million dollars the company gave management personnel as a bonus. You say that you were not told why you are on strike, if you read the last issue of the Rubber Workers newspaper (May Edition) Instead of burning it, you would know. Also if you attend the r e g u l a r monthly meeting you will find that all of these demands are made by the membership and not only the officers. I also want to say that when the policy committee of 19 Local Unions are meeting with management of 19 plants, there are probably 19 hundred problems. I could go on and on about this but I will close on this subject Mr. or Mrs. Anti-Union saying that I am very proud to have been able to serve as a representative of our great union Local #45 under the Leadership of Mr.George Froehlich, Mr. Raymond Mengacci, Mrs. Rita Ruggiero and all of the officers, policy committee members and also the United Rubber Workers of America. (C.I.O. A.F.L.) There is also one last remark I want to say is what this policy committee is doing is good for everyone in the area of Naugatuck for the present and future, In 32 years of being an organized union, Mr. or Mrs. Anti-Union, we were never a hooded union or used strong armed tactics and definitely your house would not be burned down.