5-9-67
DARCEY
TRANSPORT
CONN. R.I. & MASS
THE FIRST OF EIGHT Trucks to enter the gate at the Warehouse on Elm St., yesterday afternoon prepares to leave as picketers move aside. Four private trucks and four U.S. Mail trucks passed in and out of this gate during the afternoon without incident. —(News photo by Piscitelli)
5-9-67
Union officials and volunteer workers were busy in Naugatuck today distributing benefit checks to members of three union locals on strike against Uniroyal.
Lines were orderly at the headquarters of Locals 45, 218 and 308, United Rubber Workers of America. The workers have been on strike since April 21 against Uniroyal plants in Naugatuck and Beacon Falls.
Eight trucks yesterday afternoon passed without incident through picket lines at the Elm Street gate of Uniroyal’s Naugatuck plant. Four were United States mail trucks.
Drivers of 11 other trucks turned back, refusing to cross the picket line.
Pickets made way for drivers who insisted on entering the plant. There were catcalls from the pickets, but no violence.
Naugatuck police patrols, under Capt. Joseph Summa, were at the scene.
In Beacon Falls, a detail of State Police under Sgt. James Ferguson of the Bethany Barracks stood by as trucks entered and left. There was no disturbance and no jeering from the pickets.
Pickets at Naugatuck and Beacon Falls had been ordered by Raymond Mangacci, a union vice president, to avoid violence.
Five railroad freight cars that entered the central warehouse in Naugatuck Friday were still inside the plant today.
Thomas J. Nelligan, a Uniroyal spokesman, said the cars would be moved out when loaded.
The company plans to continue shipments by truck and rail, Nelligan said.
The calm that has prevailed this week contrasts with the near – roits of last Thursday and Friday, when 64 strikers were arrested.
Union Explains
Procedures
For Strike Aid
5-10-67
Procedures to be followed by
employes to obtain emergency
aid during the strike at the
Naugatuck footwear plant of
Uniroyal were explained last
night by Kenneth Knott of the
United Council and fund Agen-
cy, AFL – CIO.
The procedures were explain-
ed to officials of area communi-
ties at a meeting at Local 45,
United Rubber Workers Union
headquarters.
Knott said employes should
register for employment with
the state employment depart-
ment. They then should apply
for aid with the S t a t e Welfare
Agency, 79 Linden Ave., Water-
bury and apply to the first se-
lectman, mayor or welfare de-
partment in their respective
communities.
Knott said processing of appli-
cations will be expedited if the
employes follow these three
rules.
The unions have designated
officials from each of the three
locals to assist applicants in
filing the necessary forms.
They are John Butler of Local
45; Laura Soares of Local 218
and Jean Burke of Local 308.
Individuals who desire federal
food stamps can obtain the
necessary information from the
three local representatives.
Attending the meeting were
Adam Mengacci, vice – presi-
dent Local 45; Joseph Arbu-
chowkaus, vice – president Local
308; Cyrus Blanchard, vice –
president, Local 218 and William
Fernandez, international repre-
sentative.
Also, Pat DelVecchio, first
selectman, Beacon Falls; Ern-
est H. Culverwell first select-
man, Seymour; William M.
Calabrese, first selectman, Mid-
dlebury; Katherine M. Brennan,
Superintendent Naugatuck Wel-
fare Department; Peter D. Po-
cius, director of Waterbury Wel-
fare Department, and William
P. Kalvaitis, State Welfare De-
partment, Waterbury.
Union VP Says:
5-10-67
Cy Blanchard, vice-president of Local 218, in an effort to straighten out some of the confusions surrounding strike benefits, issued the following explanation.
He said receipt of the $25 check depends on whether or not a member appeared for strike duty at least once every five days.
Many of the members, appearing for their checks yesterday, were told that in order to qualify for them they would have to serve on picket duty today before 3 p.m. to make up for lost picket time.
Blanchard stated that with a membership of 530 members available for picket duty, the schedule calls for each man to serve three hours, once very five days. Some members have only been on duty one three-hour period while others have done more than their share.
“We have denied no one benefits,” he said, adding “we are giving every member full opportunity to fulfill his picket obligations.”
Those who are unable to picket because of health or other reasons are put to work at other things to make everything fair, he said.
With each member doing a tour of duty once every five days, the Local is able to maintain a schedule of 110 pickets a day. Blanchard stated that he hoped every member would volunteer his services for picket duty to qualify. The duty must be continued in order to qualify.
The ruling of one three-hour period of picket duty, once every five days, has been cleared through Cincinnati, Blanchard noted.
NAUGATUCK — Some members of United Rubber Workers Local 218 reported evidence of confusion Tuesday over the question of receiving the weekly strike benefit of $25 .According to Vice President of Local 218, Cy Blanchard , receipt of the check depends on whether or not a member appeared for strike duty at least once every five days.
Many of the members, appearing for their benefit checks Tuesday, were told that in order to qualify for them they would have to serve today. They were told that they had until 3 p.m. today to make up lost picket time.
According to Blanchard, with only 530 members available for picket duty, it was necessary to schedule each man at least once every five days. Some men, he said, have appeared only once for a three-hour picket duty, while others have done more than their share.
He noted that although some members were surprised when they heard they had to serve again before qualifying for the checks, he thought it was each man’s duty as a union member to volunteer his services. It seems unfair, he said, that the man who has served only once gets the same benefit as the man who has served many times.
“We have not denied anyone any benefits,” said Blanchard, adding that “we are giving every member full opportunity” to fulfill his picket obligations.
There are some, he said, who are unable to picket because of health or other reasons, but these are also put to work to make everything fair.
Each member is being scheduled once every five days so that there are about 110 pickets every day, he said. He added that he hoped every member would volunteer his services for picket duty to qualify. This picket duty must be continued in order to continue to qualify, said Blanchard.
The ruling that each man picket for three hours once every five days was cleared through Cincinnati, said the Local vice president.
the strikers attempted to prevent white collar workers from entering the plant. The incidents led to the arrests of 71 pickets.
Fanton said the company’s decision to hold off on the injunction hearing was prompted largely by the relative calm which prevailed in picket lines at the plant Monday and Tuesday. He said there was “no serious interference with the employer’s operations” during those two days.
The union had been warned Friday by Judge Gaffney against any interference or violence.
5-1067 [handwritten notation]
NAUGATUCK—Officials and attorneys of Local 45, United Rubber Workers, are in Waterbury Superior Court today to oppose a company petition for an injunction prohibiting mass picketing at Uniroyal’s Footwear Division plant.
The hearing is scheduled before Judge Leo V. Gaffney. The union is now picketing under a restraint order issued by Judge Gaffney last Friday.
The order obtained by Uniroyal has blocked recurrence of the near-rioting of last Thursday and Friday which resulted in the arrest of some 70 union members.
Uniroyal has also instituted court proceedings seeking $1 million in damages from the union because of the strikers’ alleged interference with plant operations.
The pickets Friday also attempted to stop the company from shipping from the central warehouse. However, they were unsuccessful in preventing a string of freight cars from being switched into the warehouse for loading.
The pickets have complied with the restraining order and also followed the instructions of their leaders not to interfere with trucks entering and leaving the plant. Some trucking firms that are unionized and some, non-unionized made pickups from the main warehouse.
Drivers of some trucks, when apprised by captains of picket lines of the situation, refused to enter the gates. As they drove away, they were cheered by the strikers.
No report was forthcoming from Cincinnati on the progress of the contract talks, resumed Monday after a weekend recess. The strike by United Rubber Workers against Uniroyal is now in its 19th day.
NAUGATUCK—Uniroyal officials agreed Tuesday to continue for two weeks their Superior Court petition for an injunction against the United Rubber Workers Union to restrain mass picketing at the strike-bound footwear plant here.
The company accepted the agreement suggested by Judge Leo V. Gaffney “with the understanding that there will be no interference whatsoever with the (company’s) operations,” company attorney Dwight F. Fanton of Bridgeport said.
While Judge Gaffney spoke in Waterbury, picket teams at the borough remained quiet and small in number.
A repeat of Monday’s performance was staged again Tuesday when trucks were allowed to enter the warehouse on Elm St. without incident. Although the exact number of trucks approaching the gate were not known, it was learned that many drivers turned away, while some went through after contacting their dispatchers.
Five freight cars, shoved into the warehouse Friday, were still in the warehouse Tuesday, and it has not been learned when they are due to leave, although some thought they would be pulled out Tuesday.
Before giving court sanction to the continuance, Judge Gaffney warned the union that “In the event of any interference with the normal business of this company or any violence which would force the plaintiff into court to seek a restraining order…upon a showing of the evidence, I will issue such an order.”
The judge said that based on information he received during negotiations in chambers with company and union lawyers, “There is no doubt in my mind a case would have been established” supporting the issuance of an injunction.
He said he was “willing to go along” with the continuance in the hope that “good relations” which existed between the company and the union prior to the current strike “can be restored.”
The judge cautioned, however, that he will be available at any time, including Saturdays and Mondays when the court is not normally in session, to hear the case should the union violate terms of the agreement. “I will come from wherever I am and open court” he said.
He told the union that if it restricts the picket line “to a reasonable number of pickets, spaced properly, and there is no name calling, we won’t have any trouble here.”
He also warned that it is “incumbent upon the union to keep the…three or four agitators who are stirring up trouble…away from the picket line.” He said the names of the “agitators” are known to him and to union officials.
Although the Naugatuck operations have decided to continue their court petition, it was learned that injunctions have been granted to Uniroyal operations in Mishawaka, Ind., where there are 3,700 employes in one local. Injunctions have also been granted to two Uniroyal operations in Ohio and Alabama.
The injunction against Local 65 in Mishawaka was granted Friday when the company charged that pickets were interfering with office workers. Rumors that the National Guard had been called out in that town of 35,000 were denied by a local newspaper.
The injunction petition in Naugatuck was initiated by the company Friday after three days of clashes last week between pickets and police when
Atty. Daniel Baker of Stamford, counsel for the union, said the union “intends fully to comply” with Judge Gaffney’s instructions. He said local union leaders will do “everything in their power to maintain a peaceful picket line.”
He said they will “make sure there are a reasonable number of pickets . . . and they will avoid any situation . . . which could get out of control.”
Fanton and Baker crossed swords briefly when the company attorney asked Judge Gaffney to address himself directly to International Representative William Fernandes and Vice President Raymond Mengacci concerning picket line activity regarding attempts to restrain passage of delivery trucks in and out of the plant.
Baker said the union has “worked out a good mechanism” with local police for dealing with trucks. He said the company should “recognize the union’s right” to talk to truck drivers and ask them whether they want to cross the picket line.
Union officials explained that strikers have arranged to have police officers on duty at the gates ask the truck drivers whether they wish to cross the lines. In the event that they do, the picket line withdraws, the officials said. Drivers of 11 of 19 trucks which approached the warehouse gate on Elm St. Monday refused to cross the line and turned away.
Judge Gaffney said the union is “entitled to peaceful picketing and to use (its) arts of peaceful persuasion,” but, he added, it “cannot do what has been determined is illegal.”
He said motor and freight shipments are expected at the plant soon and he warned that “any interference with these shipments will bring about a restraining order and the penalties therein.”
The penalties referred to usually include a high bond and the threat of contempt of court for any violations of the restraining order.
“I’m taking a lot on myself by recommending this continuance,” Judge Gaffney said. “The onus will fall on me if this experiment doesn’t work.”
He added, “The court hopes that within two weeks the strike will be over and there will be no need for the court to lay down strict rules.”
New Haven Reg. MAY 3, 1969
Register Photos by Stuart Langer
Violence, which began Thursday at the strikebound Naugatuck footwear plant of Uniroyal, continued today as 21 arrests were made. At left, Raymond Mengacci, vice president of Local 45, United Rubber Workers, with bullhorn urges striking employes to allow male office workers through the plant gates this morning. At right, office workers begin marching toward the company gates after waiting on the Naugatuck Green while company and union officials conferred about allowing them to enter. Some 25 policemen rushed between them and the strikers to prevent fighting. (Story on Page 1).
William Battles of Waterbury is dragged away from the Maple Street plant at Uniroyal by police after fighting broke out there today when strikers prevented office employes from crossing picket lines. Battles, who was charged with breach of peace by assault, was later taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury, where he was treated and released.
NAUGATUCK—Among those arrested by the Naugatuck Police during the near riot Thursday at the gates of the Footwear Division, Uniroyal, were:
Raymond Mengacci, 47, 37 Fairchild St.; Cyrus J. Blanchard, 45, 46 Hill Road, Clifford Owens, 57, Wooster St.; Jose Pinho, 37, 129 Aetna St., all of Naugatuck.
Also: Frank Rodrigues, 36, 119 Walnut St., Naugatuck; John A. Gandolfo, 36, Narcissus Road, Middlebury; Robert G. Irving, 23, 19 Lines Hill Road; Ronald Kezelevich, 23, 16 Melbourne Court; Robert J. Mikulsis, 26, 29 Fern St.; Joseph J. Foley, 40, 190 Cherry St.; Michael Kalinoski, 49, 29 Fairchild St.; Franklin Mazuroski, 38, 63 Lester Drive, and Charles J. Butler, 49, Mulberry Street, all of Naugatuck.
And: John Sharkey, 37, 17 Martha St., Seymour; Donald Miles, 33, 84 Grand St., Seymour; Henry Hook, 37, 167 W. Church St., Seymour; Francisco Da Silva, 47, 20 Tolles Square, Naugatuck; Walter M. Scott, 36, 230 Pembroke Ave., Waterbury; James R. Dowling, 23, 87 Quinn St., Naugatuck; Guido Boschele, 55, Prout Hill Road, Naugatuck, and Albert Gomez, 38, 40 Cherry St., Waterbury.
James Faroni, 57, 39 Florence St.; Joseph A. Sciarretto, 46, 19 Baldwin St.; Carl Ostrom, 32, 628 New Haven Road; John M. Delcrosso, 41, 66 Greenwood St.; Harry C. Chofey, 42, 13 Surrey Drive; Thomas Lagonick, 51, Candee Road, all of Naugatuck.
And: William D. Mariano, 52, 31 Yale Ave., Middlebury; John Brazil, 43, 51 Alma St.; John Dillon, 57, 149 Wedgewood Drive; John Henan, 30, 194 Maple St., all of Naugatuck; George Petro, 30, Bradley Lane, Prospect; Nicholas Cesarello, 53, 122 Norton St., Waterbury; Lee Mattocks, 37, 18 Winchester St., Waterbury, and Joseph J. Kaczkowski, 57, 106 Morris St., Naugatuck.
Alexander Zdonick, 41, 57 Johnson St.; Harold Soucie, 40, 376 N. Main St.; John Cariello, 37, 19 Baldwin St.; Hugh R. Ga-
[Column continues with partial text visible:]
rahan, 29, 21 […]
tin C. Cross, 48,
Earl C. Matthew
St., all of Naug
Kinsey, 31, 79
Waterbury, and […]
bert, 34, 19 Goos […]
The arrested […]
bers of the United
ers Union, AFL.
leased without b[…]
pear in the Wa[…]
Court, June 8.
5-10-67 [handwritten]
WATERBURY — Superior Court Judge Leo Gaffney yesterday continued for two weeks a “show cause” order issued last Friday to the United Rubber Workers Union in response to a petition for a temporary injunction and restraining order by UniRoyal, Inc.
Citing the good progress made since last Friday’s flareups in Naugatuck, Judge Gaffney said the continuance was “an experiment to see if the union and company can get back the good relationship they had before the strike started.”
He said he expected the union to look on this situation “in a reasonable manner,” calling for the union to restrict picketing “to a reasonable number,” and restrain pickets from harassing management and other non-union members as they enter and leave the firm’s plants.
“The onus will fall on me if this experiment fails,” the Judge said.
Judge Gaffney again urged the union, as he did last Friday in Superior Court, to call on its members to refrain from interfering in any way with the operations of UniRoyal.
“This continuance will terminate at any time there is any evidence of interference by the union,” he said.
Judge Gaffney said he realized tempers flare on the picket lines and there are harsh words spoken at times.
He said, however, that “The company has the absolute right to continue doing business during negotiations. It is not to be interfered with by the union.”
Any interference will bring about a restraining order and penalties, Judge Gaffney said. Penalties would include a high bond on the union, required with the issuance of a restraining order and injunction.
A high tribute was paid members of the Naugatuck Police Department by Judge Gaffney.
“The police handling of the situation in Naugatuck last week was in the finest tradition and the department is to be commended,” he said.
He also commended the union and management for the marked difference in the local situation since last Friday’s flareups in the borough.
Judge Gaffney mentioned “three or four agitators stirring up trouble” at the Footwear Division picket lines in Naugatuck. Although not mentioning anyone by name, he told the union leaders present, “You know who they are and we have their names. You (union leaders) must keep them away from the picket lines. They’ll destroy the good will which has been built up in the last few days through agitating and namecalling,” he said.
The proceedings in the Waterbury County Courthouse didn’t begin until 12:45 p.m.
Judge Gaffney opened the proceedings by saying he has an application from UniRoyal for a temporary injunction and restraining order.
Atty. Dwight Fanton, counsel for UniRoyal, spoke first and reviewed the legal proceedings up to that time. He said the company had been in court last Friday seeking the injunction.
He said there had been no interference with the plaintiff’s operation in the last two working days, with only a couple of very minor infractions.
Under the circumstances, Fanton said, the firm would agree on a two-week continuance with the company by the defendant union.
Atty. Daniel Baker, counsel for the URW Union, told the court union leaders had discussed at length with picket captains the picketing situation and that they all understood the meaning of peaceful picketing.
“We intend to fully comply with the court’s instructions regarding no interference Atty. Baker said.
Atty. Fanton asked Judge Gaffney to remind and instruct union officials regarding the number of pickets allowable and to caution the pickets against using abusive language to people entering UniRoyal’s plants. He also cited interference with motor trucks and rail cars entering and leaving the firm.
“All parties should recognize their responsibility to the court,” he said. “Should there be interference with our client (UniRoyal), we’ll be back here for a temporary injunction.”
Atty. Baker said, “Management has the responsibility of informing anyone entering the plant of the strike so that those people can make their own decisions as to whether or not they want to cross the picket lines.
“We’ll make sure of the reasonable number of pickets,” Atty. Baker said. “But we reserve the right to ask truck drivers not to enter and cross our picket lines.”
Judge Gaffney preceded his remarks by telling those present he had “two alternatives to resolve this matter. I can continue the ‘show cause’ order or immediately issue an injunction and restraining order since it is common knowledge that there have been a number of arrests as the result of illegal picketing last week.”
“Both parties would be better off if the court didn’t issue the restraining order,” he said. The court said it was willing to go along with a continuance of the ‘show cause’ order for two weeks, providing there was no interference by the union in the company’s operations and no violence.
He reminded those present he would be available at any time, “including Saturday and Monday (when the court is not in session) in the event there is any trouble.”
5-10-67
Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney yesterday continued for two weeks the petition of Uniroyal for an injunction against the United Rubber Workers Union to restrain mass picketing at the strike-bound footwear plant in Naugatuck.
The company accepted the agreement suggested by Judge Gaffney “with the understanding that there will be no interference whatsoever with the company’s operations,” Dwight F. Fanton of Bridgeport, company attorney, said today.
Judge Gaffney, at a “show cause” hearing yesterday in Waterbury, siad he felt issuing a restraining order was not necessary at this time.
Judge Gaffney said he will be available should the situation change.
Union officials are to notify picket captains of the continuance.
While Gaffney heard testimony from both sides, pickets at the Borough plant remained quiet and small in number. This was in contrast to last week when pickets rioted for 2 days in opposition to the company’s plan to resume shipping.
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.
Judge Gaffney told union officials that it is their right to have picket captains use their powers of persuasion to prevent carrier drivers from crossing picket lines.
“But there is to be no loud or threatening language or bodily harm,” the judge said.
Present at Hearing
Present at the hearing were John M. Smith, plant manager; Thomas J. Nelligan, industrial relations representative, and Atty. Fanton.
Raymond Mengacci, William Fernandez and Daniel Baker represented the union.
Also in attendance were Naugatuck Police Chief Frank J. Mariano and Capt. Joseph J. Summa.
A check of local and area retail merchants showed no appreciable drop in business volume to date.
Mengacci told The Sentinel that the company offered a 12½ cent an hour increase for the tire workers and nine cents for other production employes.
It was not learned whether the offer was made before the strike or during the present negotiations.
Management would not comment on the statement, explaining there is an agreement between union and management that only joint statements are to be issued on the negotiations.
5-11-67
Striking UniRoyal employes are feeling the pinch as they face the second payless week. The strike will enter its fourth week as of midnight tonight.
Waterbury Welfare Director Peter Pocius said yesterday his department had received about 100 applications from strikers residing in that city. Of the 100 applications, about 70 qualified for assistance.
The Naugatuck Welfare Board met in special session Monday night to discuss the question of aid for rubber worker strikers. They decided they would grant assistance along the same lines as the department normally uses in deciding who is eligible for aid.
United Rubber Workers three Locals in the borough payed its first benefit checks of $25 each this week.
The union has allowed trucks to pass through UniRoyal gates at the Warehouse on Elm St. for the past three days without incident.
Picket team captains inform all truck drivers they are passing through a picket line and check to see if the drivers are Teamster Union members or management.
No word is forthcoming from the negotiations in Cincinnati. It is assumed that the daily sessions are still being conducted but neither management or union have issued comment as to the progress if any that is being made.
Rumors are circulating the borough today of immediate settlement while another rumor states that the strike will last another week. The points of disagreement have not been publicized.
The union is paying strict attention to the warnings issued by Judge Leo Gaffney in Waterbury Superior Court that an injunction will be issued if further incidents erupt.
5-11-67
NAUGATUCK—Picketing at the three strikebound Uniroyal plants in the borough continues to be quiet and, for the third straight day, striking United Rubber Workers allowed trucks to pass through the warehouse gates on Elm St. without incident.
Although a word from the picket team captains discouraged five trucks from entering the gates, eight passed through as strikers moved aside.
It was noted that some of the drivers who passed through were accompanied by men wearing white shirts. In one case, the driver, according to pickets, wanted to honor the picket lines and offered to let the co-driver take the truck through. The co-driver claimed he did not know how to drive the truck, and the driver, according to pickets, took the truck in “with protest.”
While pickets manned their posts in Naugatuck, negotiations were supposedly continuing in Cincinnati. The negotiators, however, have not been available for comment of any type since Friday.
At midnight today, the strikers will enter the fourth week of picketing. Although police and
pickets clashed in the early hours of three days last week, most of the strike has been quiet.
An injunction hearing scheduled for Tuesday was suspended when management decided everything was quiet. Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney warned, however, against further incidents, adding that he would open court at any time to issue the injunction if it was deemed necessary.
5-11-67
NAUGATUCK—For the third straight day striking United Rubber Workers allowed trucks to pass through the gates at the Uniroyal Elm St. warehouse without incident.
Although a word from the picket team captains discouraged five trucks from entering the gates, eight passed through as strikers moved aside.
It was noted that some of the drivers who passed through were accompanied by men wearing white shirts. In one case, the driver, according to pickets, wanted to honor the picket lines and offered to let the co-driver take the truck through. The co-driver claimed he did not know how to drive the truck, and the driver, according to pickets, took the truck in “with protest.”
While pickets manned their posts in Naugatuck, negotiations were supposedly continuing in Cincinnati. The negotiators, however, have not been available for comment of any type since Friday.
At midnight today, the strikers will enter the fourth week of picketing. Although police and pickets clashed in the early hours of three days last week, most of the strike has been quiet.
An injunction hearing scheduled for Tuesday was suspended when management decided everything was quiet. Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney warned, however, against further incidents, adding that he would open court at any time to issue the injunction if it was deemed necessary.
5-12-67
Editor
Naugatuck Daily News
Dear Sir:
After reading the “Letter to the Editor” of May 11th 1967 in your newspaper, I know now that you are on a ONE WAY STREET.”
This unidentified person (name withheld) states that the white collar worker also pays the local “Gendarmes” salaries, I agree, but compared to the blue collared workers, they can be counted on your fingers. This “Ingrate” is a very uninformed person. If it were not for members (of International Rubber Workers) like Local #45 we would have no pensions large or small for them to enjoy during their retirement, as far as the cost of living going up where has this “ingrate” been? Long before we went to the bargaining table the cost of living had gone up. As not being informed by the Union as to what we are striking for, why doesn’t he or she come up (or call) the Union Hall? Perhaps the “ingrate” is ashamed?
As for renewing the old contract and voting a NO strike vote he (or she) should be ashamed of themselves. If we send our Policy Committee to the bargaining table without a vote of confidence from the people back home, we might as well go back to the days of depression, when we or our parents worked as slaves for 20 – 25¢ an hour, we would have no benefits as they did and couldn’t afford some of these luxuries we now enjoy.
If this “ingrate” (that’s all I can say for this person) is so much against what the Union is trying to get for them, then I say when everyone else accepts these gains the said “ingrate” should get up and forfeit said gains and when the “ingrate’s spouse secures more benefits (due to the fact the blue collar worker have it) the spouse also should reject such gain and then stand up and be counted! I’m sure they will be alone.
One more thing, I’ll bet this “ingrate” never even did any picket duty, but probably was one of the FIRST in line for strike Benefits!
Another point, we’re not that bad that we have to burn your house down, we are Union Members of Locals #45 – 218 – 308 and do not do things out of Hatred, but because we are interested in our jobs, present and future. I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve done on behalf of Local #45 and you have my permission to print my name to this letter.
Jose F. Pinho
129 Aetna St.
Dear Sir:
It was with amazement I read the letter in the newspaper about our Police force. I wonder if that woman thinks only UniRoyal union members pay their salaries. Did it ever occur to her that management personnel also pay their share of the Policemen’s salaries? So I should hope they have a right to be protected also. They didn’t vote to go on strike, so they have a human right to work How dare anyone force their will on these people?
It’s bad enough that I am a union member that didn’t vote to strike, but have no choice but to go along with the herd. Everyone I talk to agrees that a raise does no good because the prices go up. If a raise does us no good, think of what it does to the people that are trying to live on a pension. Remember that someday you will be trying to struggle along on a pension that stays the same while the prices keep going up because of union demands. Every two years, more and more, where will it all end? Think of what happened to Vickers in Waterbury and the newspaper in New York. I heard the editor of the paper say union demands do put them out of business.
No matter what we get we will never make up our loss. The union didn’t ask us if we wanted a raise. We aren’t even allowed to know what the issues are. That’s what happens when the union gets too strong. We don’t tell them anything, they tell us.
Why can’t they just reinstate the old contract instead of asking for more and more every two years.
Also, I don’t think it’s right to stop UniRoyal from shipping the shoes we already got paid good money to make, some of us even got time and a half.
Not long ago everyone was up in arms and wrote letters to Congress to cut down foreign made shoes, because we didn’t want UniRoyal to lose customers. Now where is the concern for the customers? Why cut your nose to spite your face? We will be the ones to suffer the big loss.
And it’s plain ridiculous to expect a layed-off employee to get 93% of their wages. Just who would be fool enough to want to sweat all day for a few dollars more than the guy sitting home on his backside. Everyone would fight to be layed off.
Please don’t print my name after seeing that unreasonable crowd the other day. I would probably get my house burned down. This is the only way to voice my opinion, which, I hope,
[Handwritten marks visible in left margin appearing to be checkmarks or notation marks]
May 5, 1967
Editor
Naugatuck Daily News
Church St.
Naugatuck, Conn.
member of our local union.
Yours truly,
Mrs. Sara Fortunato
361 Cherry St. Ext.
P. S. – I am a subscriber of the Naugatuck Daily News, so please print this letter.
Thank you.
5-8-67 [handwritten notation]
Dear Editor:
I have always admired the Naugatuck Police Force, but since I have witnessed the way they have been treating the employees of the UNIROYAL, Co., now on strike, I sure have my doubts about some of them, and would like to ask these two questions.
Why are we paying their salaries?
To be beaten and arrested by the so-called “Pride of Naugatuck?”
I believe these are two good questions to be answered by the same police force, to the employees of the UniRoyal Co.,
5-18-67 [handwritten notation at top]
NAUGATUCK—Although rumors ran rampant throughout the borough Thursday to the effect that B. F. Goodrich Rubber Co. was approaching settlement with United Rubber Worker negotiators on its master contract, the rumor remained unconfirmed. Many thought that if B. F. Goodrich reached a settlement, Uniroyal, Inc., would also probably settle soon.
For the seventh straight day, negotiators involved with Uniroyal could not be reached in Cincinnati, where the negotiations are taking place. It is not known whether the United Rubber Workers and Uniroyal are making progress in the negotiations.
It was reported, however, that talks continued Thursday between the major rubber producers and the union. There was no announcement whether negotiations would recess for the weekend as they did last weekend.
In the borough, pickets continued in a peaceful vein, permitting trucks to enter and leave the gates. The procedure was the same as has been observed throughout the week, with the team captain approaching the truck drivers to inform them of the situation. Although drivers turned away, those who did go through, were allowed to without incident.
Besides Uniroyal, the companies struck are B. F. Goodrich and the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. is continuing production on a day-to-day basis.
General Tire and Rubber Co.’s contract with URW does not expire until Monday, but talks have been in progress since last month.
About 45,000 Americans a year die from kidney failure.
Australia has 3.5 billion tons of bauxite reserves.
5-13-67
Negotiating sessions in Ohio between UniRoyal, Inc., and the United Rubber Workers (URW) were recessed at noon yesterday and won’t resume until Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock, it was reported here last night.
Meanwhile, quiet picketing is still going on in the borough and there have been no incidents all week.
Trucks have been allowed in and out of the UniRoyal Footwear Division warehouse on Elm St. A string of four or five box-cars, pushed into the warehouse a week ago yesterday, is still inside.
Fighting breaks out at Maple Street entrance to Uniroyal plant.
MAY 5, 1967 N.H. Reg.
By JAMES FLEMING
Register Staff Reporter
NAUGATUCK — Fighting broke out at the Maple Street plant of Uniroyal for the second day in a row, and 21 employes were arrested. Fifty were arrested Thursday.
It was later learned that Uniroyal will seek a restraining order in Superior Court in Waterbury today in an attempt to limit the union to a maximum of three pickets at each gate.
Brawling began at 6:50 a.m. today when office personnel attempted to cross picket lines. Pickets who had been circling near the entrance massed at the gate when the salaried workers tried to get into the company grounds.
Police struggled with pickets as they attempted to open lanes for the workers, and several fights broke out between the strikers and the police. Seven policemen were needed to subdue one worker, William Battles, 37, of Waterbury, who was charged with breach of peace by assault. He was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury afterward where he was treated and released after complaining of stomach pains.
Lt. George Smith went to St. Mary’s for examination after he told Chief Frank Mariano he had been kicked twice in the groin.
As more office employes arrived, company officials told them to wait on the nearby Naugatuck Green while management and union leaders conferred on allowing them to enter. About 300 employes walked to the Green, about half a block away in small groups.
Tension mounted in front of the plant while small groups of women pickets marched carrying signs hung around their necks and sang improvised songs such as “Go home boys in blue” aimed at the police.
Meanwhile, individual office workers without realizing that the others were waiting on the Green, would try to pass through the gate and would be pushed aside.
One woman screamed at the pickets, “Save your strength; you’ll need it when you go back to work.”
Suddenly, the 300 persons on the Green began returning to the plant spontaneously in a massed group and the strikers began yelling as they saw them approaching. Some 25 policemen —half the total force in Naugatuck—rushed into the street between the two groups along with a Uniroyal official and told the office employes to go back to the Green.
The strikers continued to press forward to meet the office workers until the other group went back to the Green.
About half an hour later, the office workers again moved toward the plant and the strikers came toward them. Raymond
See UNIROYAL Page 2
the middle between the union l office personnel.
esterday’s scuffling nned from union concerns t Uniroyal would try to ship rchandise from a struck ehouse. In the morning, hing began as office em-yes tried to enter the build-pass. 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.
(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.
4-26-67 [handwritten]
NAUGATUCK — Negotiations between Uniroyal, Inc., and the United Rubber Workers will resume in Cincinnati today at 10:30 a.m.
As yet, no official word on the actual progress of the negotiations up to last Friday has been received although neither side has denied statements in the press to the effect that a major stumbling block in the negotiations is the union’s demand for a guaranteed annual wage.
Although the company announced it had offered a “substantial increase in wages and various improvements in employe benefits,” it made no comment about the guaranteed annual wage.
While negotiations continue in Ohio, the various locals continue to picket the plant’s operations. Picketing in Naugatuck remains peaceful, and it has been reported that many workers are volunteering to work on the picket lines.
Strike Benefits
Local 218 Treasurer Robert McDermott said Tuesday that members of the local, which operates in the Naugatuck Chemical division of Uniroyal, may appear at local headquarters on Curtis St. today and Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. to apply for strike benefits.
Locals 45 and 308 have not yet received the necessary material to enable its members to apply for the benefits. Mrs. Rita Ruggiero, secretary of Local 45, said that officials of the local were thinking in terms of Thursday or Friday.
Action before that time, said Mrs. Ruggiero, would be impossible because the necessary material has not come in. She anticipates a heavy amount of paperwork when the forms do arrive, as the local has approximately 4,500 members.
Footwear Payroll
Officials at the footwear plant announced Tuesday that payrolls for hourly employes of the plant will be paid on the following days:
The regular Wednesday payroll will be made today after 1 p.m. at the payroll office. The second and third shifts will be paid Thursday after 2 p.m. at the office, and the first shift will be paid Friday at the Water St. gate from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
5-4-67
PUSHING AND SHOVING against each other, police and pickets in front of the Maple St. entrance of UniRoyal’s Footwear Division resulted in the arrest of 43 strikers this morning. In the foreground is a picket being hustled off to the Police Station by Police Officer Thomas Hunt, presumably to be booked for breach of the peace. Huddled in the background are masses of pickets and police. The latter group was able to break the picket line long enough for a number of management personnel and office workers to gain entrance. (See photo below.) —(News photo by Jensen)
5-5-67
Naugatuck police arrested 21 men this morning after the second scuffle in two days outside the Maple Street gate of the struck Uniroyal plant.
One man was taken to a hospital.
Officers of the striking United Rubber Workers of America, Local 45, were ordered to appear this afternoon in Superior Court, Waterbury.
They were to respond to an order sought by the company, directing them to show cause why mass picketing should not be prohibited.
The three officers of the Rubber Workers’ union summoned to appear are Raymond Mengacci, vice president of Local 45; Antoinette Zuccarelli, secretary, and Rita Ruggero, treasurer.
Forty – three strikers were arrested yesterday.
Today’s disturbance, like yesterday’s, broke out when pickets tried to prevent office workers and management personnel from entering the plant.
Women pickets shoulder to shoulder were on the north side of Maple Street. Male pickets were on the south side, also in tight formation.
Supervisory personnel milled around on the sidewalk on the south side.
When some of the supervisory employes attempted to enter after Capt. Joseph J. Summa read the “riot act” warning the pickets to disperse, the battling between police and pickets began.
The women pickets were singing. The baiting continued until Police Chief Frank J. Mariano arrived. He called the union and company officials together and they went inside the plant.
When they came out, Summa ordered all the company personnel to leave Maple Street and assemble on the nearby green.
PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13
NAUGATUCK—It was reported Wednesday that United Rubber Workers Local 218 armed its negotiators Tuesday with authority to call a strike should contract negotiations with Uniroyal management fail to produce an agreement by the contract expiration date.
Negotiations opened Tuesday in Cincinnati, with the three local Rubber Workers Union represented at the conference. The present contract, signed in June, 1965, expires April 20.
A spokesman said the local, representing workers at the Naugatuck Chemical Division, approved the strike vote by a vote of 490 to 70.
[Handwritten notation in upper right corner appears to read: “3-3” or similar numbers]
5-5-67
THREE OF 21 pickets arrested this morning in the Uniroyal strike in Naugatuck are hustled off to Police Headquarters to be booked on charges of breach of peace. At least two pickets claimed injuries as a result of the activities.
—Coviello Photo.
UNIROYAL CHEM-texts
Vol. 1 PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UNIROYAL CHEMICAL No. 2
URW STRIKE ENDS AFTER 97 DAYS
PACT IS COSTLIEST IN OUR HISTORY
The longest and costliest strike in the 75-year history of the Company is over. Company and union negotiators reached an accord at 9:30 p.m. on July 26. The agreement between Uniroyal and the United Rubber Workers is the largest settlement ever reached by the company. Its total cost including wage increases, pensions, insurance and other benefits is more than 50 cents per hour — a 6 per cent increase each year for a total of 18 per cent over the three-year length of the contract.
Eachstriking employee lost an average of 14 weeks of pay. They also borrowed some of their vacation money in 1968 to pay for the cost, to say nothing of the interest lost on savings accounts or cashing in savings bonds to pay daily expenses.
The company saw its profits disappear in the second quarter of the year because of the fixed costs which continue without the benefit of offsetting production. Second quarter earnings had been at a record $14,309,000 during the strike. This year, because of the strike, they were $15,551,000 less or $12,753,000. Before taxes, the loss was more than $25,000,000. The strike also hit home at the company’s sales force, many of whom were without goods to sell. Salesmen were told good customers would never be able to get their merchandise long and specialized long and seriously on how they were going to get their back once the strike was over.
It is no wonder that the end brought a continuous state of relief which was echoed throughout all plant and branch offices. A tire salesman overheard out of the company’s huge Los Angeles branch put it tersely. “Tell those people back at the plants to get going! I need quality merchandise quickly if I’m going to get back those customers I lost.”
EMPLOYEE PUBLICATION NAMED
The Naugatuck Chemical employee newsletter has a new name – “Chem Texts”. It was selected from over 100 entries by the plant staff with an assist from the Public Relations department. “Chem Texts” was selected as the result of a suggestion made by Sal Lantiere of the Physical Testing Laboratory. It was one of four entries by Sal who received a $25.00 savings bond for his idea.
Second prize of a $15.00 gift certificate at the company store was won by Mary Regan of the Physical Testing Laboratory for her entry — “Chemtext”. Third prize of a $10.00 gift certificate was awarded to Doug Jones of the Rubber Compounding laboratory for his entry — “Chemesyn”.
A second group of the name “Chemesyn” was received from Mary Raby, wife of Harold Raby of the Synthetic Processing Department. However, her entry was dated after the winning entry was selected.
We wish to congratulate the winners and thank everyone who entered the contest.
MR. & MRS. JACK MALA RETIRE
Marie and Jack Mala retired from the company on September 8 with a combined total of 52 years of company service between them. They are the second couple to retire together in a year. Marie retired from the Raw Stock department with 21 and one-half years of service. Jack has been with us for 30 and one half years and retired from the Reclaim Production department.
EMPLOYEES URGED TO JOIN OUR PAYROLL SAVINGS PLAN IN SEPTEMBER BOND DRIVE
Employees who are in our payroll savings plan, or who join this year, will be able to purchase new Treasury “Freedom Shares” which earn 4.75 per cent when held to maturity, according to Thomas J. Kiernan, manager of personnel relations at “1230”.
He emphasized that Freedom Shares can be purchased in limited amounts by each plan participant during the “September Bond Drive”.
Savings bonds and Freedom Shares are not only investments that return a high rate of interest but are also of enormous benefit to the country, Mr. Kiernan said. “I urge everyone not enrolled in our payroll savings plan to sign up during our September enrollment drive. Our goal is to have at least 50 per cent of all employees participating in the plan.”
Chemical plant employees will be contacted during the drive and the advantages of buying savings bonds and Freedom Shares under the payroll savings plans will be explained to them.
MARY REGAN
DOUG JONES
Above: Contest winner Sal Lantiere of the Physical Testing Laboratory in #112 building. Sal has spent all of his 22 years with the company in the laboratory section.
ANNUAL BLOODMOBILE VISIT
On August 23 the Red Cross Bloodmobile came to the Chemical plant visit. Vacations and other scheduling problems reduced the number of available donors so we only 122 pints were collected against our 150 pint quota. However, the shortage of donors did not mean we did not wish to postpone the visit any longer. Those of you who were unable to give this time can donate to the Beacon Falls community visit in October or the next June 12 annual visit will give us another chance to regain our ideal 175 pints per visit.
An honor roll of all of those who gave will be posted throughout the plant. We wish to congratulate late Alan Woodruff who received a one-gallon pin and Louis Schuller who received a two-gallon pin and all those new and old who contributed to this visit.
SAL LANTIERE WINS CONTEST
6-10-67 (handwritten)
NAUGATUCK—United Rubber Workers negotiators Friday rejected a new three-year contract proposal offered by the five major rubber producers, including Uniroyal.
This is apparently the second time during the week that the union has rejected company proposals.
URW Pres. Peter Bommarito termed Friday’s offer “inadequate” and said the union would continue its strike against Uniroyal, B. F. Goodrich and Firestone.
A statement appearing in a local newspaper Friday, attributed to Bommarito, said that the union was prepared to strike another 30 days.
While many of the striking United Rubber Workers in the borough expressed dismay about the possibility that they would have to continue the strike that much longer, Local 45 officials expressed reservations about whether Bommarito had said this.
One official, contacted Friday night, said that an attempt to check out the statement brought no results and it could not be determined whether Bommarito had made the remark.
A letter sent to Footwear Plant workers Thursday by Factory Manager John Smith stated that the union had rejected a three-year proposal Tuesday. Upon rejecting the proposal, said Smith, the union presented a counter proposal.
Management then apparently made a second proposal which, according to press services, was rejected during Friday’s session.
Talks between the URW and the rubber companies recessed until Monday.
In his letter to Footwear employes, Smith stated that the three-year proposal by the company offered wage increases, additional pay for skilled workers, liberalized vacation pay, supplemental unemployment benefits up to 75 per cent of average pay, a 60 per cent increase in regular pensions, an increase in company-paid life insurance, an increase in the coverage for the maximum stay in the hospital from 365 to 730 days, an increase in sickness and accident benefits and other items.
Wage increases in the tire plants, said Smith, amounted to 38 cents over three years, and in non-tire plants they amounted to 31 cents. The management also offered two weeks vacation pay for employes with one year of seniority and three weeks for employes with five years.
Miscellaneous contract clauses, he added, included “up to 40 hours pay depending on the size of the plant for union time study men.”
Regular pensions were increase a 60 per cent from $3.25 to $5.25 per month per year of service, said Smith.
These increases, said Smith “total about 70 cents per hour over a three-year period. This is approximately a five per cent yearly increase in wages and benefits for employes over the entire three years,” added the manager.
A Uniroyal spokesman said Friday the UFW’s demands would cost “at least $1.40 an hour.”
The union estimated that General Tire and Rubber Co.’s offer, which includes wage increases averaging 40 cents an hour over three years, will cost the company 63 or 64 cents an hour.
The companies Friday valued their offers at more than 70 cents an hour.
The above increases in wages
and benefits togal about 70¢
per hour over a three year
period. This is approximately
a 5% yearly increase in wages
and benefits for employees over
the entire three years. It is the
equivalent of the settlement ne-
gotiated in other industries
which have been referred to
by the Union as necessary to
resolve these negotiations. It
was the most substantial and
costly offer ever made by this
Company to the Union.
This proposal was rejected
by the Union late in the after-
noon of June 6. The Union, in
rejecting the above Company of-
fer, made a counter proposal
which excluded any considera-
tion of pensions and insurances
and held to a number of costly
demands which were made be-
fore the strike started.
Sincerely,
Jack M. Smith
Factory Manager
The release of the letter,
and articles read in the paper
were the only announcements
of the proposals the union mem-
bership received. No meetings
were called to allow the general
membership to express their
pleasure or displeasure of the
company’s offer.
Local 45 has held only one
membership meeting, since the
members authorized the nego-
tiators to call a strike. Presi-
dent George Froehlich, then
complained that the company
was not bargaining and only
throwing “bits of silver” on the
table. He said that the union
was seeking decent treatment
for the employes and also com-
plained of the differential be-
tween tire workers and non-
tire workers.
Tire workers now average
about $3.69 an hour while other
rubber industry production
workers average $2.68 an hour.
The three-year contract is
also said to be a stumbling
block in settlement.
Vice-president of Local 45,
Raymond Mengacci, told the
NEWS this morning, that he was
aware of the letter, but had not
as yet had time to read and
digest its contents. He said
that he will be prepared to
comment on it after he has
had time to study it.
6-13-67
NAUGATUCK— Bargaining sessions between the United Rubber Workers and five major rubber producers, including Uniroyal, reopened Monday in Ohio as a strike against three of the companies entered its 53rd day.
Although negotiators for the URW and Uniroyal management could either not be contacted or refused to comment Monday night, reliable sources pointed to the progress made during the past week and held out hope that a settlement might be reached before another week passes.
Although union members in the borough have expected that pensions would be discussed in September offers from the rubber companies, including Uniroyal, have lately included the pension and fringe benefit items.
Management sources have indicated a reluctance to face the cost of wage increases with the possible threat of a second strike in September over pension items.
While the latest word from Uniroyal was that wage increases in its offer were 38 cents for tire workers and 31 for non-tire workers it was learned that General Tire had boosted its wage increases to 40 cents for tire workers.
General Tire, however, has only 3,000 workers in two tire plants. In addition, General Tire is said to have boosted its supplemental unemployment benefits to 80 per cent, and offered a provision for six weeks of vacation for employes with over 30 years service.
It could not be determined Monday night whether Uniroyal had made a similar offer.
Reliable sources have called General Tire and Goodyear, who are both working on a day-to-day basis, pattern companies.
According to the sources, a settlement between the URW and these companies is expected to set a pattern for settlement with Uniroyal, B. F. Goodrich and Firestone, the struck companies.
During the past two weeks, all companies have been talking a three-year pact with the union, and some union sources have indicated a feeling that the final settlement would be for three years.
Local 45 Vice President Raymond Mengacci, in a statement to local newspapers Monday, said that although he didn’t want to enter a debate with Footwear Plant manager John Smith, he felt compelled to answer a letter sent to employes last week by the company.
Mengacci noted that both the company and the union committees “were having a hard enough time in Cincinnati, Ohio, to negotiate an agreement in Naugatuck,” without doing it through the newspapers.
Mengacci said when the union negotiating committee left for Cincinnati it was for the sole purpose of making a sincere effort to negotiate a contract and wage agreement with Uniroyal before the April 20 deadline. Negotiations began in Cincinnati March 21, and “it wasn’t until April 12 that the company made its first and final offer to the union on contract and wages, eight days before the deadline.
“This,” Mengacci stated, “has never happened in the history of my experiences on the negotiating committee or that of Pres. George Froehlich, that the first offer was also the last. No one can call this negotiating. This has never been done before. It wasn’t until a few days later that the union found out that this was being done in all of the Big Four rubber companies, not just Uniroyal. The union also found out these companies had made a mutual pact designed to protect any struck company against financial losses.
“We in the union were always led to believe these companies were in competition with one another, but found it is not so. They have a much better union than we have.”
Plant Manager Smith, in his letter, said the company had made an effort to open the pension and insurance agreement. “This, Mengacci said, “was correct, but the union informed the company this agreement does not terminate until Sept. 15, 1967, and the union was in no position to negotiate this agreement as it had not been discussed with their membership to determine what changes were wanted. Also they had made no preparation on pension and insurance to discuss this question intelligently with the company.
“Mr. Smith stated the union did not present to the company their full proposal until 11 a.m. April 19, just 37 hours before the strike deadline. This is correct, but why? The union felt if they received from the company the correct interpretation of the clauses in the working agreement now, and the way they were intended to be interpreted, at least in the union’s viewpoint, before there was a change in the head negotiator for the company, they would not have to make any changes.
“The union found out the company’s new head negotiator was not given the same interpretation. Therefore, the union came in with some new proposals as the union would not be able to live with some of the interpretations that were given to the new head negotiator, under Article 9, working conditions.
“These conditions are important to our members especially those working in the making and stitching departments. Production in many cases has increased by 25 to 30 per cent in the last few years, with the same amount of operators and in many cases less.
“Many of the employes can verify their weekly earnings are less now even though they have received two wage increases in the past few years. They cannot make anywhere near the efficiency they were making a few years ago and this is the reason the union had to make some late proposals to the company. If the company wanted to make a sincere effort to reach an agreement, they still had plenty of time to do so.”
Mengacci asserted the union does not believe the non-tire plants are putting the company in a “severe economic squeeze,” if they grant the same wage increases as the tire companies.” He noted wages increase of 41.6 per cent have been given to George R. Vila, president of Uniroyal, and 36.6 per cent to Walter D. Baldwin, vice president. “The union is not saying these men do not deserve the increase, but if the company wants to talk percentages, then talk percentages from top to bottom,” the Union official said.
“We are happy the company has seen fit to increase the vacation allowance for employes with one to five years of seniority, but what about the employe with 10 or more years of seniority.”
The union official also said that, although the company had improved some of the contract clauses, the union questions why the company would not give a letter of commitment, “which would not cost a penny to treat union members with decency and respect. If management expects our members to treat them with decency and respect, then we expect the same treatment. A written commitment would have gone a long way in reaching a settlement.”
No comments were made on the pension and insurance pact offered by the company. Mengacci said it had to be studied before a statement was made. However, he said he “was happy to see the company is negotiating with the union, even though it took from April 12 to June 5 to make their latest offer. The union rejection was a take-it-all or reject-it-all offer, which the union could not live with.
“I can assure Mr. Smith that George Froehlich and the rest of the union’s committee of Local 45 will do everything in their power to bring this dispute to a settlement as fast as possible,” Mengacci concluded.
Local 45 President George Froehlich has foregone the negotiating session today in Cincinnati, Ohio to meet with the membership of his union this afternoon at 3 o’clock in the high school auditorium.
Froehlich announced Saturday that he will conduct a briefing session for the membership on the status of the negotiations.
Reportedly the sessions last week broke off Friday in a stalemate. Froehlich said that although he could not paint a bright picture for his people today, he was always hopeful for a settlement.
Froehlich confirmed that one of the main stumbling blocks to settlement is working conditions. However, he said this is only one of the problems being negotiated.
The meeting today is for the membership only, with the public and press reportedly barred.
The record-breaking rubber industry strike is now entering its 60th day. URW Locals voted Saturday to strike General Tire’s Waco, Texas, plant at midnight tonight and its Akron, Ohio, plant at midnight Wednesday. URW workers at these plants had been working without a contract on a day-to-day basis previously.
With this latest URW move, only one of the “big five” rubber companies is maintaining regular production. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. employes are continuing to work on a day-to-day basis.
URW President Peter Bommarito, who describes the union demands as “attainable,” said his men want higher increases and a 95 per cent supplementary plan.
Picketing at the borough plants of UniRoyal has remained quiet and peaceful with striking URW members taking their turn on the picket line as matter of course.
A report from Akron said that 75 URW members have been accepted for Summit County welfare payments. Many others are said to be filling out applications for welfare.
Locally, the Welfare Department reported an increase in
its payments to outside poor; however, Supt. of Welfare Katherine Brennan reported this was
not entirely due to strikers added to the rolls.
Please turn to Page 10
Continued From Page 1 6-A
The Welfare Department is watching its budget carefully to see whether it will need additional funds to help our URW members.
Long-Range Peace
ucts.
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.
area.
Continued From Page 1
for fear it would obligate him
to UAW leader Walter Reuther
who is at odds with AFL-CIO
leaders.
Simkin has told the press that
he wants the negotiations in
Pittsburgh to be more than ex-
ploratory. He is hoping for a
settlement.
Local 45 Vice-President
Raymond Mengacci reported
yesterday that more than $100,-
000 has been contributed to the
strike benefit fund by union
people still working.
NAUGATUCK — Talks on a master contract between the United Rubber Workers and Uniroyal are scheduled to resume today. There were no talks between company and union negotiators Monday.
In Detroit, striking Uniroyal workers, discouraged by the lack of progress in the talks, prevented management personnel from entering the plant.
An estimated 1,300 strikers took part in a demonstration which included egg throwing. Police were at the scene, but no arrests were made, although some of the policemen were reportedly hit by the eggs.
Uniroyal management in the borough is scheduled to appear in court today in Waterbury to show cause why an injunction against the Naugatuck plants should not be issued.
Handwritten notation in top right corner: 6-27-67
A hearing was to resume this morning in Waterbury Superior Court on an application by the United Rubber Workers for an injunction against Uniroyal, Inc., which has plants in Beacon Falls and Naugatuck.
The union filed its application last Thursday, after the company began production of samples of new footwear designs.
The company agreed at that time to halt production until after a court hearing.
The hearing opened Tuesday before Judge Leo V. Gaffney. Three hours of testimony was taken in the afternoon from three union members.
At the center of the controversy is a written agreement, signed April 18 by both parties, three days before the nationwide rubber workers’ strike began.
The agreement provides for the orderly shutdown and maintenance of the Naugatuck Footwear plant during the strike.
It includes a clause stipulating that “the company agrees that for the duration of the strike there will be no work performed by nonbargaining unit employes that is normally performed by bargaining unit personnel.”
Local 45 of the URW maintains last Thursday’s production violates the agreement.
Company Defense
While not clearly stating what its defense would be, the company yesterday indicated it would argue the April 18 agreement was voided when the union allegedly violated a provision intended to insure unimpeded entrance and exit to the plant through specified gates.
Three days of clashes between union members and police early in May, when pickets attempted to keep office personnel from entering the plant, resulted in the arrest of 71 union members and a warning from Judge Gaffney that he would issue an injunction against the union if the violence was not stopped.
In testimony yesterday, Raymond Mengacci, vice president of Local 45, said he had “no doubt” violence would erupt at the plant unless the court issues an order restraining the company from producing sample shoes with nonunion supervisory personnel.
“We will have some very bad violence. You can expect bloodshed in Naugatuck,” Mengacci said.
Service—Use Sentinel Want Ads
6-28-67 [handwritten]
Uniroyal, Inc. will suffer a very severe financial loss “forcing a reduction in production” at its Naugatuck Footwear plant if it is not permitted to produce samples of its new designs, a company official said today.
Thomas J. Nelligan, labor relations manager, testified at a Superior Court hearing this morning that failure of the company to have samples to show its customers in August will mean a very large drop in the amount of production needed for the coming year and “in turn less employes.”
Nelligan was the first company representative to testify at a hearing to consider United Rubber Workers Union application for an injunction against the company production.
He said samples for next summer’s market would normally have been produced between April and July of this year.
He said salesmen would have been scheduled to take the samples into the field beginning Aug. 1.
Without the samples, he said the company will have no way of proving “to its buyers that its line is better than its competitors.”
At the opening of the session Tuesday before Judge Leo V. Gaffney, a Local 45 official predicted “there would be bloodshed in Naugatuck if the company is permitted to resume production with non-union members.”
The union filed its application for an injunction against Uniroyal last Thursday after the company began production of samples of new footwear designs. The company agreed at that time to halt production until after a court hearing.
April 18 Agreement
At the core of the controversy is a written agreement signed by both parties April 18, three days before the nation-wide rubber workers strike began.
The agreement provides for orderly shutdown and maintenance of the borough Footwear Plant during the strike.
It includes a clause stipulating that “the company agrees that for the duration of any strike there will be no work performed by non-bargaining unit employes that is normally performed by bargaining unit personnel.”
Local 45 claims Thursday’s production violates that agreement.
While not clearly stating what its defense would be, the company Tuesday indicated it will argue that the April 18 agreement was rendered void when the union allegedly violated a provision intended to insure unimpeded entrance and exit to the plant through certain gates.
(Cont’d on Page 2—UNIROYAL)
By Ruth Nichols
Production at the UniRoyal Footwear plant will be suspended for at least another week to allow time for briefs to be filed and Judge Leo V. Gaffney to come to a decision on whether a restraining injunction should be granted against the firm.
Two days of testimony from both Local 45 and UniRoyal Footwear Division management ended yesterday afternoon in Waterbury Superior Court. Judge Gaffney asked that written briefs be submitted to him by next Wednesday by both attorneys and stated that he will make his decision within a couple of days after reviewing the briefs and transcripts of the court proceedings.
Local 45 ended its testimony yesterday after calling Joseph Foley to the stand. Foley, a 21-year employe of the plant, member of the Union negotiating team and strike captain, was questioned on what might happen if the company was allowed to produce sample shoes.
Foley told the court that there would be violence on the picket line. He also testified that large numbers of supervisory personnel passed through the picket lines daily without incident.
Atty. J. Kenneth Bradley opened UniRoyal’s testimony by calling Thomas Nelligan, Labor Relations Manager, to the stand.
Nelligan told the court that 4,500 footwear plant employes are out on strike while 850 non-bargaining employes are working. All UniRoyal plants in the borough, with the exception of the footwear plant, are producing.
Nelligan cited the need for the sample shoes by August 1st. If the shoes were not ready to show by that date, according to Nelligan, there would be a reduction of production and a need for less employes.
Nelligan, under questioning, stated that if production of samples was allowed there would be no loss to striking employes but their wages. The Judge ruled that this answer should be stricken. Nelligan said he had no way of knowing what the cost to URW members and their families would be overall.
Nelligan said that these sample shoes could not be produced elsewhere. That it would take about 200 people, six weeks to two months to produce the necessary number of sample shoes. He said the bargaining people had been offered, through the union, the work first.
Factory Manager Jack Smith told the court that it was Monday or Tuesday of last week that the decision was made to start production on sample shoes.
Attorney Daniel Baker, URW counsel, questioned Nelligan about production at other UniRoyal plants. He asked if these samples couldn’t be made at one of the other company shoe producing plants that was currently in production.
Nelligan told the court that this was not possible because a different type of shoe was made at these plants.
Baker then opened the question of management starting its inventory using non-bargaining personnel. He also returned to the subject of the “Gray Building.”
How many shoes were produced in the building? Nelligan stated that the first three or four sample shoes were made in the building. The union sought inspection of the “gray building.”
Judge Gaffney asked if a member of the Industrial Relations Department accompanied the union inspection team on its tour.
Smith told the court about the pickets not allowing personnel into the plant in the early days of the strike. He said on the first day of mass picketing he conferred with Naugatuck Police Capt. Joseph Summa and sent management personnel home. He said all this occurred after the union had been notified 24-hours in advance of the company’s intention to ship.
Smith testified that on the May 15th meeting with union representatives, the company made known its intention to start production, first offering the work to bargaining personnel. He told the court he, at that time, told the union he believed there was no longer an agreement; however, it was then believed settlement was imminent and the company did not press for production.
Again on the subject of sample shoes, Smith said that production could not be carried on in the “Keds” line, produced here in the borough, in another company plant without moving equipment in large numbers to another location.
Smith spoke of the work the union had allowed to continue in the “Gray Building.” He said that the union knew that certain materials were produced in the main plant to carry on this work and hadn’t objected.
He said that this was the only footwear plant in the United States to be shut down and declared it was necessary to have sample shoes ready by the August 1st date.
Smith said that if samples were not ready, salesmen would miss sales and this, in turn, would lower sales, lower fill-in sales, and thus reduce production in the Naugatuck Footwear plant.
Smith, again questioned about the agreement and the May 15th meeting, told the Judge that he did not remember coming back into the meeting room after making a telephone call and telling union representative that he would “honor the agreement.”
Baker asked Smith had he given the union 24-hours notice of intent to ship. And had not the company made an oral agreement that no personnel would enter the plant after 6 p.m.
Then Baker asked had not the fact that personnel came into the
Please Turn to Page 12
BEACON FALLS – Captain Walter C. Carlson of Beacon Hose Co. No. 1 has announced that members will attend the Firemen’s Parade in Oxford this evening.
Members are requested to meet at the firehouse at 6:30 in full dress uniforms.
Exactly how many signed up
for compensation could not be
learned, but strikers contacted
later in the day noted that the
lines were long and double.
During the last session of the
General Assembly, legislation
was introduced to make com-
pensation available to people on
strike, but the legislation failed.
A bill recently signed by Gov.
John Dempsey did not include
striking workers.
In the past strikers have been
refused unemployment compen-
sation. Normally only those out
of work due to a mass shut
or temporary layoffs, or those
those who quit work for various
reasons are eligible.
Labor Commissioner Renato
Ricciuti, contacted Friday night,
said he had no idea why the
strikers were suddenly applying
for the compensation. Although
anyone out of work and with
wage credits can apply, said the
commissioner, strikers cannot
collect.
As to why the strikers were
told to wait another week, Ric-
ciuti was also uncertain about
that, but thought perhaps the
staff at the bureau did not want
to flaly refuse the people.
A request from Footwear
Plant management to Local 45
seeking oilers to work on the
machines did not receive action
Friday, according to Local 45
Vice Pres. Raymond Mengacci.
He said that the matter would
be discussed today.
8-10-63 [handwritten]
NAUGATUCK —The chairman and president of Uniroyal, Inc. reported in a letter to stockholders this weekend that the impact of the 81-day strike on earnings and income is severe.
George R. Vila, chairman and president, said that the “impact on earnings is severe because fixed costs in the striking plants continue without the production necessary to absorb them. As a consequence, net income for the second quarter will be sharply lower than the $1.06 a common share in 1966.”
Raymond Mengacci, executive vice president of Local 45 UIW, said today that he had read the letter and was not surprised at its content.
He said that the letter was almost the same as forwarded to the striking employes of the Footwear Division in May. He also said that it contained the original offer made by the company to URW and to his knowledge the offer has not been changed since then. Many of the strikers are also share holders of Uniroyal under a co-operative stock plan.
The 19 plants idle due to the strike represent about 50 per cent of the employes and over 70 per cent of sales in the United States, Vila said.
“When the strike was called, the company had sizeable inventories in many product lines which helped to cushion the impact on sales,” he explained.
Negotiations with the union started March 21 with initial union demands for wage increases and employee benefits of more than $1.40 per hour for a two-year period, exclusive of pensions and insurance, Vila told the stockholders.
“Several days before the strike deadline of April 20, the company offered a proposal on wages and benefits which totalled 28 cents per hour for a two-year period,” he said. The company estimated that a new pension and insurance agreement to be negotiated in September would add between 20 and 25 cents per hour. The total increased cost would be about 50 cents per hour over a two-year period. The union rejected the offer prior to the deadline.
The company proposed that the employes continue to work while negotiations proceeded. However, this was also rejected.
The company offered on June 5 a three-year contract covering 12 principal points. It totals approximately 72 cents per hour including pensions and insurance, the chairman said.
“It involves increases of 10.5 per cent for the first year, 2.2 per cent the second and 2.2 per cent the third year. This offer has also been rejected by the union,” he said.
Contract Proposals
Specific proposals include the following: wages — in tire plants, an increase of 16 cents per hour in 1967, 11 cents in 1968 and 11 in 1969. In non-tire plants, an increase of 13 cents, followed by two yearly increases of 9 cents.
Skilled trades — 10 cent increases in addition to the above increases, in 1967; vacation pay — two weeks pay for employes with one year of seniority and three weeks vacation pay for five years. The present provision of four weeks pay after 15 years and five weeks after 25 years would continue.
There would also be supplemental unemployment benefits increased from 65 per cent of average pay (plus up to $2 for up to four dependents, with a maximum payment of $50) to 75 per cent of average pay with no maximums for all employes on regular layoff, plus other provisions. The company contributions to the supplemental unemployment fund would be increased from five cents to six cents per hour when the fund falls below 100 per cent. The fund increased from $250 to $350 per employe.
A 60 per cent increase in regular pensions from $3.25 to $5.25 per month per year of service was included. A 60 per cent increase in disability pensions from $6.50 to $10.50 per month per year of service, and an increase of $1.50 per month per year of service for living pensioners who were retired after July 1, 1950.
Other increases included those affecting life insurance, hospitalization, X-ray and radium therapy, visiting nurse, surgical payments and sickness and accident benefits.
AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Negotiations were to resume today in the 80-day old rubber industry strike with a warning from a union official here that the walkout could spread.
John Nardella, president of Local 2, United Rubber Workers, said “a strong possibility” existed a strike deadline would be called in negotiations with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Other union sources indicated the deadline might be midnight Wednesday.
Nardella said Goodyear negotiators had indicated the company was ready to make a move on its offer, but had not yet done so.
Nardella gave a detailed report Sunday to the Local 2 membership on progress in contract negotiations. He said union policy committee “would initiate a new course of action” if no settlement was reached soon.
Work at Goodyear has continued on a day to day basis since April 20 when the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Uniroyal Inc., and the B. F. Goodrich Co. were struck. General Tire & Rubber was struck June 21.
A strike against Goodyear would idle some 21,000 men at 11 plants in addition to the 54,000 men already on strike across the nation.
Continued From Page 1
Mont said his bank “is not pressing anybody to the wall. We go along with the circumstance. I expect some withdrawals — it’s property tax time now.”
Neil Stanley of the Naugatuck Savings and Loan Association says his bank is “endeavoring to accept partial payments on loans. There’s nothing much more we can do except sort of sympathize. People are making a very strenuous effort to stay current.” He said the bank has had “numerous small withdrawals from a large number of people.”
At one time, Naugatuck was among the three highest cities in the United States noted for its savings deposits in the city’s banks.
Frank J. Hayes, manager of the Household Finance Co. in Waterbury, says “People are hurting for money. A hell of a lot of creditors aren’t getting paid. It’s a little bit of a crisis. The strikers on picket duty get $15 weekly and there’s not much that can be done with that. It’s a tough situation. We’re not pressing anybody. You can’t get blood out of a turnip, that would be utter folly.”
James N. Greene, executive vice president of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce says, “business has dropped off, but there is no way of telling how much at this point. We know that it has dropped, strictly by word of mouth. The town is still in a healthy situation, because there are other major plants in and around Naugatuck, but we wish the strike was over. UniRoyal is a vital element in the economy’s health.”
Jean Gagnon, of Gagnon’s General Store, says 65 per cent of his customers are UniRoyal workers. “Business has dropped at least 25 per cent. We can’t take it too much longer. Last week, I had to cut credit to food items only. If the strike goes on another month, I’ll have to cut off credit completely, if I’m going to survive.
“We became participants in the Food Stamp program June 1 by necessity. I found that some of my customers who never qualified for stamp relief, now qualify. The program has, since the strike, been of some help to them and to us,” he said.
Holding Own
A hardware store manager, who did not want his store identified, says his firm “hasn’t been hurt too much. We supply all the maintenance stuff for the rubber company and, now, we’re not delivering anything — although the orders still come in. We’re holding our own,” he said.
Jack Smith, factory manager for UniRoyal’s Footwear Division, said “The strike has had an adverse effect on the local economy.” He said also, “We have customers who want to be serviced and they complain if they don’t get it.”
John Evans, factory manager, or UniRoyal’s Chemical Division says “The strike has been a hardship on a town with 5,500 employes striking out of a population of 20,000. But there’s been no local pressure either. We’re just sitting tight here and hoping Ohio settles it.”
September Impact
Ira Mackler, of M. Freedman & Co., a department store, thinks “the full impact of the strike will be reflected in the fall. I’m planning for a decrease. Actually, we’re playing it by ear. Payments are lagging. I’m surprised that the collections have not been as bad as they might be in view of the situation. We are extending extra credit to our people and working with them.”
In an editorial June 23, Frederick E. Hennick of the Naugatuck Daily News, said “It must be equally obvious to both sides in this dispute that there is a crying need to bring this strike to an end for humanitarian reasons, if for no others.
“Too many people are being badly hurt in this struggle which has now gone down in history as the longest rubber industry strike in the nation’s history — something of which neither side should be especially proud.”
One thing some residents with a historical bent seem to point to with pride is the city’s reputation as the birthplace of the rubber industry while Akron is known as its cradle.
It was here in 1840, beside the Naugatuck River which was to become the most polluted river in the United States, that Charles Goodyear developed the process he named for the Roman god of fire — vulcanization — giving birth to the rubber industry.
Most strikers seem to wish Vulcan would breath fire into the smoke stacks that stud the city’s skyline sending the reek of ammonia through the valley — an oppressive smell that would be welcomed because it would mean a return to normal.
THE NEW YORK TIMES,
7-11-67
GAINS REPORTED
IN RUBBER TALKS
Chief U.S. Mediator Moves
Back Into Negotiations
By DAVID R. JONES
Special to The New York Times
WASHINGTON, July 10—The
Government’s top labor medi-
ator moved back into the rub-
ber industry, labor negotiations
today, amid reports of prog-
ress in settling the industry’s
81-day-old strike.
William E. Simkin, director
of the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service, went to
Columbus, Ohio, to keep an
eye on bargaining there be-
tween the B. F. Goodrich Com-
pany and the striking United
Rubber Workers.
A union official said that
“real progress is being made”
in the talks with Goodrich.
Ward Keener, Goodrich presi-
dent, also said progress was
being made.
Meanwhile, the union set a
strike deadline of 12:01 A.M.
Thursday against the Goodyear
Tire and Rubber Company.
Goodyear, which employs 21,-
000, has been operating on a
day-to-day basis while ne-
gotiating on a new contract
to replace one that expired
April 20.
The union struck Goodrich,
the Firestone Tire and Rub-
ber Company and Uniroyal,
Inc., on that date and shut
down the General Tire and
Rubber Company several weeks
later. About 54,000 workers
have been made idle by the
strike.
Signs of Optimism
The precise reason for Mr.
Simkin’s trip to Columbus was
not disclosed, but there were
signs of some optimism that
a break might be near with
Goodrich. Mr. Simkin called
the union and the five com-
panies together a few weeks
ago in Pittsburgh in a bid for
agreement, but that failed.
Informed sources said Good-
rich and the union had re-
solved most of the important
noneconomic contract items and
were returning to the money
issues. The two sides bargained
throughout the weekend while
other negotiations, carried on
individually with each com-
pany, recessed yesterday.
All the companies except
General were last reported to
have offered the union a wage
increase of 40 cents an hour,
plus a supplemental unemploy-
ment benefit of 75 per cent of
straight-time hourly wages for
those laid off. General offered
43 cents an hour and an 80
per cent layoff benefit.
The union’s tire workers now
average $3.68 an hour, while
nontire workers average $2.69.
A key union demand has been
to raise the layoff benefit from
the present 65 per cent of
wages to between 92.5 and 95
per cent.
The negotiations have been
complicated by the presence of
a new union president, Peter
Bonmarito, who was elected
this year on a militant plat-
form and has been under pres-
sure to achieve big gains.
7-12-67
AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — The United Rubber Workers (URW) will strike the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Thursday midnight if no contract agreement is reached, a union spokesman said Tuesday.
The URW already is on strike against four other major rubber companies. Three of them have been closed for the past 82 days.
Kenneth Oldham, a member of the union’s Goodyear policy committee of the URW, said about 22,000 union members will walk off their jobs at 11 Goodyear factories from coast to coast if a satisfactory agreement is not reached by Thursday night.
About 51,000 workers have been on strike against Firestone, Goodrich and Uniroyal of Naugatuck, Conn., since April 20, when contracts expired.
Another 3,000 URW members struck two General Tire plants June 15.
The strike is the longest in industry history.
With Goodyear also struck, about 75 per cent of industry capacity will be idled, and the flow of tires and other materials to the defense industry will be sharply cut.
Shortage of defense products, according to some observers, may be sufficient to allow the federal government to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act, and force the rubber workers back to work for an 80-day “cooling-off period.”
7-13-67 [handwritten]
AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — With four major rubber companies closed by a record long strike, the United Rubber Workers (URW) prepared to walkout at midnight tonight against the fifth and largest firm, Goodyear Tire & Rubber.
Industry capacity would be cut by 75 per cent with the addition of Goodyear to the list of struck firms.
The flow of tires and other materials to the auto and defense industries would be sharply reduced.
Goodyear’s 21,000 workers would bring to 75,000 the number idled across the country.
The union went on strike against Firestone Tire & Rubber, B. F. Goodrich and Uni-
Royal, Inc., April 20, and employes at two of General Tire & Rubber Co.’s nine plants walked out June 21.
Possible Intervention
A reduction in the flow of defense material raised the possibility the federal government would invoke the Taft-Hartley Act to send workers back for an 80-day cooling off period.
William E. Simkin, chief of the Federal Mediation Service, went to Columbus, Ohio, earlier in the week to assist in negotiations with B. F. Goodrich, the largest supplier of aircraft tires with between 35 and 40 per cent of the nation’s production.
The URW also struck the Schenuit Rubber Co. of Balti-
more last Saturday. Schenuit’s entire production of aircraft tires goes to the federal government and represents 20 per cent of the government’s needs.
The contract at Goodyear expired with the others but work continued at the plants on a day-to-day basis while talks continued.
URW negotiators said Thursday only economic issues blocked a settlement with the five major firms. All other contractural matters were settled last Friday.
Benefit Plan
The union originally asked for a supplemental unemployment benefit plan which would
Please turn to Page 10
Town Hall
7-20-67 [handwritten notation]
AKRON, OHIO (UPI)—Signs of optimism were apparent today in the 90-day-old rubber industry strike.
There also were further sings of the walkout’s growing financial toll, as the B. F. Goodrich Co. reported its second quarter net income was down 92.5 per cent.
Goodrich and General Tire & Rubber Co. reached agreement with the United Rubber Workers (URW) last week.
Uniroyal, Inc., of Naugatuck, Conn., Firestone Tire & Rubber and Goodyear Tire & Rubber continued negotiations with the URW.
Among the hopeful signs was approval of the general three-year contract by Local 9 here. Despite a heated feud over the method of voting, the union’s executive board ruled Wednesday that a four-to-one favorable vote—first by show of hands and then a standing vote—would be upheld.
Production in some departments at the General plant here resumed last midnight. The company said it expected to be going full steam sometime next week. Local 312 in Waco, Tex., will vote on the same agreement Saturday.
Akron Local 5 will vote on the Goodrich agreement Sunday and locals at eight other Goodrich plants also were expected to vote during the weekend.
Industry spokesmen reported growing hopes other settlements would come soon.
At Uniroyal one official described it as an “optimistic but cautious” attitude.
Future settlements were expected to follow substantially the same pattern set in the General and Goodrich agreements.
The contracts provide all employes with wage increases of 43 cents over three years and an 80 per cent supplemental unemployment program.
The Goodrich agreement eliminated a pay raise differential between tire and none-tire workers and the URW was expecetd to ask the other firms to do the same. Non-tire workers were not involved at General.
Goodrich reported its net income fell to $1,007,732 or 11 cents a share from $13,403,086 for the second quarter last year. Sales for the quarters were off 10 per cent.
Goodrich was the first of the “Big Five” firms to release figures showing the nearly full impact of the strike. Goodrich plants have been closed for all but three weeks of the second quarter.
Firestone, Uniroyal and Goodrich were struck April 20, General on June 21, and Goodyear on July 6.
At its peak the strike had idled 76,000 men.
7/12/67 [handwritten date in top right corner]
The 13-week-old rubber-industry strike is continuing, despite rumors that a settlement is imminent.
No new developments have been reported in negotiations between the two strikebound tire companies, Uniroyal and Goodyear, and the United Rubbers Workers (URW).
Uniroyal has plants at Beacon Falls and Naugatuck.
Agreements have been reached within the past eight days with Firestone, Goodrich and General Tire & Rubber Co. The strike, longest in rubber-industry history, has idled up to 76,000 workers across the nation.
Peter Bommarito, URW president, went yesterday to Cincinnati, where the talks are being conducted, to participate in the negotiations, with Goodyear and Uniroyal. Talks were scheduled to resume today.
What issue or issues prevented a settlement by the end of the week could not be learned.
Eleven URW locals in nine states began preparations for voting next week on a new three-year contract with the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
URW and company negotiators reached tentative agreement on a new pact Thursday night that calls for hourly increases of 43 cents over the period.
The Firestone agreement closely parallels settlements reached earlier with B. F. Goodrich and General Tire & Rubber Co.
All 1000 Firestone production workers will receive immediate 15-cents-an-hour raises, followed by another 15-cent raise next year and 13 cents the third year.
A Union Goal Met
Tire workers averaged $3.68 an hour under the old contract while non-tire workers averaged $.68. The 43-cent raise applies to both tire workers and non-tire workers, which was a major union goal.
A union spokesman said the contract also contains a “big step” toward a guaranteed annual wage in the form of an unemployment supplemental benefit plan giving laid-off workers 80 per cent of their regular pay.
Union and company officials said work would resume at the Firestone plants immediately after the contract was ratified.
Many Footwear employes are
entitled to four weeks and in
some instances five weeks of
vacation. These workers are
permitted to take the extra
weeks at various intervals
through the year so as not to
conflict with the annual vaca-
tion shutdown.
Employes of the Chemical and
Synthetic Divisions now on
strike are allowed to stagger
their vacations. Accordingly,
the plant under normal condi-
tions do not close for any allot-
ted vacation-time as is the case
at Footwear.
Meanwhile, the negotiations
Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO and
Uniroyal have developed into a
cliff-hanging affair.
Reportedly, this past Friday,
the two teams were close to a
settlement on a new master
contract. However a hitch over
some clauses reportedly caused
a new disagreement.
The decision of Firestone to
settle this past Thursday was
the signal for considerable op-
timism here. It was expected
that Uniroyal would follow not
only Firestone, but also Gen-
eral and Goodrich, the other
companies that came to an
earlier agreement with URW.
A reliable report has indicat-
ed that some problems with
Article 9 are holding up the
agreement on the new contract.
The article refers to working
conditions, notably speed-up
of production operations.
URW workers affiliated with
Uniroyal including those of the
three divisions here, Footwear,
Chemical and Synthetic have
the dubious honor of participat-
ing in the longest strike in the
history of the rubber industry.
The strike against Uniroyal
s now in its 94th day. Back on
April 21, union workers of Uni-
oyal, Firestone and Goodrich
egan the marathon walkout.
Since Goodrich and Firestone
have now settled, Uniroyal is
he only one of the three left
utside the fold.
7-24-67 [handwritten]
No break has yet been reported in the 94-day United Rubber Workers-UniRoyal strike. According to sources an all-day session was held yesterday in Cincinnati with small committees meeting through the night.
URW International President Peter Bommarito moved into talks Friday between the union and the two remaining rubber companies, UniRoyal and Goodyear.
Hope ran high Friday in the borough that a settlement would be reached sometime during the day. However, another weekend has past and the mood has returned to the passive waiting of previous weeks.
Vacation pay checks are scheduled to be distributed tomorrow and Wednesday to employes of the Footwear Plant. Many workers have planned vacations for the next two weeks, settlement or not. Other employes have been waiting for these checks to give their finances a boost.
Chemical and Synthetic plant workers have been scheduling their vacations at various times during the strike. These plants do not have a general shutdown as does the footwear plant.
AKRON, Ohio (UPI)—United Rubber Worker locals in Akron and Miami, Okla., voted Sunday to accept a new contract from the B. F. Goodrich Co., bringing the 94-day strike, longest in rubber industry history, closer to an end.
The process of ratification continued at Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., and General Tire & Rubber Co. during the weekend. Negotiations with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and UniRoyal Inc., did not arrive at a settlement hoped for during the weekend.
Some 4,000 URW members jammed the auditorium of Akron University to shout approval of the new Goodrich contract. Local 5 here has 4,900 members, almost half of the 11,000 employes covered in the contract.
Voice Vote Approval
In Miami, where the Goodrich employes have been back working since Friday, Local 318 approved the contract by a voice vote. Other votes from other locals around the country were expected today at URW international headquarters here. A majority of locals must ratify the contract before it is officially accepted.
General’s two tire factories, here and in Waco, Tex., were expected back in full production this week, following the vote by Local 318 in Waco to ratify the contract Saturday. All 3,000 URW members in the General Tire factories have approved the contract.
Some 17,000 Firestone employes, in 11 locals in 9 states, were to begin voting on their settlement today.
A majority of the more than 75,000 strikers, however, are still idled. About 22,000 of them have been out since April 20th when UniRoyal was struck. The 21,000 at Goodyear did not strike until July 14.
A Goodyear spokesman declined to make any comment about what was holding up negotiations.
They were taking place in Cincinnati.
Conform To Pattern
The settlements, when they are achieved, were expected to conform closely to the pattern already set.
The three settlements will all provide raises of 43 cents per hour to production workers, in steps of 15, 15 and 13 cents. The contracts will include a supplemental unemployment benefit plan giving laid off workers 80 per cent of their regular wages.
Please turn to Page 10
Dedicated To Community Public Service
[Handwritten note: 7-25-67]
STRIKING FOOTWEAR PLANT employes who have been without a pay for 13 weeks are shown collecting their vacation pays at the Water St. gate this morning. The UniRoyal Company is asking employes if they want to work during the scheduled shut-down, if the strike is settled, when they call for their checks. —(News photo by Baker)
Continued From Page 1
AKRON, Ohio (UPI) —Labor peace returned to the rubber capital of the world today. The four largest rubber companies based here have signed contracts with the United Rubber Workers (URW).
The largest tire producer in the world, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., reached agreement Monday on a new three year contract. The settlement closely parallels the three others reached in the last 10 days of the strike by General Tire & Rubber Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber, and the B. F. Goodrich Co.
Only UniRoyal Inc., a New York based firm, remained without a contract among the “big five” rubber producers. Talks continued in Cincinnati, as the strike went into its 95th day there.
Recalling Workers
The 5,400 members of the URW Local 7, at the Firestone tire plant here, ratified the new contract by a 3-1 margin Monday night. The plant began calling workers back for the overnight shift, and full production was expected to start this morning.
Ratification votes on the Goodyear agreement were scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. The contract covers some 21,000 employes in 11 factories in 10 states.
Goodyear has five tire factories in Akron, Gadsden, Ala., Los Angeles; Jackson, Mich.; and Topeka, Kans.; and six plants making other products, in Windsor, Vt.; New Bedford, Mass.; North Chicago, Ill.; Lincoln, Neb.; St. Marys, Ohio, and Muncie, Ind.
The 8,400 members of Local 2 will vote here at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The president of the local, John Nardella, claimed the agreement gave Goodyear workers better benefits that the other three. The improvements
Back On Job
About 90 per cent of Goodrich workers were back on the job at the factory here, and General employes had been back on the job for more than a week.
The four agreements all provide for 43 cent increases for all production workers over the next three years, with an additional 10 cents to skilled workers. They all increase supplementary unemployment benefits from 65 per cent of normal pay to 80 per cent.
The four agreements break rubber industry precedents in wrapping up wages, working conditions, pensions and benefits in one three-year agreement. The Goodyear, Firestone and Goodrich settlements eliminate a wage increase differential between tire and non-tire workers.
In the old contracts, tire workers averaged $3.68 hourly and non tire workers $2.68. General employ no non-tire workers.
Continued From Page 1
7-26-62 [handwritten]
would go on a two or three-week vacation said their spouses worked elsewhere and that they had no, few or grown-up children.”
Another question asked the employees was: “Will you sign up to work during vacation if the strike ends?”
Most employees are as yet undecided, preferring to wait to see the turn of events concerning settlement of the strike.
One gentleman quipped, “Are you kidding?” This left us wondering whether he would or he wouldn’t.
A lady complained, “Yes I will. I’m not going on vacation. I’m sick of it.”
Another contradicted this saying, “No. This is my vacation and I’m going to enjoy it.”
From all indications, it looks like the annual mass exodus from the borough will not occur this summer. Perhaps sewing circles and neighborhood gatherings will come into vogue again before the end of the strike.