URW

Union Opposing Uniroyal’s Bid To Have Court Limit Picketing

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Union Opposing Uniroyal’s Bid To Have Court Limit Picketing

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.

Uniroyal Plea Stayed

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5-10-67

Uniroyal Plea Stayed

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

Strike Violence Flares For Second Day At Uniroyal Plant

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Strike Violence Flares For Second Day At Uniroyal Plar

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.

Pickets Arres

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:]
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tin C. Cross, 48,
Earl C. Matthew
St., all of Naug
Kinsey, 31, 79
Waterbury, and […]
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The arrested […]
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Court, June 8.

UniRoyal Case Continued

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UniRoyal Case Continued

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.”

Uniroyal Injunction Delayed

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BEACON FALLS

5-10-67

Uniroyal Injunction Delayed

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.

Few Words On Negotiations; Strike Enters Fourth Week

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Few Words On Negotiations; Strike Enters Fourth Week

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.

Picketing Peaceful In Uniroyal Strike

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Picketing Peaceful In Uniroyal Strike

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.

Picket Lines Yield Again For Trucks

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Picket Lines Yield Again For Trucks

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.

Uniroyal Rumors Stay Unconfirmed

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Uniroyal Rumors Stay Unconfirmed

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.

Negotiations Recess Until Tuesday A.M.

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5-13-67

Negotiations Recess Until Tuesday A.M.

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.

Talks Resume Today In Uniroyal Dispute

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Talks Resume Today In Uniroyal Dispute

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.

Way Cleared For Strike

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Way Cleared For Strike

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]

Uniroyal Strike Talks Reopen In 53rd Day

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Uniroyal Strike Talks Reopen In 53rd Day

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 To Brief Membership

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Local 45 President To Brief Membership

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

Local 45 President

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

Uniroyal Strike Talks To Resume

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Uniroyal

Strike Talks

To Resume

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

Hearing to Resume on Plea Of Union for Uniroyal Stay

by
Hearing to Resume on Plea Of Union for Uniroyal Stay

Hearing to Resume on Plea Of Union for Uniroyal Stay

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

Strike Call Voted At Goodyear

by

Strike Call Voted At Goodyear

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.”

by
Untitled Clipping

Negotiators Report:

7-13-67 [handwritten]

Only Economic Issues Block Strike Settlement

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

Optimism Reported In Rubber Pact Talks

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Optimism Reported In Rubber Pact Talks

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.

Rubber Strike Holds On Despite End-Soon Rumors

by
Rubber Strike Holds On Despite End-Soon Rumors

BEACON FALLS

7/12/67 [handwritten date in top right corner]

Rubber Strike Holds On Despite End-Soon Rumors

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.

by

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.

94-Day UniRoyal Strike Continues

by

94-Day UniRoyal Strike Continues

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

Quick End To Strike

by
Quick End To Strike

82nd Year, Number 173

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)

Quick End To Strike

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.

Protests, Arrests Marked Strike

by

Protests, Arrests Marked Strike

The 98 days of the strike by the United Rubber Workers Locals 45, 308 and 218 against the Naugatuck Uniroyal plant were marked by rioting, arrests and court injunctions, as well as lengthy negotiations during much of the period.

Accord was reached last night to end the strike.

The union is set to ratify the agreement Saturday.

The strike was called on April 21 and affected 5,500 workers at the footwear, synthetics and chemical divisions of Uniroyal in Naugatuck and Beacon Falls.

The strike was third in eight years at the Naugatuck plant. In 1959 the walkout stopped production for three weeks, and in 1965 a strike lasted three days. The ’67 strike was the longest in rubber – industry history.

Nationally, the strike involved more than 50,000 persons and was the most widespread since 1959.

Early in May, 80 pickets were arrested for demonstrations against non – bargaining personnel attempting to enter the plant.

Uniroyal won an injunction that prevented the pickets from interfering with personnel or stopping trucks entering or leaving the gates at the three local plants.

About six weeks later, the union won an injunction restraining supervisory and other non-union employes from producing sample shoes during the strike.

All three locals at Naugatuck were involved in the strike. Local 45 represents 4,500 workers in Uniroyal’s footwear division; Local 218 represents 725 workers in the chemical plant, and Local 308 represents 240 workers in the synthetic plant.

Uniroyal was the last of the “Big Five” companies in the rubber industry to reach agreement with the rubber workers.

The Strike Is Over

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The Strike Is Over

Naugatuck

82nd Year, Number 175 | Dedicated To Community Public Service

Editorial

The Strike Is Over

The day that Naugatuck — and the whole Naugatuck Valley for that matter — has been waiting for has arrived.

The United Rubber Workers strike against UniRoyal has been settled, and within a few days the wheels should be turning once again almost as though they never had stopped.

Yet, unfortunately, there are scars left. It will be a long time before some people stop hurting. It is always so in every prolonged strike.

It is for that reason that we have never been able to condone strike action except as an utter last resort in a situation where injustice has made itself readily apparent. And this particular combination of circumstances is seldom to be found in these modern industrial times.

But never mind all of that now. Things are in the process of returning to something called “normal,” and for this the whole community can be happy.

It is perhaps enough at this point to recall that with the exception of some relatively minor incidents in the first few days of the strike, both labor and management showed commendable judgment in their corporate and individual behavior. We have no deep, unhealing scars to fester and poison.

Now it is important that every man and woman get back into the swing of things; that differences be forgotten and that every effort be made to profit by the unfortunate strike experience.

We have had a strike. Now it’s over, let’s forget about it and work together once again. That’s the way bigger and better communities are built.

Synthetic Local Rejects UniRoyal Master Contract

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Synthetic Local Rejects UniRoyal Master Contract

Synthetic Local Rejects UniRoyal Master Contract

Twenty-five per cent of the membership of Local 308, Synthetic Division, turned out last night to reject 32 to 26, the master contract recently agreed upon by the United Rubber Workers and UniRoyal, Inc.

Of the three Naugatuck locals, 308 was the only one to fail to ratify the contract. Local 45 approved it Saturday night, followed by Local 218 on Sunday.

Local President Edward Alves said that the reason for the rejection was that the contract did not offer time-and-a-half for Saturdays and a night shift bonus. He explained that presently, workers get time-and-a-half after 40 hours. He said that the membership was satisfied with all other aspects of the contract.

Union sources said that in order for the new contract to become effective it must be ratified by a majority of the UniRoyal URW membership and the majority of the company’s 19 locals.

The significance of Local 308’s failure to ratify the contract, continued Alves, is contingent only on the votes cast by the other locals. Synthetic Plant workers will continue to report to work.

According to the local president, the master contract will go into effect when the secondary contract is signed if the majority of UniRoyal locals vote for ratification.

Although the vote cast by the local will not hold up talks on the supplemental contract, Alves said that a date has not been set for the talks. A membership meeting, tentatively set for August 15, must be held first.

No Violence As Management Crosses Lines

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No Violence As Management Crosses Lines

By Ruth Nichols

Police were alerted early this morning when it was noticed that an unusually large number of pickets were massing at the gates of the Chemical Division of UniRoyal, Inc.

An attempt was made by approximately 30 pickets to keep management of the Chemical Division from entering the plant.

A large contingent of policemen, led by Capt. Joseph Summa, was dispatched to the trouble area. Capt. Summa read the riot act to the pickets when they refused to open their ranks to allow management through.

However, there was no violence committed by the pickets in their attempt to seal off the gates.

A group of eight pickets, including Joseph Rzeszutek, president of Local 218, URW, were taken to the police station in patrol cars where they were booked on breach of peace charges at 8 o’clock this morning. No resistance was offered.

Rzeszutek said this morning that the union had been notified that the company intended to resume production yesterday using supervisory personnel.

Rzeszutek issued the following statement on behalf of the Local: “The membership questioned the poor judgment of management’s decision to operate equipment with personnel unfamiliar with operation procedure and safety hazards involved. Serious accidents occur with experienced operators at the control of equipment and with a full compliment of people who were fortunate to contain hazardous situations.”

Rzeszutek continued by saying, “Operating production equipment with inexperienced personnel and only skeleton crews presents definite hazards

by

SATURDAY
MAY 27, 1967

UniRoyal

Continued From Page 1

According to Rzeszutek, the
only items shipped from the
Chemical were “slabs of re-
claim”, slabs of rubber re-
claimed from old tires and
other rubber items.

“What are they going to do
with slabs of reclaim, drop them
from airplanes and smother the
Viet Cong?” he asked.

Rzeszutek, a veteran of com-
bat who “had been shot up a few
times” himself, resented the
implication that he and his union
were unpatriotic. He said he
could guarantee that not one
thing had been shipped from the
Chemical plant to Vietnam.

Management lawyer, Atty. J.
Kenneth Bradley, said Friday
that the production was “par-
tially” for the defense effort,
and partially “for use in other
parts of the country.” The only
additional information he would
give was that the items “are not
for use by ourselves.”

A company official was quot-
ed Thursday as saying the oper-
ation of plant by management
personnel was for the produc-
tion of some key items neces-
sary for the Vietnam defense
effort.

In asking for an end to picket
line difficulties, Gaffney sym-
pathized with the union mem-
bers who felt that “someone is
destroying. . .the right to live
and work.” “I trust we will
never have a hearing”, the judge
said, adding that he hoped he
would not be forced to issue
an injunction against the union.

Judge Gaffney on May 6 issued
a show cause order against
Local 45 of the United Rubber
Workers in connection with
picketing at the Footwear Divi-
sion, but a hearing has never
been held. There have been two
continuances and more are ex-
pected as long as the picketing
remains peaceful.

The judge said he hoped the
issuance of a show cause order
will have the same effect at the
Chemical plant.

The United Rubber Workers
have been on strike for five-
weeks. Negotiations on the mas-
ter contract, being held in Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, recessed Friday
until Wednesday.

Striking Rubber Workers, Five Companies May Agree on a Single Package Contract

by
Striking Rubber Workers, Five Companies May Agree on a Single Package Contract

Striking Rubber Workers, Five Companies May Agree on a Single Package Contract

By a WALL STREET JOURNAL Staff Reporter

CLEVELAND—Contract negotiations between the United Rubber Workers Union and five major rubber companies may take a long step toward a settlement this week as sentiment appeared to grow for linking pension and welfare improvements into a single package with wages and other benefits.

This would be a departure from previous industry policy of keeping the usual two-year master wage contracts separate from the longer term pension and welfare agreements.

Strikes by the union have closed 39 plants of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Uniroyal Inc. and B. F. Goodrich Co. for 45 days. Contracts at those concerns expired April 20, as did those at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., whose plants have continued to operate on a day-to-day basis. Plants of General Tire & Rubber Co. also continued to operate since its contract expiration May 15.

Existing three-year pension and welfare agreements with Goodyear, Firestone, Uniroyal and Goodrich also are due to expire on Sept. 15, however, and the time proximity of the two rounds of negotiations has created a hurdle in reaching a wage contract agreement. Company executives, even before wage contract talks started, cited the prospect of facing two boosts in employment costs, plus two strike threats, in a single year.

More recently, with strike benefit funds about depleted by the lengthy work stoppages of some 51,000 employes of the three struck concerns, union officials were said to be becoming less adamant about keeping pension and welfare agreements separate from wage contracts.

While Peter Bommarito, URW international president, said a month ago the union was willing to consider a joint package proposal from the companies it is understood nothing more than exploratory discussions have taken place thus far in negotiations on this score.

At the weekend, however, a URW spkesman said the union would be “wide open to any proposals” from managements for wrapping up the two contracts in a single package. Company spokesmen also reiterated the contention that such a move common in most other industries, is “the most logical and sensible thing to do.”

Whether the resumption of talks, recessed since Thursday, between the union and Firestone, Goodyear, Goodrich and Uniroyal this morning will result in any moves toward a single, overall contract remains to be seen. But the belief of sources close to the negotiations indicated prospects are better than ever before.

One possibly sticky point is whether a single, overall agreement would be for two years or for three. Earlier pension and welfare agreements have been for as much as five years. But both union and company sources noted this could be an issue for negotiation.

Mr. Bommarito earlier disclosed he has called a meeting for June 25 and 27, in Cleveland, of union pension and welfare contract officials. A union spokesman said the meeting still is scheduled, but he indicated this would not necessarily rule out a possibility of negotiating a combined contract before then.

The union’s strike benefit fund, amounting to about $6.5 million at the start of the three-company strike, presumably is exhausted as a result of the prescribed $25 weekly payments to striking members. The union has called on working members for voluntary contributions

equivalent to one hour’s pay a week, but the extent of the response has not been disclosed.

Walter Reuther, president of the United Auto Workers union, has pledged striking rubber workers financial and other assistance in their dispute. But both UAW and URW officials decline to say whether any financial aid has been asked for or given.

Whatever the prospects for gaining an early single contract settlement, the union indicated at the weekend it intends to press its unfair labor practice charge against the five companies for their mutual strike aid pact reached last April 1.

In a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board regional office in Cleveland last week against Firestone, the union charged the pact thwarted free collective bargaining and is prolonging the strike against the three companies.

The union spokesman said identical complaints are in the mail to the NLRB against Uniroyal and Goodrich and will be followed today with complaints against Goodyear and General Tire.

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Talks To Be Recessed

by
Talks To Be Recessed

Talks To Be Recessed

Talks between the five union negotiating teams and the companies will be recessed today so that the package can be studied and to permit union officers to attend the funeral of Garnet L. Patterson, URW general counsel who died Saturday. It is doubtful, however, that the proposal would be accepted without several counterproposals being made.

Contention most likely would develop, it is understood, over the companies’ continued plan for pay-boost differentials between tire workers and other employes, the length of the contract and the guaranteed annual wage provisions. A pay-boost differential has been contained in each of the last three wage contracts, though the margins were narrowed in the 1965 agreement. Mr. Bommarito has labeled the differentials as discriminatory, however.

But the proposal has activated the negotiations, which had become somewhat passive. Moreover, the size of the proposed pay boosts indicate substantially higher employment costs, pointing to increased prices. Executives of the companies had said the negotiations were likely to increase costs so much that price boosts would be necessary.

URW Prepared To Continue Strike Another Month

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URW Prepared To Continue Strike Another Month

AKRON, OHIO (UPI) — United Rubber Workers President Peter Bommarito, said today that the United Rubber Workers had rejected an offer by the nation’s five leading rubber producers and that the URW was prepared to continue the strike for another month.

The URW had been offered a 38 cent per hour wage increase, an increase in pension, unemployment and welfare benefits.

Bommarito did not indicate what it would take for a settlement.

Strikers in the borough, out of work for 49-days, had their hopes of a settlement dashed with the announcement of the rejection today. The rejection coupled with the announcement of a cut in union weekly benefits from $25 to $15 was a bitter pill to swallow.

According to a letter received by UniRoyal employes today, the union rejected the proposal late Tuesday afternoon.

The UniRoyal letter received in today’s mail by employes, listing the companies offer in full is as follows:

June 8, 1967

Dear Fellow Employee:

The Company and Union negotiating committees have been meeting in Cincinnati since March 21 in an effort to negotiate a contract and wage agreement. The Union presented demands to the Company which would cost at least $1.40 per hour, as well as seriously impair its ability to operate its plants on a competitive basis. The Union presented a portion of these demands on April 12, but did not present its full proposal until 11 a.m. on April 19-just 37 hours before the strike deadline.

Prior to the strike deadline, the Company offered the Union a proposal on wages and benefits which was worth approximately 26 cents an hour. This was greater than the total settlement in 1965. The Company also offered to continue negotiations on a day-to-day basis in order to reach an agreement. The Union rejected this proposal. Two of the unions in the major rubber companies did agree to continue negotiations on this basis and their employees are still working. Your Union made no change in its position prior to the strike deadline.

Meanwhile, the Union criticized the Company’s proposal by stating that it amounted to only about a 2 1/2% increase, whereas other industries have made settlements amounting to about 5%. The Company pointed out to the Union that the 5% settlements to which they referred covered not only wage and contract matters but also pension and insurance benefits and that they afforded these industries a high degree of stability since they were generally for a three year period.

The Company told the union repeatedly that it could not increase its offer because it was faced with a large cost exposure when the pension and insurance agreement is opened for negotiation later this summer. Because this unknown factor acted as an obstacle to successfully concluding negotiations, an effort was made by the Company to open the pension and insurance negotiations now and attempts to negotiate all matters to a conclusion. This, of course, would provide improvements in pensions and insurance several months earlier in the year. This offer was made with full recognition that neither the Company nor the Union could insist that the other party negotiate on pensions and insurance at this time as a condition to settlement, but it was felt that this was a fair and reasonable method of resolving the problem.

In order that you may properly evaluate the situation, we felt you should know what the Company has offered. Following are the principal points in the proposal made to the Union on June 5, 1967:

  1. Wages – In tire plants, an increase of 16¢ per hour in 1967, 11¢ per hour in 1968 and 11¢ per hour in 1969. In non-tire plants, an increase of 13¢ per hour in 1967, 9¢ per hour in 1968 and 9¢ per hour in 1969. This would provide wage increases of 38¢ and 31¢ an hour respectively in a span of 24 months. The reason for the difference between tire and non-tire increases is that our competitors in the non-tire segment of our business do not pay the same high wages and benefits and do not provide the same increases as UniRoyal does. This has resulted in a severe economic squeeze in our non-tire plants.
  2. Skilled Trades – A 10¢ an hour increase in addition to the above increases, in the year 1967.
  3. Liberalized Vacation Pay – Two weeks vacation pay for employees with one year of seniority and 3 weeks of vacation pay for employees with 5 years of seniority (the present provisions of 4 weeks vacation pay after 15 years seniority and 5 weeks vacation pay after 25 years seniority would continue).

Please Turn to Page 12

Union Threatens Goodyear Strike

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Union Threatens Goodyear Strike

SEYMOUR 7-12-62

Union Threatens Goodyear Strike

The United Rubber Workers union said yesterday that Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. might become the fifth of the rubber industry’s big five producers to be struck if progress was not made in negotiations by midnight tomorrow.

If Goodyear is struck, 21,000 more rubber workers will be out of jobs, making a total of 76,000 union members idled.

The Firestone Tire and Rubbber Co., Uniroyal, Inc., and Goodrich Tire and Rubber Co. were struck June 21. Goodyear has been operating on a day-to – day basis.

The union charged that Goodyear has failed to bargain in good faith.

Uniroyal has plants in Beacon Falls and Naugatuck.

Rubber Workers Strike Goodyear

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Rubber Workers Strike Goodyear

7-14-67 [handwritten]

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — More than 20,000 United Rubber Workers at 11 Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. plants in 10 states joined today in the union’s longest and largest walkout against the rubber industry’s major producers.

Pickets appeared at plant gates at the Thursday midnight deadline—less than two hours after contract negotiations at Cincinnati had recessed with union representatives rejecting

Goodyear’s third offer in bargaining that has been going on nearly four months.

Goodyear had continued work on a day-to-day basis after the union struck Firestone, B.F. Goodrich and Uniroyal April 21, idling 51,000 employes. On June 2, General Tire & Rubber, smallest member of the industry’s big five was struck, adding 3,050 more workers to the walkout.

PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10

Strike— 7-14-67 [handwritten]

Continued from Page 1

The first break in the tie-up came Thursday when negotiators agreed to a contract covering 3,300 General Tire and Rubber Co. employes in Arkon, Ohio and Waco, Tex.

Negotiations are continuing in Cincinnati in attempts to reach agreement with other major rubber industries. About 5,000 Uniroyal employes in Naugatuck and Beacon Falls have been idled by the strike.

Goodyear employs 8,300 at its plants here and has another Ohio plant at St. Marys. Remaining plants are in Gadsden, Ala.; Los Angeles; Jackson, Mich.; Muncie, Ind.; North Chicago, Ill.; Topeka, Kan.; Lincoln, Neb.; Windsor, Vt., and New Bedford, Mass.

Meeting Called By Mediators

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Meeting Called By Mediators

6-21-67 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK—Small negotiating teams from each of the five major rubber companies and the United Rubber Workers Union have been called for a special group meeting Thursday by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

The federal government has evidently decided that a 62-day-old strike involving over 51,000 people constitutes a problem requiring high-level action.

The meeting, scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa., will include teams of three management negotiators and three union negotiators from each of the five companies.

Although the full compliment of Uniroyal teams could not be learned Tuesday night, it was known that chief Uniroyal management negotiator will be Eugene Worchester and the chief Uniroyal union negotiator will be Herbert Dawson.

A URW local negotiator, contacted Tuesday, said that the union groups will choose the two

(Cont’d On Page 2—Uniroyal)

Reuther Calls Rubber Offer “Miserly”

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Reuther Calls Rubber Offer "Miserly"

Reuther Calls Rubber Offer “Miserly”

7-1

AKRON, Ohio (UPI)—The head of the United Auto Workers Union said Friday a wage offer to striking United Rubber Workers (URW) by major tire producers was “miserly.”

Walter Reuther, who has taken up the cause of the striking rubber workers by pumping more than $1 million into the URW’s strike fund, said a wage increase offer of 43 cents per hour by the “big five” tire producers was “miserable, inadequate and unacceptable.”

The 43-cent wage offer, which would boost the hourly pay of rubber workers to $4.11, was made by General Tire & Rubber Co., which was struck last week.

The 10-week-old walkout, longest in industry history, has idled 54,000 workers across the nation.

General also offered an 80 per cent supplemental unemployment payment plan.

Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich, UniRoyal Inc., and Goodyear have offered to raise hourly pay by 40 cents, plus 75 per cent supplemental payments.

Goodyear, where work is continuing on a day-to-day basis, was the only one of the “big five” still operating. Firestone, Goodrich and UniRoyal were struck April 20.

No progress was reported in negotiations Friday.

Talks between bargainers for Goodyear and UniRoyal and the union were recessed until Wednesday while Goodrich and Firestone were to meet with union representatives again today.

Besides the wage issue, talks have deadlocked over union demands that the wage differential between tire and non-tire workers be eliminated.

Average pay for non-tire workers under the old contract was $2.69 per hour, 99-cents less than tire workers earned.

While talks continued, the 54,000 strikers were faced with an increasing financial burden.

The URW’s depleted strike fund can now pay only $15 per week to many of the union members in strike benefits. Union officials said the auto worker’s loan would only enable the union to continue benefit payments at that level, not increase them.

County welfare officials report many of the striking rubber workers have joined the welfare rolls, with more being added every day.

Few of the strikers have been able to find temporary jobs in an area dominated by the rubber industry.

Rumors yesterday in downtown Naugatuck to the effect that the strike had ended once again raised the hopes of many families feeling the pinch of the 71-day old United Rubber Workers strike against UniRoyal.

The fact that the company had asked permission of Local 45 to allow oilers to work in the plant, added to the knowledge that George Froehlich, president of Local 45 and Joseph Rzeszutek, president of Local 218, were returning to the borough for the long holiday weekend, was like adding fuel to the fire.

A second story circulating the borough yesterday sent many strikers to the Unemployment

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Reuther Calls Rubber
Continued From Page 1

7-1

Office in Waterbury seeking compensation.

Gov. John Dempsey signed into law yesterday a more liberal compensation act; however, the portion of that bill covering strikers receiving compensation was stricken from the bill before it was passed in the General Assembly.

Local 45 had not come to a decision yesterday as to whether it would permit oilers to work in the plant but, according to Vice President Raymond Mengacci, it would be discussed further today. He was unavailable for comment this morning.

GOODRICH

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GOODRICH 7-16-67

(Continued from Page 1)
hikes proposed for the workers
probably will mean a substan-
tial price increase in Goodrich
products.

URW President Peter Bom-
marito said the Goodrich pact
“gives the blue collar worker a
status which we set out to
achieve.” He called parts of the
proposed contract “historic.”

The tentative agreement calls
for a 33-month contract running
until April 20, 1970. It would
give all the 12,000 Goodrich
workers at least a 43-cent hour-
ly increase with skilled em-
ployes getting a 53-cent in-
crease.

The current top scale at Good-
rich is $3.88.

Keener said, “This increase is
well in excess of anticipated
productivity gains per worker.
It is certain that B.F. Goodrich
cannot absorb these increased
costs without substantial and
effective price increases over a
broad range of our product
line.”

Bommarito said the Goodrich
agreement was another step
toward ending the longest strike
in the industry’s history, involv-
ing the nation’s top five produc-
ers. General Tire & Rubber Co.
reached a tentative agreement
earlier this week.

Negotiations are continuing
with Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber
Co. and Uniroyal, but were re-
cessed for the weekend.

Nearly 75,000 workers have
been involved in the strike
against the “big five.” The un-
ion struck Goodrich, Uniroyal
and Firestone on April 21.

General Tire was struck by its
3,050 employes June 22, and 21,-
000 workers of Goodyear, the
nation’s top rubber producer,
walked out at midnight Thurs-
day.

Spokesmen said there has not
been a shortage of tires and
rubber products during the
strike as the companies had
large stockpiles before it start-
ed.