Joseph C. Raytkwich

Strike Scene Quiet Following Judge’s Warning To URW Union

by

Strike Scene Quiet Following Judge’s Warning To URW Union

5-6-67 [handwritten notation in top right]

NAUGATUCK—Picketing at all three Uniroyal plants here was quiet today, following two days of scuffles by police and striking members of the United Rubber Workers union. Small clusters of pickets, mostly women, were on duty early today at the footwear plant where near-violence erupted both Thursday and Friday mornings.

It is not known if today’s peaceful picketing is the result of normal weekend inactivity at the plant or the result of a stern warning issued to strikers Friday by Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney.

The judge warned the union to refrain from violence and any interference with operations of the Uniroyal plant, pending Tuesday’s court hearing on an injunction petition to halt mass picketing during the strike.

The rubberworkers struck the nationwide chain of Uniroyal plants two weeks ago. In the two days of clashes between union members and police, 64 strikers were arrested on breach of peace charges. The clashes occurred as police attempted to aid management personnel enter the Central Office of the footwear plant on Maple St. and were the basis for the firm’s action is seeking a court injunction to end mass picketing.

Only hours after the injunction hearing, a group consisting of Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich, Chief of Police Frank J. Mariano, Police Commissioners Henry Marlor and William Simmons and representatives of the union gathered in the mayor’s office.

Following the session, which lasted almost two hours, during which loud voices could be heard from behind the closed doors, no statements were issued and no comments were made.

Local 45 representatives said that they would leave the question of a statement to the discretion of Mayor Raytkwich, whose only comment was that the group had held “a round robin discussion.”

At about 1 p.m., only an hour before the hearing in Waterbury, police became involved in an incident with pickets who were trying to stop the passage of five railroad cars into a warehouse on Elm St. Several pickets and police were injured in the incident, and three were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital for treatment.

When the session during which pickets were warned against mass picketing had ended, an injunction hearing was set for 11 a.m. Tuesday.

During the injunction hearing, the union must show cause why an order restraining it from engaging in mass picketing should not be issued.

In the meantime the strikers have been cautioned against any incidents which would interfere with the company’s business, and against any type of violence.

“In the event there is any interference with the operations of this plaintiff’s (Uniroyal’s) business or any violence of any sort or nature between now and such time as the court rules on the conjunction application,” Judge Gaffney said, “then upon a showing of the facts, a temporary restraining order will be issued forthwith.”

In its petition for the injunction, Uniroyal claims union members have “engaged in mass picketing . . . intercepted and blocked persons who approached the plant and plant premises by foot and by vehicle, pushing and shoving such persons, kicking them, stepping on their feet, calling them names in loud and menacing manner…”

The strikers “have congregated in large and unruly masses,” the action says, in attempts to block entrance to or exit from the plant “by threat of force or violence” and have “obstructed the police in the performance of their duties and made the employment of force and large numbers of police officers necessary, resulting in breaches of the peace and creating an atmosphere of fear and tension…”

By reason of such “unlawful acts and threats,” the company claims, it “has been and will continue to be unable to perform functions vital to its operations . . . and will continue to be unable to handle contracts with its customers, among which is the Defense Department of the United States Government for items needed in national defense…”

The company wants the court to issue an order restraining the pickets from engaging in mass picketing, from blocking entrances and exits to and from the plant and “from in any way injuring, damaging or destroying its plant, machines, equipment or stock of materials on hand.”

No property damage was reported throughout the three days of mass picketing, and the object of pickets was to prevent white collar employes from entering the plant.

Despite pleadings and warnings from officials of Local 45, pushing, shoving and subsequent arrests punctuated the early hours of Thursday and Friday. Forty-three pickets were arrested after clashes with police Thursday, and another 21 were arrested Friday.

Union officials charged that the early morning incident Friday was deliberately provoked by the company, which had been taking pictures at the scene to bolster efforts to get the court injunction against mass picketing.

Strike Settlement Hopes “Wilting”

by

Strike Settlement Hopes “Wilting”

6-15-67

Governor John Dempsey acknowledged the letter received from the borough seeking his intervention in the UniRoyal strike affecting three borough plants. He said in a letter to Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich, that State Labor Commissioner Renato E. Ricciuti is maintaining close contact with the progress of the negotiations, and that Ricciuti will continue to keep him informed of the situation.

The Governor however, did not commit himself to positive action as had been requested by a vote of the Borough Board in a motion by Burgess Edward McGrath, (R), Third Ward.

Word from Ohio this morning simply states that negotiations are continuing with neither the union or the companies commenting on the progress.

Last week’s hopes for a settlement on the new company offer, appear to be wilting. The basic problems seem to remain the same.

According to sources, the heaviest negotiation is between Goodrich and Firestone and the Union. Progress depends on the outcome of these sessions.

Management has challenged the claim of the Union that its proposal will cost only 73 cents. Union negotiators, taken by surprise, said that management was using weighted wage figures and accused them of inflating the cost of the economic package in the Union’s counterproposal.

Management, according to sources, is including the costs of over-time and machine downtime.

A Union spokesman said yesterday that this item was no longer a major obstacle and hinted that the Union may be reconsidering the apparent cost of its package offer.

The efficiency rating system used at one of the plants seems now to be a bone of contention. A person who works at a particular job is expected to turn out a certain number of articles before he is entitled to full pay. Assuming no breakdowns on the machine, if an employe does not meet his efficiency rating he will not receive full pay.

The Union contends that the older person cannot always produce what a younger employe can and some of the ratings are therefore too high, according to a spokesman.

Union funds are dwindling as the strike continues. Here in Naugatuck, where 5,500 workers are out on strike, benefit checks, even though they have been cut, amount to approximately $577,500.

Strikers are resorting to the purchase of food stamps to supplement their $15 weekly benefit checks as their personal funds are depleated.

The question of the Uni-Royal annual shut-down vacation period in August is a topic of conversation in the borough. Many workers were hoping to be back to work well in advance of this time. Vacation plans are being altered.

Ratification Vote

by
Ratification Vote

7-27-67

Ratification Vote

Continued From Page 1

their cooperation during this long, hard strike.”

Mengacci, weary from the long weeks in charge of the local’s headquarters in the borough, said that he was extremely happy it’s over and added that he hopes the membership turns out in a goodly number to the ratification meeting Saturday afternoon in the High School auditorium at 2:30.

Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich, in a statement this morning, said he wished to thank the officials of all the unions for their cooperation without which serious incidents might have occurred. The Mayor is thankful no one was hurt during the long strike period.

Ronald Pohl, industrial relations manager of the Chemical Division of UniRoyal, said that some employes will be called back into work at 3 p.m. today and the company hopes to be back to normal by tomorrow.

Some employes have been called to start work at the Synthetic plant at 3 p.m. today. Local 308 has called a meeting for Monday at 7 p.m. in the Portuguese Club to vote on ratification.

President of Local 45 George Froehlich will remain in Cincinnati working on the agreement. Another session was called for 9 a.m. this morning when the negotiators began work on the wording of the agreement and proof-reading the final copy.

Union officials stated that they would allow the membership to begin work immediately instead of waiting for official notice of ratification. With 19 UniRoyal plants located all over the country, each represented by a local, it will take approximately two weeks for official notification of agreement from the International Union headquarters.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — The longest strike in the history of the rubber industry ended Wednesday night when UniRoyal, Inc., became the fifth major producer to reach agreement with the United Rubber Workers (URW).

The strike, which at one time idled 76,000 men throughout the country and raised fears of a shortage of tires for defense and passenger vehicles, lasted 96 days.

The agreements, all within the last two weeks, gave workers the largest wage and fringe benefit package in industry history.

A vote will be taken Saturday by 5,500 URW men in Naugatuck, Conn. where the record walkout halted production at three UniRoyal plants. It was expected that the Naugatuck members would ratify the agreement almost unanimously.

The UniRoyal agreement, stalled by diagreement on working conditions, followed the same lines as earlier agreements with General Tire & Rubber Co., the B. F. Goodrich Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

All production workers are provided wage increases of 43 cents an hour in steps of 15, 15 and 13 cents under the contract that expires April 20, 1970. Skilled workers receive an additional 10 cents per hour immediately. Under the old contract, tire workers averaged $3.68 an hour and non-tire workers $2.68.

The three-year contracts achieved two important union goals: elimination of a pay raise differential between tire and non-tire workers and a supplemental unemployment plan giving laid off workers 80 per cent of their average hourly pay. The plan is considered a major step toward a guaranteed annual wage.

The union also won increases in pensions and insurance payments from the company and other fringe benefits.

The General and Goodrich pacts have already been ratified and production was resumed. Votes on the Firestone and Goodyear are continuing and production is expected to start soon.

URW TREASURERS of two borough Locals go over some final figures this morning at Union headquarters on Rubber Ave. Art Calder, treasurer of Local 308, and Rita Ruggiero of Local 45 compare lists. –(News photo by Baker)

The U.S. Civil Air Patrol was organized as a division of the Office of Civilian Defense on Dec. 1, 1941.

Borough Will Request Aid In Ending Strike

by

Borough Will Request Aid In Ending Strike

6-7-67

NAUGATUCK— Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich has been empowered to seek the aid of Gov. John Dempsey in bringing about a settlement in the Uniroyal-United Rubber Workers negotiations.

The board, during its Tuesday meeting, unanimously passed Third Ward Burgess Edward McGrath’s motion seeking the governor’s aid.

The Republican burgess cited the “potentially permanent and serious effect” the seven-week strike could have on the economy of the borough if it continued any longer.

Following passage of the motion, Mayor Raytkwich said that he would contact Gov. Dempsey “as soon as possible.”

Although the governor c about a settlement, it is possible that he could persuade the two groups to settle.

Amid scattered rumors that a settlement could be effected Thursday, press services reported Tuesday that negotiations with three maor tire producers, including Uniroyal, were in recess until Thursday with the union considering a three-year contract offer.

Attempts to contact union negotiators failed Tuesday. An unidentified person answering one negotiator’s telephone late Tuesday night reported that the negotiator was in a meeting and would be there “for several hours.”

A management negotiator contacted at the same time said that talks were recessed until Thursday, but not because the union was considering a management offer.

He claimed that the URW’s legal counsel died Monday, and that many of the union members planned to attend the funeral.

Press services reported that management’s offer of a three-year contract was made Monday by Firestone, Goodyear and Uniroyal. B. F. Goodrich made a similar offer Tuesday. General Tire and Rubber was expected to make its offer later this week.

United Rubber Workers negotiators said the proposed new contract would give tire plant workers, who now average $3.30 to $3.60 an hour, a 38-cent hourly raise in three yearly steps— 16 cents in the first year and 11 cents in each of the last two years.

Nontire plant workers would get 13-9-9, for a total of 31 cents.

Company officials said their offer added up to 60 to 73.5 cents an hour, including fringe benefits such as pensions and insurance.

The union has separate agreements on pensions and insurance that do not expire until Sept. 15. The companies reportedly offered to increase their monthly payments into the pension fund from $3.25 to $5.25 per employe, with commensurate increases in amounts paid retired workers.

Uniroyal 6-8-67 Continued From Page 1

by

UniRoyal 6-8-67

Continued From Page 1

benefit checks to $15 starting next week in order to “continue giving financial assistance to our brothers and sisters on strike for a longer period of time…”

Negotiations were not held yesterday at official headquarters because the union was considering a proposed three-year contract offer, and because many of the negotiators attended the funeral of the union’s legal counsel.

In the borough, many believe the strike will be settled within a week; while others still cling to the thought that settlement is a long time off.

Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich, acting upon a motion made at the Borough Board meeting Tuesday, has written to Governor John Dempsey. Borough officials are hoping that Dempsey’s influence will have some weight in effecting a speedy strike settlement.

The Naugatuck Police Department has spent a total of 1,496 overtime hours at the UniRoyal Plant since the calling of the strike.

To June 2, these overtime hours have cost the borough $4,673.24. The Police Department is keeping detailed financial reports for periodic presentation to the Board of Finance.

Waterbury’s Welfare Department estimated yesterday that the UniRoyal strike may cost the city $20,000 in gross benefits.

Of 140 striking families that have applied there for welfare, only 10 are presently receiving aid. Others were denied because they have other income or assets.

The Waterbury Welfare Superintendent said that if the strike is prolonged for any length of time, the number of people eligible for welfare assistance could reach 1,000 in the city.

What would take place Thursday morning, when office workers are again to attempt to report to work.

by

what would take place Thursday
morning, when office workers
are again to attempt to report to
work.

Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich
reported at mid-morning that
“all the excitement is over, at
least for today.”

He said that union Interna-
tional Field Rep. William Fer-
nandez, Jr., and Local 45 Vice-
Pres. Raymond Mengacci were

Minor Scuffling At Struck UniRoyal Plants

by

Minor Scuffling At Struck UniRoyal Plants

5-3-67 [handwritten date in top right]

By RUTH NICHOLS

Scuffling and shoving erupted this morning on the picket lines at the struck UniRoyal Footwear Plants in the borough as a result of the announcement by management of its intention to start shipping to critical customers.

The surge of activity began last night at approximately 8 p.m. when UniRoyal began to move personnel with suitcases through the gates.

John Smith, Factory Manager of the Footwear plant, verified the fact that management had notified the union yesterday of the company’s intent to ship to critical customers. Smith said that everything was quiet at the plant late this morning. He had no comment to make as to what number of persons were within the plant.

An all-men picket force was thrown around the gates of the plants last night, continuing through this morning. Scuffling and some incidents ensued early this morning as white collar workers attempted to cross the lines.

However, police report no arrests made. In most instances, police were not successful in escorting personnel through the line.

The heaviest picket lines were in front of the Central Office on Maple St., and the Warehouse located on Rubber Ave. Most of the activity centered around the main warehouse building on Rubber Ave.

Police reported that one group of four was successfully taken through the line. Pickets allowed a nurse and an attorney to enter the warehouse without incident this morning, according to reports.

A special police force of 24 men was put on duty today. The officers said that raincoats were torn and clothing damaged as a result of the early morning activity. Capt. Joseph Summa, in charge of the special force, was kept busy this morning checking the action at the gates to insure the situation did not get out of hand.

Raymond Mengacci, vice-president of Local 45, said late this morning that picketing was “orderly” and that a picket line had been set up at all gates. He added that today the union was not allowing any white collar workers through the lines.

Mengacci stated that the union was told yesterday of the company’s intention to start shipping materials out of the plants.

President of Local 45, George Froehlich, was called in Cincinnati today and informed of the situation in Naugatuck. Froehlich informed Mengacci that one of the companies, not UniRoyal, was “close” to settlement.

An executive vice-president of the company had been brought into the negotiation sessions. This is the first good sign since the strike was called at midnight Thursday, April 20.

Rumors are circulating the borough that UniRoyal is attempting to seek an injunction against the “lock-out.” Mengacci told the NEWS today that as yet no papers have been served on the Union. No confirmation could be obtained from the company as to the veracity of this statement.

Office workers reported for work at their usual time this morning but were not allowed to enter the buildings. Shortly after 8 a.m. management announced via a bull-horn that the workers were to go home and try again tomorrow morning.

Police Chief Frank Mariano is watching the activity closely. He said, he has had no additional information but that at present the local department was able to handle the situation.

Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich is keeping a close eye on the strike and conferring with officials in an attempt to keep on top of the situation.

Pickets

by

Pickets

(Cont’d from Page One)

officers was on hand near the
gate, but wasn’t needed after
the 7 a.m. incident.

Fewer than 30 women office
employes left the plant at about
9:30 a.m. under another special
arrangement with Police Chief
Mariano acting as intermediary.

Fifty or more pickets had
been clustered by the office
doorway, but pulled back, leav-
ing just a few placard-bearing
women who marched back and
forth as the office help walked
out in two’s and three’s.

Fernandez said that the wom-
en hadn’t entered the plant this
morning and “I don’t know
when they went in or how long
they have been there.” Others
thought the women did go in at
7 a.m.

Divert Traffic

It was a balmy day as a
crowd of a couple of hundred
pickets gathered at the Maple
St. gate, while police diverted
traffic around Maple St. to Rub-
ber Ave. and Water St.

Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich,
on an errand from Town Hall to
the fire station across the street,
shortly after the hubbub had
ended, was greeted with a cho-
rus of boos from the pickets.

He looked around, seemingly
startled. He was reelected only
Monday to his fourth term.

Police said all of the pickets
arrested today were released
without bond except four who
were arrested for the second
day in a row. They had to post a
$50 bond each.

These four are: Robert G. Irv-
ing, 23, 19 Lines Hill Ext.; John
P. Henao, 30, 194 Maple St.;
Ronnie J. Kezelevich, 23, 16
Melbourne Ct., and Nicholas
Cesarello, 53, 132 Norton St.,
Waterbury.

Strike Subject Of Meeting In Mayor’s Office

by

5-6-67

Strike Subject Of Meeting In Mayor’s Office

A “round robin discussion” behind the closed doors of the office of Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich took place last night in the Town Hall between the Mayor, members of the Police Commission and representatives of the United Rubber Workers Union.

No statements were issued by any of the parties regarding items discussed, but it was apparent the current UniRoyal strike was the topic.

Present at the meeting were Mayor Raytkwich, Police Chief Frank Mariano, Police Commissioners Henry Marlor and William Simmons and union representatives.

It was reported that Raymond Mengacci, vice-president of Local 45 and top union man in the borough for the Local since its president, George Froehlich, is attending negotiation sessions in Ohio, did not attend the meeting.

The Mayor’s only comment following the meeting was that the group held “a round robin discussion.”

Union Told To Stop Blocking Operations

by

Union Told To Stop Blocking Operations

Dr. Bingham Resigns Post

Dr. Harold J. Bingham, who hired a landscape architect firm to do a study on state college needs which left Waterbury’s high priority out of the picture, resigned Friday as executive secretary to the Board of Trustees of State Colleges.

Dr. Bingham, who was stripped of his powers of fiscal independence after the Waterbury newspapers disclosed he had hired landscape architects to do a statewide survey of education needs, fired a blast at the trustees as he departed his post, charging them with trying to buy his resignation.

Proclaiming he is “not for sale,” Dr. Bingham charged that he’d been offered “a deal at a cost of $6,000 to the taxpayers of Connecticut.”

The deal, he said at a news conference in Hartford Friday, consisted of reassignment as a state college history professor at top salary for the job; leave of absence with pay, “I repeat, with pay,” until Sept. 1; and $500 travel expense.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Connecticut,” said Dr. Bingham, “Gov. John Dempsey, members of your administration and members of the board of trustees. I am not for sale.”

assigned to studying the state’s educational needs.

Early in February, investigation by the newspapers disclosed the firm which conducted the survey which Dr. Bingham said he couldn’t make public, was listed in the Boston phone directory as “landscape architects.”

It was disclosed also: That the Chamber of Commerce of Cambridge, Mass., had never heard of the firm; that the recommending agency, Educational Facilities Laboratories of New York City, knew the firm as “experts in campus planning”, but knew of no work done by the firm in the field of educational development; and that the day

(Cont’d On Page 2 —Bingham)

Rado Not Resigning From Post

NAUGATUCK—William C. Rado isn’t resigning after all as a member of the Board of Education, he said Friday night.

Rado had told a reporter ear-

NAUGATUCK— The United Rubber Workers Union has been warned to refrain from any violence or from interfering in any way with operations of Uniroyal’s footwear plant here pending a court hearing Tuesday on an injunction petition against mass picketing.

The warning was issued in stern tones by Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney Friday after three hours of fruitless negotiations with company and union representatives in an attempt to reach an out-of-court agreement to limit picketing at the strike-bound plant.

The warning from Judge Gaffney followed in the wake of three days of clashes between police and strikers, during which 71 pickets were arrested on charges of breach of peace.

Only hours after the injunction hearing, a group consisting of Mayor Joseph C. Raytkwich, Chief of Police Frank J. Mariano, Police Commissioners Henry Marlor and William Simmons and representatives of the union gathered in the mayor’s office.

Following the session, which lasted almost two hours, during which loud voices could be heard from behind the closed

All have made identically inadequate wage offers, he said, and are prevented from meeting their collective bargaining obligations by the strike assistance pact

by

“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.