**Date:** 5-25-69
**Source:** Unknown
—
NAUGATUCK–Officials of Local 218, United Rubber Workers, claimed Saturday that “inaccurate statements were made by the factory manager of Uniroyal Chemical Plant”, in relation to the management’s decision to use supervisory personnel to operate process equipment at the plant while the company is being picketed by the local in its strike for the past five weeks.
Union officials said Saturday: “The union wishes to set the record straight on the qualifications of the supervisory personnel who are operating the process equipment.”
“Mr. John Evans, plant manager, stated that the supervisors 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 has taken months to force the company to correct safety hazards in the plant. It also has been necessary to resort to the grievance procedure and use the extreme measure of refusing to operate some process equipment.
It also has been necessary to resort to the grievance procedure and use the extreme measure of refusing to operate some process equipment.
“As for the production of material vital to the defense effort in Vietnam, only one item is indirectly related to the Vietnam conflict, which is the protective stripping used by sub-contractors for shipping purposes. All other production being done in the plant is strictly for commercial purposes.”
“The inaccurate statements made by the factory manager of Uniroyal Chemical can be attributed to his inexperience due to the fact that he was only recently appointed to the post of factory manager,” the officials claimed.