Mengacci

Ratification Vote

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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.

The pickets were firm about not letting any more members of management into the warehouse, a spokesman said. They will, however, allow those already inside to leave.

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The pickets were firm about
not letting any more members
of management into the ware-
house, a spokesman said. They
will however, allow those al-
ready inside to leave.

In addition to Mengacci, Blan-
chard, Pinho and Owens, those
arrested and released without
bond for Waterbury Circuit
Court appearance June 8 are:

Frank Rodrigues, 36, 119 Wal-
nut St.; John A. Gandolfo, 36,
Narcissus Rd., Middlebury;
Robert G. Irving, 23, 19 Lines
Hill Rd.; Ronnie J. Kezelevich,
23, 16 Melbourne Ct.; Robert J.
Mikulskis, 26, 29 Fern St.; Jo-
seph J. Foley, 40, 190 Cherry
St.; Michael Kalinoski, 49, 39
Fairchild St.; Franklin Mazu-
roski, 38, 63 Lester Dr., Water-
bury.

Charles J. Butler, 49, Mulber-
ry St., John Sharkey, 37, 17
Martha St., Seymour; Donald
Miles, 33, 84 Grand St., Sey-
mour; Henry Hook, 37, 167 West
Church St., Seymour; Francisco
DaSilva, 47, 20 Tolles Square;
Walter M. Scott, 36, 230 Pem-
broke Ave., Waterbury; James
R. Dowling, 23, 87 Quinn St.;
Guido Boschele, 56, Pond Hill
Rd.; Albert Gomez, 38, 40 Cher-
ry St., Waterbury.

James Faroni, 57, 39 Florence
St.; Joseph A. Sciarretto, 46, 19
Baldwin St.; Carl Ostrom, 32,
928 New Haven Rd.; John M.
Delcrosso, 41, 66 Greenwood St.;
Harry C. Chofey, 42, 13 Surrey
Dr.; Thomas Lagonick, 51,
Cande Rd.; William D. Mariano,
52, 31 Yale Ave., Middlebury.

John Brazil, 43, 51 Alma St.;
John Dillon, 57, 149 Wedgewood
Dr.; John Henao, 30, 194 Maple
St.; George Petro, 30, Bradley
Lane, Prospect; Nicholas Cesar-
ello, 53, 132 Norton St., Waterbu-
ry, Alexander Zdonick, 41, 57
Johnson St.; Harold Soucie, 40,
376 North Main St.; Lee Mat-
tocks, 37, 18 Winchester St.,
Waterbury; Joseph J. Kaczkow-
ski, 57, 106 Morris St.

John Cariello, 37, 19 Baldwin
St.; Hugh R. Garahan, 29, 21
Elmwood St.; Austin C. Cross,
46, 18 Lynn Circle; Ernest Kin-
sey, 31, 79 Dikeman St., Water-
bury; George C. Sporbert, 34, 19
Goss St., Waterbury; Earl C.
Matthews, 34, 8 Pond St.

One man said, “Let’s make this our ‘Custer’s Last Stand.'”

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One man said, “Let’s make
this our ‘Custer’s Last Stand.'”
A few others jeered the idea of
letting male workers inside.

Mengacci asked, “Do you all
want to go to jail?” The ques-
tion was answered by a number
of persons with a resounding
“Yes.”

When male management
workers started filing through
the gate, however, there were
no incidents except for scat-
tered booing. The long line
reached from the Maple St.
gate almost to Church St. inter-
section. Traffic had been
blocked off on the street.

Earlier, Factory Manager,

Please Turn to Page 12

UNIROYAL

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UNIROYAL

(Continued from Page 1)

Mengacci, vice president of Local 45, United Rubber Workers, warned strikers that state troopers would be called if the office help were not permitted to enter the plant. He said, “The union had come to an agreement to let male office workers in, but 15 women office workers would have to go home.”

“No, no, we won’t let them in,” was shouted by many of the strikers. Mengacci warned there might be “bloodshed” it became necessary for the State Police to restrain the workers. One angry worker retorted, “Custer made his last stand; we’ll make it here.”

Mengacci said any violence would be useless, since the company was trying to get an injunction to prevent the pickets from blocking employes who wanted to enter the plant.

Cyrus Blanchard, vice president of Local 308 at the Uniroyal Chemical plant across town also pleaded with the strikers. The male salaried workers began filtering into the plant with little resistance at about 8 a.m., although some were bumped as they passed pickets. The women workers had already started home and did not try come in with the men.

The scene then quieted, though the pickets and other striking employes maintained their vigil outside the gates.

Seventeen of the 21 arrested today were charged with breach of the peace and were released on cash bonds of $150 each, posted by union officials. On Thursday, arrested employes were freed without posting bond.

In contrast to Thursday, when all of those arrested walked over to the police station a block away, today four had to be dragged, although most went quietly. The four were charged with breach of the peace by assault, and their bonds were $200 each.

Mengacci and William Fernandes, a union representative, will appear in Superior Court this afternoon, when the company seeks to obtain a restraining order.

The strike is in now its 15th day. Negotiations are being conducted on a national level in Cincinnati where issues involve a guaranteed annual wage.

To maintain order, Chief Mariano has brought in added policemen on an overtime basis as well as supernumeraries. Many of the policemen involved in the fighting are related to the strikers and one patrolman said, “I have half my family working there.”

A number of the policemen complained about being caught in the middle between the union and office personnel.

Yesterday’s scuffling stemmed from union concerns that Uniroyal would try to ship merchandise from a struck warehouse. In the morning, pushing began as office employes tried to enter the building. Later in the day, a U.S. mail truck was blocked when it tried to leave the company grounds. The pickets converged on it but let it pass after a few minutes’ delay.

Also taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury, was Martha Jones, 40, 26 Sparks St., Waterbury, for treatment of a cut knee, she said she received during the pushing and shoving in front of the gate. Both are members of Local 45.

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Also taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury, was Martha Jones, 40, 26 Sparks St., Waterbury, for treatment of a cut knee, she said she received during the pushing and shoving in front of the gate. Both are members of Local 45.

Another 150 supervisory personnel showed up for the 8 a. m. shift and were told by Capt. Summa to congregate on The Green on Church St. to await further instructions. In the interim, Mengacci, and Cy Blanchard, who is Local 218 vice president, met with Police Chief Frank J. Mariano and Police Comsrs. Henry S. Marlor, William E. Simmons and Paul Anderson to work out an agreement to let the supervisory employes into the plant.

Mengacci, addressing the pickets over a bullhorn, asked if they would allow all male supervisory personnel to enter the plant without incident.

His question was at first answered with a resounding “No.” However, the pickets were persuaded to comply with the agreement.

The men lined up, but about 50 women in the group departed for home on orders of Capt. Summa.

“It was a concession on our part.” William Fernandez, Jr., International representative for the union, said. “It was our last concession and I have told the Police Department there will be no more concessions,” Mengacci added.

“We’re not taking another backward step,” he said.

The entire regular force of 33

(Cont’d on Page 4—PICKETS)

Strike

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Strike–

Continued from Page 1

He ordered the pickets off the street.

Things were peaceful for about a half hour. Then the supervisory personnel started en masse down Maple Street to the main gate. The pickets quickly massed to block their path. The police moved in between. It was a tense few minutes until the company personnel were ordered back to the green.

After another conference it was announced that the union officials had agreed to allow the male employes to pass through the picket lines.

“Don’t let them pass”, pickets shouted. Mengacci then took the bull horn from Summa and appealed for calm.

The pickets then agreed to allow supervisory personnel to pass through in single file.

200 Cross Line

About 30 supervisory personnel remained in the plant overnight. They were joined by about 200 others who crossed the picket line this morning.

Two union officials helped calm the disturbance, which broke out about 7 a.m.. They were Mengacci and Cy Blanchard, vice president of Local 218, Chemical Workers of America.

They appealed to union members to allow supervisory personnel to enter the plant.

They told the strikers that more violence would force the Naugatuck authorities to summon the state police, who might use tear gas, riot guns and other weapons to restore order.

“The purpose of this appeal is to prevent violence,” they said. “We want to cooperate with the local police.”

Their appeal was credited by Naugatuck officials with averting further violence.

Police Chief Frank J. Mariano, Capt. Joseph J. Summa and Police Commissioner Henry S. Marlor told The Sentinel today that a more serious disturbance might have arisen had the union officials not appealed for calm.

Beacon Falls, site of a Uniroyal warehouse, remained quiet today.

Three locals of the United Rubber Workers, representing about 5,000 employes, have been on strike since April 21 as part of a nationwide walkout affecting 50,000 workers.

Tension among the pickets had grown during the week as a result of reports that Uniroyal planned to resume shipments of manufactured goods.

The shipments have not been resumed.

The Naugatuck Police Department pressed all available men into service, including supernumeraries. About 30 officers were on duty this morning.

Two persons were reported hurt in today’s near-riot — a woman with a knee cut and a man who said he had been kicked.

William Battles, 37, of 486 North Main St., Waterbury, was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury, by Naugatuck police ambulance to be examined for bruises. He was released by the hospital.

Newsman Felled

An Evening Sentinel photographer was knocked to the pavement. A second newspaperman was pushed.

Battles and three other strikers were charged with breach of the peace by assault. Seventeen others were charged with simple breach of the peace. All were freed in $200 bail each.

Just before noon today there were from 4 to 12 pickets at each of the seven plant gates.

Under a reported company-union agreement, male supervisory personnel were to be admitted to the plant. Women, except nurses, were to be excluded. Women who had entered previously left the plant without incident this morning.

Maple Street was closed by the police from 7 to 8:30 a.m. from Church to Maple Streets.

One hundred state police trained in riot control were at the Bethany State Police Barracks, ready to move into Naugatuck if needed. They were under the command of Command of Commissioner Leo M. Mulcahy. Two buses were standing by, ready to rush troopers to Naugatuck.

UNIROYAL

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UNIROYAL

(Continued from Page 1)

Mengacci, vice president of Local 45, United Rubber Workers, warned strikers that state troopers would be called if the office help were not permitted to enter the plant. He said, “The union had come to an agreement to let male office workers in, but 150 women office workers would have to go home.”

“No, no, we won’t let them in,” was shouted by many of the strikers. Mengacci warned there might be “bloodshed” if it became necessary for the State Police to restrain the workers. One angry worker retorted, “Custer made his last stand; we’ll make it here.”

Mengacci said any violence would be useless, since the company was trying to get an injunction to prevent the pickets from blocking employes who wanted to enter the plant.

Cyrus Blanchard, vice president of Local 308 at the Uniroyal Chemical plant across town also pleaded with the strikers. The male salaried workers began filtering into the plant with little resistance at about 8:30 a.m., although some were bumped as they passed pickets. The women workers had already started home and did not try to come in with the men.

The scene then quieted, although the pickets and other striking employes maintained their vigil outside the gates.

Seventeen of the 21 arrested today were charged with breach of the peace and were released on cash bonds of $150 each, posted by union officials. On Thursday, arrested employes were freed without posting bond.

In contrast to Thursday, when all of those arrested walked over to the police station a block away, today four had to be dragged, although most went quietly. The four were charged with breach of the peace by assault, and their bonds were $200 each.

Mengacci and William Fernandes, a union representative, will appear in Superior Court this afternoon, when the company seeks to obtain a restraining order.

The strike is in now its 15th day. Negotiations are being conducted on a national level in Cincinnati where issues involve a guaranteed annual wage.

To maintain order, Chief Mariano has brought in added policemen on an overtime basis as well as supernumeraries. Many of the policemen involved in the fighting are related to the strikers and one patrolman said, “I have half my family working there.”

A number of the policemen complained about being caught in the middle between the union and office personnel.

Yesterday’s scuffling stemmed from union concerns that Uniroyal would try to ship merchandise from a struck warehouse. In the morning, pushing began as office employes tried to enter the building. Later in the day, a U.S. mail truck was blocked when it tried to leave the company grounds. The pickets converged on it but let it pass after a few minutes’ delay.

Union Seeking

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ucts.

Union Seeking 6-72

Continued From Page 1

Local, the firm’s lawyers attempted to reach higher-up management either in Cincinnati or New York City, but were unsuccessful.

The management personnel then relayed to Judge Gaffney, Mengacci said, that they couldn’t tell the judge what the plant planned to do today.

The judge then informed lawyers for the union they should draw up a restraining order against UniRoyal and he would sign it this morning if there was any evidence the firm violated the agreement.

The judge indicated he would issue an injunction against UniRoyal if there was a violation of the restraining order, Mengacci said.

This situation puts the company and the union on virtually the same ground, if it comes to pass later today.

Mengacci said he thought court action would be held at about 2 p.m. today.

A few weeks ago a restraining order against the Union was issued in Superior Court following some minor clashes in the borough on picket lines and the arrest of about 50 pickets in two or three days of strife.

Uniroyal

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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

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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