CHEM-TEXTS – Vol. 4 No. 8 – Page 2

February 18, 2026January 1, 1970 by OCR SCANNER

CHEM-TEXTS

Page 2 | Vol. 4 No. 8

FROM THE FACTORY MANAGER

DEAR FELLOW EMPLOYEE:

I’m certain that the vast majority of us know and appreciate the fact that UNIROYAL CHEMICAL is a good place to work. Sure, we all have our gripes and inconveniences but when we really think about it we’ve got it pretty good. As only one example, the other day I was looking at the average earnings for all manufacturing workers in Connecticut and noted that the straight time rate averages $3.31 per hour as compared to $4.00 per hour in our plant. When the effect of premium rates for overtime is considered, the State average is $3.43 per hour and our average is $4.39 per hour.

Beyond pay and the importance of our superior benefit plans, there is the question of what kind of place is it to work? I believe you will agree with me that a very important factor is the “atmosphere” or “climate.” Like productivity, safety, good housekeeping and quality, each of us must bear a responsibility for “climate.” We do this every day by our attitudes, our cooperation and our ability to communicate with each other. To fully face this responsibility each of us must listen, as well as talk. Each of us must recognize that others have problems, as well as ourselves.

Concern for the customer, concern for the fellow employee and yes, concern for the job produces results.

Best regards,

John D. Evans

John D. Evans

Many Apply For Kaynor

[IMAGE: Aerial photograph of industrial/educational facility with parking lot]

Kaynor Tech offers a broad program of excellent trades courses.

More than 45 employees have applied for the training program to qualify candidates for skilled trades openings in the plant. The 2-year trades courses program will cover: Fundamentals of Arithmetic; Measurements; and Engineering Drawing in the first year.

The second year is tentatively planned to cover: Introduction to Pipe Fitting; Electricity; and Construction Trades.

Successful completion of the program as judged by Kaynor Tech’s instructors will give the candidates the chance to qualify for second-class trades openings in accordance with present contractual requirements of seniority and qualifications.

Employees applying for the program are: C. Andrus; F. Ash; D. Bedard; W. Carreiro; R. Chevrier; A. Cifone; T. Douty; J. Dowling; R. Enamait; J. Ferguson; K. Ferreira; F. Gagne; H. Garahan; T. Gladding; T. Griffin; A. Happy; P. Hardt, Sr.; J. Hartnett; M. Hebert; G. Hennessey; J. Iosa; C. Jackson; J. Kenny; R. Kubicki; H. McIsaac; J. Mello; D. Memillo; F. Miller; E. Molnar; R. Morel; J. Morrison; J. Needham, H. Nixon; J. Oliveira; R. Orsini; D. Polzella; J. Poudrier; J. Poveromo; L. Recchia; F. San Angelo; W. Seymour; F. Simasek; F. Sordi; J. Sullivan; B. Tomaszeski; L. Watson and E. Zemeir. Other names were unavailable at press time.

$2,634 Awarded For Ideas

by Bernie Daily

$849, one of the highest awards ever given an employee for a suggestion, was presented to Anne Mannion for her late husband’s suggestion to use Kunkle safety valves and springs as standard equipment in the plant. Her husband, Earl, who suffered a heart attack while they were vacationing in Maine, was a first class piper in the mechanical department.

The Kunkle valves and springs reduced material costs, were easier to install and safer in their operation and are now used throughout the plant.

Other high awards went to Ed Bazenas and Marcel Hebert, who each received $75 for their two suggestions. Fred Miller received $65 for two ideas, Ken Nelson and Stan Dushak were awarded $50 each for their single ideas and R. Lockwood’s three ideas netted him $50.

Al Urban got an initial award of $50 with his idea still under study for a possible higher amount.

$35, $25, $15 Awards

Cash amounts of $35, $25, or $15, were awarded to J. Gandolfo, F. Mayo, W. Gailevege, M. DeSousa, D. Beauchamp, W. Carreiro, R. Cooper, A. Galletta, J. Tully, L. Rizzo, E. Root, J. Rabetski, M. Carey, F. Surmanek, W. Tabaka, W. Krayeski, F. Guerrera, D. Lavorgna, F. Henriques, F. Bendler, H. Piascik, F. Tabone, D. Polzella, J. Enamait, W. Anderson, G. Ravenscroft, J. Banno, O. Huntley, M. Rosa, J. Matcheson, A. DaSilva, C. Mulonet, D. Masone, A. Hanley, L. Clark, T. Lee, A. Moura, C. Roland, R. Pronovost, K. Anderson, J. Hurst, A. Lanouette, W. Parks, F. Maffia, F. Pikula, H. Rich, W. Scott, C. Iannuzzi, N. Tiscione, J. Chasse, R. Lestage, T. Smegelski, J. Cardella, N. Brummett and F. Sordi.

Letters And Mentions

Commendation letters and Honorable Mentions for their ideas and suggestions went to J. Poudrier, C. Wierzbicki, J. Sickola, D. Pratt, A. Kazemekas, E. Molnar, J. Painter, J. Butkus, J. Sullivan, J. Gallucci, J. Iosa, W. Hill, Jr., L. DeLaRosa, E. Rehel, R. Fratangelo, J. Ferguson, L. Taranovich, T. Douty, T. Mo, F. Enamait, F. Engle, R. Malz, Jr., J. Mucha, J. Finke, D. Polzella, T. Hubbell, M. Sweeney, F. Commendatore, F. Rosa, M. Yuchnyk, B. Tomaszeski and C. Zawacki.

Ideas pay from $25 to $1000 and higher and are given immediate attention and prompt action by Bernie Daily, coordinator of the Idea Plan, and by the departmental investigators.

[IMAGE: Three people in office setting]

Bernie Daily, left, Idea Plan Expediter, watches as Al Manzi, Mechanical Department Superintendent, presents check to Mrs. Mannion. Helen Solomita, right, also looks on approvingly.

Lubrication Program Set

by Jan Baclawski & Al Lanouette

The new oil room in the Reclaim Plant is another step in the continuing program of the engineering and mechanical department to upgrade lubrication techniques and service throughout the plant.

Since contamination is the greatest enemy of oil, a clean storage and handling area for lubricants is essential to maintain high quality service. In addition to being a cleaner area than the previous oil room, the new oil room is centrally located in the Reclaim plant and easily accessible for drum deliveries. It is also large enough to store the following equipment: 1. The new lubrication cart which employs modern lubrication equipment. 2. Lubrication records as required by the lubrication schedule for the reclaim plant. 3. A central automatic dispensing station, now being installed for the Farval lubricators used in the mill rooms.

Equipment lubrication is recognized as a critically essential service and serious efforts are being made to maintain a high quality service. A lubrication program is now being developed for the Chemical plant.

[IMAGE: Old oil room equipment]

Old oil room once located in Millroom B.

[IMAGE: Two men working in new oil room]

Ingenuity resulted in new improved oil room, where oilers Sam Mastrosimone, sitting, and Al Zapatka check records.

CHEM-TEXTS – Vol. 3 No. 2 – Page 1

February 18, 2026January 1, 1969 by OCR SCANNER

Page 2 | CHEM TEXTS | Vol. 1 No. 2

CHEM TEXTS
PUBLISHED BY THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
UNIROYAL CHEMICAL, NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT

FROM THE FACTORY MANAGER

Dear Fellow Employees:

We have just completed a long and unpleasant strike. An experience each of us, I’m sure, would like to soon forget. However, there are several things we should not forget.

First, a breakdown in relations, or a strike, is the result of a failure in communications. A failure to understand our mutual objectives and problems. It is essential for all of us to realize that a Company and its employees only profit to the extent that they together serve their customers’ needs.

This, logically, leads me to my second point. The additional costs of doing business resulting from the settlement — more than 80 cents per hour per employee over the next three years — lessens our position to compete for the customers’ business on the basis of price.

How can we regain our competitive position? We can only do this by doing our jobs to the best of our ability each day. We must make every personal effort to see that all of our products are of the highest possible quality. We must utilize all of our skills and ingenuity, making the most efficient use of our time to safely produce at maximum levels. We must ever be alert to seek and suggest new and better ways of doing our jobs.

In short, this challenge will call on us to work with pride in our experience, knowledge and craftsmanship. Only by meeting this challenge can we produce the sales and profits that will enable us to grow and to insure our future job security.

John D. Evans
Factory Manager

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WATER HEATERS

(taken from Family Safety magazine)

The Winter 1966 issue of Family Safety Magazine had an excellent article on water heaters. Below are a couple of the main ideas from that article. They are well worth thinking about. . . . .

When a water heater explodes it releases so much destructive energy that in almost every case it leaves behind the splintered wreckage of a completely demolished home.

Some accidents that happen frequently are difficult to control because the causes are many and complex. For example, most traffic accidents are the result of the interaction of many factors involving the driver, the highway, the vehicle and the weather.

Water heater accidents, although infrequent, deserve our attention not only because of their destructiveness but because in almost every case their causes are simple and easy to control.

Any home owner who follows three simple rules need have no fear of ever looking on the ruins of his shattered home. These rules are (1) purchase a quality heater, (2) have it properly installed and (3) follow a simple schedule of maintenance checks.

IT’S NO TEAKETTLE

The importance of proper installation and a relief valve becomes clear when you understand how a water heater works. A tank water heater differs from the simplest water heater — the teakettle — in one very important respect: when the kettle gets overheated, it boils over. But the tank heater is a closed container, and if the thermostat fails in the “on” position, the temperature continues to build up and up. Since it can’t boil over, the heat energy is converted into tremendous steam pressure confined within the water tank. If there is no escape through a temperature-pressure relief valve, a house-shattering explosion can occur.

UNIROYAL A PIONEER IN EMPLOYE BENEFITS

Uniroyal has been both pioneer and leader in progressive employe benefit programs. In 1917 when it was considered a radical innovation, we introduced the employe pension plan.

Through the years other improvements were made. These include paid vacations, life insurance, hospital, surgical and medical insurance.

HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW UNION CONTRACT

Following are highlights of the new three-year contract between Uniroyal and the United Rubber Workers Union:

1. General wage increase
A 15¢ per hour increase effective July 26, 1967, the date agreement was reached.
A 15¢ per hour increase effective July 1, 1968.
A 13¢ per hour increase effective June 30, 1969.

2. Skilled Trades Adjustment
A 10¢ per hour increase in addition to the above general increase in the year 1967.

3. Improved Vacation Pay
2 weeks vacation pay for employes with 1 year of seniority.
3 weeks vacation pay for employes with 5 years of seniority.
4 weeks vacation pay for employes with 15 years of seniority.
(Same as previous contract.)
5 weeks vacation pay for employes with 22 years of seniority.
6 weeks vacation pay for employes with 30 years of seniority.

4. Improved Supplemental Unemployment Benefits (SUB)
Regular and short week benefits increased to 80% of average pay. Company contributions to the SUB fund increased from 5¢ to 6¢ when the fund falls below 100%. SUB fund increased from $250 to $300 per employee.

5. Pensions
69% increase in regular pensions from $3.25 to $5.50 per month per

year of service.
69% increase in disability pensions from $6.50 to $11.00 per month per year of service.
An increase of $1.50 per month per year of service for pensioners who retired after July 1, 1950.

6. Life Insurance
An increase in company-paid life insurance from $6,500 to $7,500 for active employes. Occupational accidental death and dismemberment insurance in the amount of $3,750 for active employes.

7. Hospitalization
An increase in the coverage for the maximum stay in the hospital from 365 to 730 days, including mental and psychiatric cases.

8. X-Ray and Radium Therapy
An increase in the aggregate maximum payment from $200 to $300.

9. Visiting Nurse
An increase in the maximum daily payment from $6 to $7.

10. Surgical
Provide for full payment of the reasonable and customary fees prevailing in the area for surgical procedures.

11. Sickness and Accident Benefits
An increase of $10 per week for both men and women for up to 39 weeks instead of the former 26 weeks. (Company sickness and accident benefits where applicable.)

In addition to the above, numerous other contract benefits are provided. For details, contact your industrial relations department.

CHEMICAL TEAM WINS SOFTBALL CROWN

The Uniroyal Chemical softball team won the National Division Championship of the Naugatuck News Twilight Softball League in a recent playoff against Dean’s (2nd round winners). The victory won in a best two out of three games earned the Chemical team the right to represent its division in the league “world series” against the American division champs. After bowing in the opener against Dean’s, the boys showed the stuff that champs are made of with two straight wins 5-4 and 7-4 to cop the title. During the season, the team was paced by an array of sluggers, three of whom hit over .500 and five others who batted over .400.

This is the second year in a row that we have had a champion from our plant — the 1966 Synthetic Cardinals won the league championship.

1st row, left to right: Pete Lazaras, John Zappala, Ted Hudzik, Pat DePaolo
2nd row: Mike Jasman, Eric Johnson, Brad Swain, Carl Wohmann
3rd row: John Swanson, Bob Rurin, Stan Mazur, Nelson Mason, Dan Shantz, John Prior. Absent when picture was taken, Dick Doran, Sherman Paul, Pete Byra.

LONGER TIRE LIFE

Tire life can be greatly increased, according to our tire engineers, by avoiding excessively high speed, fast turns, driving over curbs or chuck holes, fast starts and stops, bad roads and driving on the edge of the pavement.

Foremen’s Club Activities

The Naugatuck Chemical Foremen’s Club will be starting their winter schedule of monthly meetings soon. Already set, according to club president, Vic Alves, are the annual outing on September 19 and a dance sometime in October. The club recently donated $50.00 to the Naugatuck Junior Football League for equipment.

To keep a ladder from slipping when used on a cement walk, place the feet of the ladder in a pair of old rubbers or sneakers.

To be sure no one bumps his head on low-hanging pipes in your basement, try hanging a large white handkerchief around the pipe. It will serve as a warning of danger.

After painting the steps of your stepladder, sprinkle liberally with sand before the paint dries and you will have insurance against slipping.

Fact of the Matter is… by W. White

WHO IS THE VILLAIN…
…IN THE CASE OF AMERICA’S POLLUTED WATERS?

IS IT MISTER FIX-IT, WHO POURED PAINT THINNER DOWN THE BASEMENT DRAIN?

THE HURRYING HOUSEWIFE, WHO WASHED BACON FAT INTO THE SINK?

THE NEARSIGHTED FARMER, WHO MISREAD THE LABEL AND MISAPPLIED?

THE CARELESS EMPLOYEE, WHO SPILLED ACID AND OIL— AND FLUSHED IT AWAY?

THE SLOPPY BOATMAN, WHO TOSSED GARBAGE OVER THE SIDE?

THE INADEQUATE SEWAGE PLANT, WHICH IMPROPERLY TREATED SOME WASTES?

ANSWER, OF COURSE, IS ALL OF THEM. WE’RE ALL VILLAINS— AND VICTIMS ——— AS POLLUTION PLOT THICKENS. IN POLLUTION, LIKE CRIME, PREVENTION IS MOST IMPORTANT! TO MEET A COMMUNITY’S DEMANDS FOR GOOD WATER, IT TAKES MONEY, ADEQUATE TREATMENT FACILITIES & COMBINED EFFORTS OF INDUSTRY, GOV’T & EVERY CITIZEN!

A Community Awareness Message from Manufacturing Chemists Association

URW Suggests 3-Year Pact, Reports Claim

February 18, 2026January 1, 1969 by OCR SCANNER

URW Suggests 3-Year Pact, Reports Claim

6-14-67 [handwritten date]

NAUGATUCK—A URW counter proposal being discussed by Uniroyal and four other major rubber producers calls for a three-year agreement and includes pensions and fringe benefits, it was learned Tuesday.

The United Rubber Workers submitted the counter proposal after rejecting an industry-wide offer Friday.

The three-year counter proposal represents a turnabout in the union stand in the negotiations.

During a mass meeting of the Local 45 membership, held May 29, Pres. George Froehlich reportedly told those in attendance that the union would settle for neither a three-year pact nor an agreement which included pensions and fringe benefits.

According to sources, however, the union has come to the conclusion that the three-year pact was necessary, primarily because it seemed the only way to force the companies into offering higher wage benefits.

When the companies made their original offers, the wage terms and supplemental unemployment benefits were considered inadequate by union negotiators.

Management claimed, however, that none of the items in the contract offers could be raised until they had some idea of what the union was seeking in pension and fringe benefits.

The first hint of significant progress came about two weeks ago, according to sources, when all five companies were scheduled to sit at one table and discuss a pact. The meeting failed, however, due to the union negotiators from Goodrich, the sources claimed.

Election Problems

Despite the problems with the contract itself, sources have indicated that another obstacle in the negotiations is the forthcoming union elections on the local level.

Some of the union negotiators, who are seeking reelection, have been adamant in their demands in order to satisfy the rank and file membership. Uniroyal union representatives, however, were not indicated as being among this group.

The union plan submitted Friday calls for a straight five per cent increase, sources revealed.

Among the items called for in the counter proposal are an increase in pensions to $5.50 per man per year, and supplemental unemployment benefits up to 80 per cent.

Management reportedly had last offered an increase in pensions to $5.25, and supplemental unemployment benefits up to 75 per cent.

Union negotiators claimed that their proposed five per cent general increase would cost the company 73 cents, but management has claimed that it would cost $1.40.

UAW Aid

Although the union has been promised aid from the United Auto Workers Union, sources said that the aid was in the form of a loan.

UAW negotiators have to date chosen to reduce strike benefit checks to $15 from $25 weekly, and try to raise money among URW members still working at General Tire, Goodyear and other smaller rubber firms.

One week’s collection, it was said, brought only $6,000 in donations from rubber workers not on strike.

Not only are there problems within the union, but management is suffering some within the ranks of the five companies, it was reported.

Firestone has been claimed to be the dominant figure in the negotiations, but a Goodyear victory at the Indianapolis Speedway on Memorial Day has resulted in signs of a change in management leadership, according to sources.

Uniroyal Talks Depend On Other Firms, Claim

February 18, 2026January 1, 1969 by OCR SCANNER

6-15-67

Uniroyal Talks Depend On Other Firms, Claim

NAUGATUCK—Talks between Uniroyal and United Rubber Workers negotiators continue in Cincinnati today, but informed sources said progress would depend on talks between the union and some of the other rubber firms, notably B. F. Goodrich and Firestone.

It is with these two companies, said one source, that the heaviest negotiating is taking place.

A source close to the negotiations said although on the surface some of the labor-management negotiators from other companies seem to say little to each other “a lot is going on underneath.”

Union negotiators were reportedly surprised during recent talks when management challenged a claim that the union’s counter-proposal would cost only 73 cents.

In a surprise move during recent talks, management presented what is referred to as a “roll up” to challenge a claim that the union’s economic package would cost only 73 cents.

In use, sources say, the “roll up” shows that although a raise apparently amounts to, say, 16 cents, the raise may be more like 17 or 18 cents due to the overtime and machine down time.

Union negotiators were reportedly caught off guard by the term, and claimed that management was using a weighted wage figure, and accused them of inflating the cost of the economic package.

Union spokesmen contacted Wednesday night said that this item was no longer a major obstacle and hinted that the union may be reconsidering the apparent cost of the package.

Some of the larger obstacles, it was said, are non-economic.

One such obstacle is referred to as the “bogie.” A golfing term, it has been applied to the efficiency rating used in at least one company’s plants.

A person who works at a particular job, according to plant employes, is expected to turn out a certain number of articles before he is entitled to full pay.

Assuming no breakdowns on the machine, if an employe does not meet his efficiency rating, he will not receive full pay.

These ratings are reportedly established by time and motion study men.

It is the union’s contention, say sources, that older people in the plant cannot always produce what a younger employe can produce, and some of the ratings are therefore to high, causing the union to want them eliminated.

It has been learned that the union’s counter proposal includes pensions and fringe benefits, which have come under a separate contract in the past.

Although some of the union negotiators are far from happy about discussing these items in a master contract, the union has reportedly found it necessary to do so in order to obtain the goals sought in the master contract.

As yet, however, the rank and file union members have not had the opportunity to express their wishes, at least to local negotiators, concerning pensions.

While the International URW funds are running low, efforts are in progress to obtain donations from URW workers who are not on strike. The efforts have been reportedly unsuccessful. During one week of canvassing, only $6,000 in donations were obtained.

Duration Record Will Be Set In URW Strike

February 18, 2026January 1, 1969 by OCR SCANNER

6-16-67

Duration Record Will Be Set In URW Strike

If the United Rubber Workers strike continue past Saturday, a new record will be set for duration of strikes in the rubber industry. In 1959, the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. was struck by URW for 58 days.

Negotiations continued yesterday with the groups still discussing a counter-proposal submitted by the union last week. Talks are scheduled to continue today.

The membership of the three borough Locals faithfully take their turn at picketing at the plants here in Naugatuck. The pickets are stationed at the Footwear plant gates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. leaving their strike placards hanging on the gates at night. Pickets are at the Chemical Co. gates on a round-the-clock basis; sitting in their cars on rainy days and can be seen lounging on blankets on the hot humid days.

Some strikers have found other employment on a full time basis in other industry in the area, according to reports, terminating their employment at UniRoyal.

The union is seeking a higher hourly rate and a 95 per cent supplementary benefit for workers who are laid off. The “Big Five” has dubbed the demand as a “request for a guaranteed annual wage.”

Tire workers currently average $3.69 an hour while other production workers average $2.68. The union is also trying to do away with the pay differential for the two classes of employes.

Negotiations between the rubber companies and the union continue on a daily basis but, thus far, there has been no signs of settlement.

According to sources, true negotiations have begun at last. Both sides are giving on a few minor points.

Sessions began in Cincinnati on March 20, one month before the contract was due to expire. Up until this point, neither side was willing to give. The companies knew what they wanted to give and the union clung to its demands.

Uniroyal Resumes Talks With URW

February 18, 2026January 1, 1969 by OCR SCANNER

7-21-67

Uniroyal Resumes Talks With URW

CLEVELAND (AP) — It’s three down and two to go, a United Rubber Worker spokesman said Thursday after the union and Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. agreed to a tentative three-year contract.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and Uniroyal resume bargaining with the URW today.

Firestone, the B. F. Goodrich Co. and the General Tire & Rubber Co. all settled within one week for the same basic contract, setting a pattern that could be followed by the last two. firms.

A Firestone spokesman said it was the “largest package negotiated in 30 years.”

If ratified, the company said 17,000 production workers in 11 plants will go back to work as rapidly as facilities can be reopened and schedules established.

The hourly wage hike in the Firestone settlement is 43 cents over three years, with skilled workers getting an extra 10 cents the first year. Top hourly rate is now $3.88. The contract expires April 20, 1970. Various benefits also were increased.

Progress Signs Seen In Talks

February 18, 2026January 1, 1969 by OCR SCANNER

Progress Signs Seen In Talks

Friday MAY 19, 1967 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK Negotiations between the United Rubber Workers and Uniroyal, Inc. are scheduled to continue today in Cincinnati, with informed sources indicating Thursday that signs of progress are being made.

As the strike entered its fifth week, rumors swept the borough to the effect that Firestone had either settled or was very close to settlement. The rumors remained unconfirmed, however, as sources claimed that Firestone did not meet with the union Thursday. They, too, however, are scheduled to meet today.

The signs of progress in the Uniroyal talks were indicated when informed sources said that the number of issues being discussed had dropped from approximately 50 to about 20. What any of the issues are, however, remains unknown.

In addition, sources said, management had offered a guaranteed annual wage amounting to 75 per cent base wage in case of layoffs. The union is reportedly seeking over 90 per cent.

Details of the 75 per cent clause could not be obtained.

The scene in the borough remained quiet again Thursday, and many pickets seemed more cheerful as the rumors of Firestone’s progress ran around town.

In Waterville, a trucker approaching the URW picket line at a Uniroyal warehouse there chose to honor the picket and the truck was taken into the warehouse without incident by a white collar employe.

URW Rejects

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

6-9-67

URW Rejects

Continued From Page 1

Supplemental Unemployment Benefits – Regular benefits increased from 65% of average pay (plus $2 for up to four dependents, with a maximum payment of $50) to 75% of average pay with no maximums. Short work week benefits increased in all cases to 75% of average pay. Company contributions increased from 5¢ per hour to 6¢ per hour when the sub fund falls below 100%. Sub fund increased from $250 to $350 per employee.
Miscellaneous Contract Clauses – These include up to 40 hours pay, depending upon the size of the plant for union time study men, increased pay for union grievance meetings and arbitration hearings, a greatly improved safety committee clause and a number of other contract proposals and clarifying letters of commitment.
Pensions – A 60% increase in regular pensions from $3.25 to $5.25 per month per year of service. A 60% increase in disability pensions from $6.50 to $10.50 per month per year of service. An increase of $1.50 per month per year of service for living pensioners who were retired after July 1, 1950.
Life Insurance – An increase in Company paid insurance from $6,500 to $7,500 for active employees.
Hospitalization – An increase in the coverage for the maximum stay in the hospital from 365 to 730 days.
X-Ray and Radium Therapy – An increase in the aggregate maximum payment from $200 to $300.
Visiting Nurse – An increase in the maximum daily payment from $6 to $7.
Surgical – Provide for full payment of the reasonable and customary fees prevailing in the area for the surgical procedures.
Sickness and Accident Benefits – An increase in benefits according to the employees average earnings with a minimum of $50 per week and a maximum of $80 per week. (Average coverage to be $70.) Eliminate present 7 day waiting period and provide sick benefits from first day of hospital confinement as a registered bed patient.

Union Demands, Logical Attainable – Bommarito

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Union Demands, Logical Attainable – Bommarito

6-10-67 [handwritten notation at top]

United Rubber Worker President Peter Bommarito said the union’s demands are “logical, justifiable and attainable.”

According to a UniRoyal spokesman yesterday, the URW’s demands would cost at least $1.40 an hour. The companies value their offers at more than 70 cents an hour.

Bommarito said there are a number of issues involving working conditions that must be settled before a contract can be reached.

He was pessimistic about prospects of a quick settlement, but other ranking union officials said the new offers should at least provide a basis for agreement.

The URW membership of the borough Locals learned yesterday for the first time, exactly what the companies were offering. UniRoyal mailed to all employees, a letter stating what the offer comprised. The union rejected the offer late Tuesday afternoon.

The 50-day old strike is taking its toll financially from everyone concerned, the membership, the union and the company as well as business in town.

The union, at the onset of the strike, had been promised financial help from the auto industry union, but were forced to announce that strike benefit checks were being cut from $25 to $15 beginning with this week’s check.

Hopes ran high this week, locally, that the strike would end soon. However, yesterday’s announcement ended this hope.

Only three of the “big five” rubber companies are struck. Workers at UniRoyal, Firestone and Goodrich are out while employes of Goodyear and General Tire are working on a day-to-day basis.

Negotiating session were recessed for the weekend and are scheduled to be resumed Monday.

Negotiators To Study URW Counter-Proposal

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

6/12-67

Negotiators To Study URW Counter-Proposal

The five major rubber companies in the U.S. will consider a URW proposal today after two contracts which were proposed by the companies last week were rejected by the union.

One source said the union counter-proposal is only slightly different from its original demand which, according to the companies, would cost the companies an additional $1.40 for each employee.

The company offered a three-year contract and tried to include pension and welfare negotiations, which has habitually come under separate contract. The current welfare-pension contract does not expire until September.

In their offer, the companies provided a $.38 wage increase for tire workers and $.31 increase to non-tire workers.

URW are demanding equal across-the board raises for all employees, while the companies claim that this would worsen their already poor competitive position in non-tire products.

URW President Peter Bommarito stated that the union is prepared to continue its strike for another month. Local UniRoyal employees are beginning to look a little grey about the pocketbook with Bommarito’s statement and the reduced strike benefit checks.

Alleged promises from the United Auto Workers union to aid the URW strikers financially has not yet materialized.

The strike goes into its 53rd day today, with 50,000 employees of Firestone, Goodrich and UniRoyal idle.

After the weekend recess, the companies, which had time to study the union offer during the respite, and the URW will resume negotiations at the bargaining table.

Local URW Answers Company’s Letter

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Local URW Answers Company’s Letter

6-12-67

Raymond Mengacci Vice-President of Local #45, stated today he didn’t want to get into a debate with factory manager Mr. Jack Smith, or try to negotiate an agreement here in Naugatuck, especially through the newspapers, when both the Company and the Union committees are having a hard enough time in Cincinnati, Ohio, doing this, without interference that might hamper negotiations in any way in Cincinnati. But that he had no recourse other than to answer some of the statements made by Mr. Smith, in the letter that he sent out to the employes of the Naugatuck footwear plant and for publication in the newspapers.

Mr. Mengacci stated that when the Union netotiating committee left for Cincinnati they were going there for the sole purpose to make a sincere effort to negotiate a contract and wage agreement with the Uni-Royal Co. before the April 20th deadline. This was the only agreement that was discussed at the membership meeting of Local #45.

Negotiations began in Cincinnati on March 21, 1967, but it wasn’t until April 12, 1967 that the Company made its first and finale offer to the Union on contract and wages. This was eight (8) days before the deadline.

Mr. Mengacci stated never in all his experience on negotiating committees or that of Pres. Froehlich who has more than he, did they ever hear of anything like this the first offer was also the last. No one can call this negotiating. This has never been done before.

And it wasn’t until a few days later that the Union found out that this was being done in all of the “Big Five” (5) rubber companies, not just Uni-Royal.

The Union also found out that 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 that these Companies were in competition with one another. This we found is not so, they have a much better Union than we have.

Mr. Smith also goes on to say in his letter, that the Company had made an effort to open the Pension and Insurance agreement with the Union so that they could negotiate all matters to a conclusion. This is correct. The Union informed the Company that this agreement does not terminate until Sept. 15, 1967, and that the Union was in no position to negotiate this agreement because first of all they had not discussed this with their membership to see what changes the members wanted to make. Also they had made no preparation whatsoever among themselves on Pension and Insurance to discuss this question intelligently with the Company.

Mr. Smith goes on to say in his letter, that the Union did not present to the Company their full proposal until 11 a.m. on April 19, just 37 hours before the strike deadline. This is correct but why was this so. The Union felt that if they received from the Company the correct interpretation of the Clauses that are in the Working agreement now, and the way they were intented to be interpreted, at least in the Unions viewpoint, before there was a change in the head negotiator for the Company, they would not have to make any changes.

But the Union found out that the Company’s new Head Negotiator was not giving the same interpretation, so therefore, the Union had to come in with some new proposals. The Union would not be able to live with some of the interpretation the new Company Head Negotiator was giving, and all these interpretations were under Article nine (9) Working Condition, which are very important to our members.

Just ask some of our members especially those that work in the Making and Stitching Departments what conditions that they have to work under. Production in many cases have increased by 25 to 30 per cent in the last few years. This is with the same number of operators and in many cases less. Many of these employees can tell you that their weekly earnings are less now even though they received two wage increases in the past few years. This is all because they cannot make any-

where near the efficiency’s that they were making a few years ago. This is the reason why the Union had to make some late proposals to the Company. But if the Company wanted to make a sincere effort to reach an agreement they still had plenty of time to do so.

Now let’s talk about the difference in wage increases between the tire plants and the non-tire plants. We have asked the Company many times to open up their books in Naugatuck. If they can show the Union that they are losing money or are not making the profits that they are entitled to make, then the Union would take another look at their demands for uniform wage increases. This they have refused to do, so therefore the Union does not believe that the non-tire plants are putting the UniRoyal Company in a severe economic squeeze if they grant the same increases as tires.

As long as we are talking about wages increases, it is very interesting to not that President George R. Vila‘s wages were increased from $168,821 in 1965 to $239,033 in 1966 this a $70,212 increase or 41.6% in one year. Also Vice-

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Widzionjez Trial

Local URW

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Local URW 6-12-67

Continued From Page 1

President Walter D. Baldwin’s
wages were increased from
$83,025 in 1965 to $113,395 in
1966 an increase of $30,370 or
36.6% in one year.

The union is not saying that
these men do not deserve this
increase they probably deserve
more for the job that they are
doing, but if the Company wants
to talk percentages, then let’s
talk percentages from top to
bottom.

We are happy that the Com-
pany has seen fit to increase
the vacation allowance for em-
ployes that have one to five
years of seniority. What about
the employe with ten or more
years of seniority. The Com-
pany has not seen fit to do any-
thing for these employes. Why?

Miscellaneous Contract
Clauses – We admit that the
Company has improved some of
these clauses and also given the
Union some clarifying letter of
commitment. Yet can Mr. Smith
tell the Union why is it that
when the Union asked the Com-
pany to give them a letter of
commitment, which would not
cost the Company one penny,
and that they treat our mem-
bers that work for UniRoyal
Inc. with decency and respect,
the Company refused. If mem-
bers of management expect our
members to treat them with de-
cency and respect, then we ex-
pect the same from manage-
ment. A written commitment
that this would be done would
go a long way in reaching a
settlement.

I would also like Mr. Smith
to explain to his employes that
belong to our Union, why is it
that when the Union ask the
UniRoyal Company to grant our
people seven (7) paid sick days
a year, the Company said that
this was too costly, yet every
person that works for manage-
ment gets ten (10) paid sick
days a year. The only thing
our members get if they take
10 days off in one year is an
unfavorable notation on their
personal cards. This is very
hard to digest.

The Company has not seen fit
to do anything for our hourly
rated employe and also a night
shift bonus, even though we have
one of the lowest night shift
bonuses in the area.

I do not want to elaborate on
the Pension & Insurance part

Rubber-Labor Pact Is Possible This Week; General Tire Increases Its Offer to Union

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

6-12-67

Rubber-Labor Pact Is Possible This Week; General Tire Increases Its Offer to Union

By a WALL STREET JOURNAL Staff Reporter

AKRON—After a week of marked progress in negotiations, the United Rubber Workers union and five major rubber companies will reopen bargaining sessions at 10 a.m. today with some expectation of reaching a single-package settlement covering wages, pensions and welfare benefits before another week passes.

A settlement would end the strike against three of the major concerns—Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Uniroyal, Inc. and B. F. Goodrich Co.—which has idled 51,000 workers for 53 days since former contracts expired April 20. It would also conclude negotiations with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and General Tire & Rubber Co., where production has continued on a day-to-day basis despite similar contract expirations.

Separate bargaining sessions with the five companies began making headway last week. Management offered wage boosts totaling 38 cents an hour for tire workers and 31 cents for other production workers over three years, plus pension-and-welfare-contract improvements. The package was technically rejected by the union as inadequate, but it opened the door to several counter proposals presumably being studied by the companies.

Differentials an Obstacle

At the weekend, General Tire was said to have sweetened its offer on several points, boosting the pay proposal for tire workers to 40 cents an hour over three years and offering further pension, vacation and supplemental unemployment benefit payments. General’s contract negotiations, however, cover only 3,000 workers in two tire plants, in Akron and Waco, Texas, while those of the four other concerns cover other production workers as well. The proposed differentials between tire workers and other production employes could still be a difficult obstacle in this week’s talks.

General’s wage offer for tire workers would break down to 15 cents in 1967, 13 cents in 1968 and 12 cents in 1969. The 38-cent offer of the other concerns comprises 16 cents this year and 11 cents in each of the next two years.

Peter Bommarito, URW international president, termed the offers of the four companies, other than General, as representing a gain of less than 4.5% compared with what he said has been a 5.8% raise granted in other manufacturing industries. He also called for the naming of an independent fact-finding board to determine the “fairness” of the union’s demands.

Uniroyal, in a letter to employes, put the gain in wage and other improvements at “about 5%” and said its offer would cost the company about 70 cents an hour, the largest proposal it had ever made to the union. Firestone and Goodrich also sent letters to employes discussing the negotiations, with Goodrich also putting its offer as “in line with the 5% pattern” set in other industries.

Another improvement in General’s weekend offer, which Mr. Bommarito yesterday called “attractive” as a basis for a settlement, was an improvement in supplemental unemployment benefits payments providing for 80% of average straight-time pay for laid-off workers or for those on short workweeks; this total would include unemployment compensation. Offers of the other companies had provided for up to 75% of straight-time pay. The previous contract called for up to 65% plus $2 for each dependent up to four.

The union has demanded as a “full employment” plan, or guaranteed annual wage, payments of up to 95% of regular straight-time pay for laid-off workers, including unemployment compensation. The union has put the company cost for this at 7 cents an hour per worker, up from the present 5 cents. The companies’ offer has been about 6 cents.

General’s offer also included a provision for six weeks’ vacation after 30 years’ service and two weeks after one year’s, along with existing intermediate vacations. The other companies made no provision for six weeks’ vacation but offered three weeks after five years’ service, along with other existing vacation allowances.

The pension-payment propsosal by General also was a bit higher than the increase to $5.25 per month from $3.25 for each year of service proposed by the others. Though the General amount wasn’t specified, it was understood to be close to $5.50 per month for each year of service.

Mr. Bommarito also disputed the companies’ claims that their “total-package” offers represented employment-cost increases of 70 cents an hour. He estimated them at about 64 cents for General’s package and 60 cents for the others.

Other Benefits

All the offers also included improvements in life insurance, hospitalization, sickness and accident insurance, an additional increase of 10 cents an hour for skilled tradesmen and improvements in grievance-pay allowances.

Should a settlement be achieved on a “single-package” basis, it would be the first time in the rubber industry. Pension and welfare matters have previously been reserved to a separate contract, the existing one due to expire next Sept. 15. Previously, however, the wage contract and pension agreements have expired on at least alternate years. The proximity of the pension-contract expiration this year to the wage contract’s conclusion was held to be an obstacle to an earlier settlement on wages.

The companies acknowledged they were reluctant to “expose” themselves to a substantial wage-cost increase only to be faced in a few months with another strike threat over pension and other welfare matters. Until two weeks ago, however, the union apparently had been adamant about keeping the two contracts separate.

General Tire Offers “Attractive Package”

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Rubber Strike

6-13-67

General Tire Offers “Attractive Package”

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Negotiators in the national rubber strike today prepared for another long session over the problems of wages, contract length, the elimination of differentials in wage hikes, employes and job security.

Three of the nation’s five largest rubber companies have been on strike for 54 days, with about 55,000 employes idled around the country.

In Connecticut, some 5,500 workers at three UniRoyal plants in Naugatuck are affected by the walkout. There are no other unionized rubber industry plants in the state.

Wage contracts expired April 20 between the United Rubber Workers (URW) and the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., Uniroyal Inc., and B. F. Goodrich Co.

Day-to-Day

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., whose contract expired the same day, and General, whose contract expired May 15, continued production on a day-to-day basis.

A break seemed most likely to occur in talks with General Tire & Rubber, which has proposed a slightly higher package than the other four companies.

General boosted its pay proposal for tire workers from 38 to 40 cents per hour over three years, and offered increased fringe benefits, particularly in the crucial area of supplementary unemployment benefits.

Spokesmen for the other four companies would not say if their negotiators were following suit.

Wages Behind

URW President Peter Bommarito said the wage offers of the four companies, including General, would leave the rubber workers behind other industries. He said the rubber companies are offering 4.5 per cent increases, as opposed to the 5.8 per cent national pattern.

In letters to their employes, the three struck companies set the percentage of their offer at 5 per cent, its cost at 70 cents per hour, and its size as the largest in industry history.

The companies said the fringe benefits are substantial and an increase in supplementary unemployment benefits from 65 per cent of straight time pay to 75 per cent will cost them six cents per hour alone.

The union has demanded unemployment payments of up to 95 per cent of basic wages. Bommarito calls this request “a full-employment plant.”

“Attractive” Basis

General had raised its offer on supplementary unemployment benefits to 80 per cent. This proposal won Bommarito’s approval as an “attractive” basis for settlement. General also increased vacation and pension benefits.

The tire workers now average $3.69 per hour. Company employes in other divisions make an average of $2.68. The last two settlements have increased the differential. Bommarito insists the next settlement grant equal raises to both types of production workers.

The request does not affect General, which is negotiating for only 3,000 tire workers in Akron and Waco, Tex. But the other four companies maintain they can only offer 31 per cent wage increases to non-tire workers.

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Local Strike

General Tire

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

(Conn.) Tues., June 13, 1967

General Tire

Continued From Page 1

For the first time, the negotiators, at management’s request, were grappling with wages and all fringe benefits in one package. Traditionally, three-year welfare pension contracts and two-year wage contracts are negotiated separately. The welfare pension contracts do not expire until fall.

Another improvement in General’s weekend offer, which Bommarito called “attractive” as a basis for settlement, was an improvement in supplemental unemployment benefit payments providing for 80 per cent of average straight-time pay for laid-off workers or for those on short work-weeks.

This total would include unemployment compensation. Offers of the other companies provided for 75 per cent of straight pay.

General’s offer includes a provision for six weeks vacation after 30 year’s service and two weeks after one year’s service along with existing intermediate vacations.

It is understood that the General proposal for pensions has been upped close to $5.50 per month for each month of service.

Should a settlement be achieved on a “single package” basis, it would be the first time in the rubber industry. Pensions and welfare matters have previously been reserved to a separate contract, the existing one due to expire next Sept. 15.

Previously however, the wage contract and pension agreements have expired on at least alternate years. The proximity of the pension – contract’s conclusion was held to be an obstacle to an earlier settlement of wages.

The companies acknowledged they were reluctant to expose themselves to a substantial wage-cost increase, only to be faced in a few months with another strike over pensions and other welfare matters. Until two weeks ago, however, the union apparently had been adamant about keeping the two contracts separate.

Strike Settlement Hopes “Wilting”

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Strike Settlement Hopes “Wilting”

6-15-67

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strike Situation: No New Developments In Negotiations

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Strike Situation: No New Developments In Negotiations

6-14-67

AKRON, Ohio – Spokesmen said today that despite the progressive tone of talks between the United Rubber Workers and the General Tire and Rubber Co., there were no new developments in contract negotiations.

General had offered a slightly higher wage package than other members of the industry’s big five.

URW President Peter Bommarito said the offers of the companies, excluding General Tire, would leave rubber workers behind other industries.

A major block in the settlement of the strike was the union’s demand for unemployment payments of up to 95 per cent of basic wages. The rubber companies have described the demand as tantamount to “a guaranteed annual wage.”

Elimination of the pay differential between tire and non-tire workers was also a key union demand.

Locally

At a Local 45 membership meeting in May, President George Froehlich reportedly said that the union would not go for a three-year contract nor an agreement that would include pension or fringe benefits.

No new information on the progress of the negotiations in Cincinnati has been released today. Members of the three Locals in the borough, suffering from 54 days without work, are anxious for news of the sessions.

Local strikers, speaking as individuals, are eager for another meeting of the membership.

Union officials have explained that the promised financial help from the auto industry union was in the form of a loan which the union decided not to take, but rather to cut the amount of benefits to its members and seek to raise additional monies from the working members employed at General Tire and Goodyear.

However, one week’s collection amounted to only $6,000 in donations.

Local URW members, when questioned, are wondering if the hold-up in settlement will, in the long run, prove beneficial to the members here in the borough. Local 45 with its more than 4,000 members, is one of the largest in the URW.

URW To Expand Strike

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

General Tire Added

6-17-67

URW To Expand Strike

AKRON, Ohio—Another rubber company was added to the three already on strike Friday when the executive board of the United Rubber Workers Union voted to send out General Tire and Rubber Co. workers.

More than 3,000 employes in two plants, Akron and Waco, Texas, will be directly affected by the walkout.

Top sources indicated that the picketing would begin sometime during the coming week, possibly Monday or Tuesday.

This is the only major change in the picture, and Uniroyal negotiations were reported as making no progress Friday.

The fact that General Tire’s URW members will be on strike is expected to put pressure on Goodyear, the only company of the so called “big five” not on strike.

General Tire executives were informed of the executive board’s decision Friday evening.

The picketing will also porbably put pressure on the union’s strike fund, already seriously depleted. What financial action the union plans to take to alleviate pressure was not learned Friday.

Although the United Auto Workers union had promised financial aid to the striking union in the form of a loan, the URW has been hesitant to accept the loan and has tried, instead, to raise money through donations from URW members still working.

These efforts have been reportedly unsuccessful, and the original strike fund of $6.5 million has been drained at a rate of $1.25 million a week.

Unfair labor practice charges filed by International Union Pres. Peter Bommarito are presently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.

Bommarito charged that the strike pact agreed upon by the companies involved in the negotiations was hindering progress.

The pact reportedly states that companies affected by a strike will be given financial aid by those which are not struck.

Obstacles preventing a settlement at the present time were reported Friday as being mainly economic.

The union feels that the value of the economic offers being made by the companies is not high enough yet.

Sources also indicated that the supplemental unemployment benefits are not high enough, and may well end up as the number one obstacle to a settlement.

According to those close to the negotiations, the companies have a “philosophical objection” to paying people for not working.

In addition it is possible that the auto manufacturers are putting pressure on the rubber firms not to grant the so-called guaranteed annual wage because the car companies will be facing the same request when the United Auto Workers begin talks in July.

The union’s counter proposal, submitted over a week ago, is still being discussed. Talks recessed for the weekend Friday and are scheduled to resume Monday.

Fourth Rubber Co. Struck By URW

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Fourth Rubber Co. Struck By URW

6-17-67

The Executive Board of the United Rubber Workers union has voted to call its members out from another of the “Big Five” rubber companies.

More than 3,000 employes in two plants of General Tire and Rubber Co., located in Akron, Ohio, and Waco, Texas, will be involved.

According to sources, picketing at these plants will begin either Monday or Tuesday.

With this new move, union

Local 45 URW has called a mass meeting of its membership for Monday, June 19, at 3 p.m. in the auditorium of the Naugatuck High School.

President of Local 45, home from negotiations sessions in Cincinnati, will address the members and bring them up to date on the progress of the negotiations.

workers in four of the five rubber companies will be out. The fact that General Tire’s URW members will be on strike is expected to put pressure on Goodyear, the only working company.

General Tire executives were informed of the executive board’s decision Friday evening.

The picketing will also probably put pressure on the union’s strike fund, already seriously depleted. What financial action the union plans to take to alleviate pressure was not learned Friday.

working.

Obstacles preventing a settlement at the present time were reported Friday as being mainly economic.

The union feels that the value of the economic offers being made by the companies is not high enough yet.

Sources also indicated that the supplemental unemployment benefits are not high enough, and may well end up as the number one obstacle to a settlement.

According to those close to the negotiations, the companies have a “philosophical objection” to paying people for not working.

The union’s counter proposal submitted over a week ago, is still being discussed. Talks recessed for the weekend Friday and are scheduled to resume Monday.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — The impasse over negotiations in the national rubber strike remained unbroken today with increasing signs the 52,000 striking employes and the United Rubber Workers Union were feeling the pinch.

Rubber workers here—where nearly 10,000 have been on strike for 59 days—were applying for welfare benefits in increasing numbers.

Mrs. Joyce N. Artis, Summit County welfare department representative, said 78 applications

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Fourth Rubber

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Fourth Rubber

6-17-67

Continued From Page 1

from rubber workers had been approved by mid-week, and a big influx of further applications had come in since then.

She said the county at first requested rubber workers to spend strike benefits for shelter and utilities and use public assistance for food.

“But now,” she said, “The benefits are so low they do not meet the other bills.”

Union-paid strike benefits totalled $25 at the start of the strike. They were cut to $15 this week and were expected to go lower, and possibly end, in a few weeks.

The URW struck the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., the B.F. Goodrich Co. and UniRoyal Inc. on April 20 when wage contracts expired. Contracts with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and General Tire & Rubber Co. also expired, but work has continued on a day-to-day basis.

In Connecticut the strike has crippled production at three UniRoyal plants in Naugatuck.

The union’s treasury, which contained about $6.5 million at the start of the strike, has been reduced at a rate of $1.25 million a week. Union President Peter Bommarito recently turned down an offer of a loan or a gift from the United Auto Workers strike fund. Speculation here places the refusal to a wish not to be obligated to Walter Reuther in his feud with the leaders of the AFL—CIO.

The companies have offered hourly wage increases of 38 cents over a three-year contract period to rubber workers, who average $3.69 hourly. To non-tire workers, the companies have offered 31-cent increases. These workers average $2.68 hourly.

The union contended the offer was not in line with the 5 per cent wage increases granted in other industries.

Federal Mediation Begins Tomorrow In Rubber Strike

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Federal Mediation Begins Tomorrow In Rubber Strike

6-21-67 [handwritten]

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Federal mediators will meet Thursday in Pittsburgh with negotiators for the five major rubber companies and the United Rubber Workers Union in an effort to break the nine-week strike in the rubber industry.

William Simkin, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, made the announcement Tuesday in Washington. Simkin said he would join the other federal mediators who have been trying to end the strike against Firestone, Uni-Royal and B.F. Goodrich.

Nearly 52,000 workers have been idled in factories across the country by the strike, already the longest in industry history.

A spokesman for the United Rubber Workers said Tuesday that no progress had been made in negotiations during the day. Nearly 3,000 more URW members, at the General Tire and Rubber Co. facilities here and in Waco, Tex., are expected to walk out at midnight tonight.

URW President Peter Bommarito said the locals at the two plants voted to strike over the weekend when negotiations failed Friday to reach an accord on pensions.

The strike against Goodrich, Firestone, and UniRoyal began April 20 when wage working conditions contracts expired. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. contract expired the same day, but production had continued on a day to day basis, as it did in the General Tire plants after their contract expired May 15.

In Naugatuck, Conn. the strike has crippled production at three UniRoyal plants.

Simkin said in telegrams to the union and the five companies that “Both sides have a public responsibility to exert every effort to reach an agreement.” He said the strike was hurting the companies, the workers, and the communities involved.

Federal Mediation 6-21-67 [handwritten]

Continued From Page 1

gotiators.

This meeting could go on for weeks, according to a union spokesman. He added that union officials are tightening their jaws and preparing to hold out for their demands.

At the heart of the dispute were union demands for substantial wage increases and supplementary unemployment benefits that would bring pay for workers laid off to 95 per cent of their regular straight time pay.

The companies have broadened negotiations to include discussions of pensions and welfare benefits. All five companies have made offers of a three-year contract that would wrap up wages, welfare, pensions and working conditions in one settlement.

Wage contracts and pension contracts have been traditionally negotiated separately in the rubber industry, the two-year wage contracts expiring in the spring and three-year pension contracts ending in the fall.

The union strike benefit fund, at $6.5 million when the strike began, is exhausted, and strike benefits have been reduced from $25 to $15.

Tire inventories of the three struck companies have been substantially reduced, but there is no indication of shortages of passenger tires yet. Original equipment supplies are believed sufficient to the end of the model year. The five companies have a mutual strike assistance pact. The URW has been trying to have this pact declared an unfair labor practice.

Local 45, URW, announced this morning that its President George Froehlich had been selected as one of a three-man team to attend the mediation sessions in Pittsburgh. Froehlich, they said, received the largest number of votes to represent the union in talks concerning UniRoyal.

The chief UniRoyal management negotiator will be Eugene Worchester and the chief UniRoyal union negotiator will be Herbert Dawson. It is not known who the third man on the UniRoyal negotiating team will be.

The feeling among union people, according to a union spokesman, is that government included settlements generally go in favor of management.

This represents the second attempt to get all of the “Big Five” companies and union to sit down at the same table and talk. The first effort was thwarted by Goodrich union ne-

Union Seeking Restraining Order Against UniRoyal

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

To Stop Production

6-22-67

Union Seeking Restraining Order Against UniRoyal

Federal Mediation In Rubber Strike Begins Today

PITTSBURGH (UPI) — In an effort to end the longest strike in rubber industry history, the federal government summoned negotiators for the nation’s top five producers and the United Rubber Workers (URW) to Pittsburgh today for a joint bargaining session.

Employes of UniRoyal, Inc., B. F. Goodrich and Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. walked out 63 days ago when their old contract expired.

The URW struck General Tire & Rubber Co. plants in Akron, Ohio, and Waco, Tex., last midnight to bring to 54,000 the number of workers on strike across the nation.

Operations at Goodyear tire plants continued on a day-to-day basis.

Firestone and General negotiators had been meeting in Cleveland, Goodyear and UniRoyal in Cincinnati, and Goodrich in Columbus, Ohio, until William E. Simkin, chief of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, asked all five groups to meet here.

The first session was scheduled to get underway at 4 p.m. in the Penn Sheraton Hotel.

The issues blocking a settlement included wage hikes, supplemental unemployment benefits, wage differentials between tire and “non-tire” employes and the length of the contract.

All the companies except General offered the URW wage hikes of 38 cents an hour for tire employes and 31 cents for “non-tire” employes offered a 40-cent an hour hike and supplemental unemployment benefits totaling 80 per cent of the workers’ wage.

Supplemental Benefits

The union had sought supplemental benefits of 95 per cent. The companies claimed the union demand amounted to a “guaranteed annual wage.”

URW President Peter Bommarito also asked that the “non-tire” workers receive the same wage hikes as other employes.

Tire employes averaged $3.68 cents an hour under the old contract and other workers, $2.69.

For the first time, the URW and the companies bargained about wages and pension and welfare benefits at the same time. In the past, the URW has signed a two-year wage agreement and a three-year welfare proposal. The current welfare agreement does not expire until September.

The companies claim their offer of wages and fringe benefits will cost them 70 cents per each man hour. Bommarito put the cost at only 60 cents an hour.

The lengthy strike, which on Sunday passed the 58-day record set against Firestone in 1959, has drained the URW treasury. Strike benefits ware cut from $25 to $15 a week last week.

Bommarito was understood to have turned down a loan offer from the United Auto Workers

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Officials of Local 45, United Rubber Workers, will seek to restrain UniRoyal, Inc., from starting up production lines in the borough for the purpose of making sample items, Vice-President Raymond Mengacci reported today.

Union officials appeared in Superior Court in Waterbury yesterday before Judge Leo Gaffney with complaints that non-bargaining unit personnel (non-union employes) were working on assembly lines in the firm in violation of a written agreement between the union and management, Mengacci

Israel Willing Internationalize Jerusalem Parts

By BRUCE W. MUNN
United Press International

UNITED NATIONS (UPI)— Latin American diplomats said Israeli Foreign Minister Abba S. Eban told them today Israel is willing to internationalize the holy places in Jerusalem.

The statement, made to a private meeting of the Latin American countries, was the first indication of Israel’s willingness to relinquish authority over any part of the Old City of Jerusalem it seized from Jordan.

The report came just before the General Assembly went into its fourth day of debate on the crisis. French Foreign Minister Maurice Couve de Murville was expected to expand on President Charles de Gaulle’s charge Wednesday that Israel started the war and that the war was an outgrowth of U.S. intervention in Vietnam.

Smaller nations were attempting to arrange a compromise between the U.S. and Soviet proposals on the Middle East but diplomatic sources said they had made little progress.

said.

The agreement, made April 18, two days before the 62-day-old strike began, states that in return for an orderly shutdown of the plant in the event of a strike by the union, management would not start any production lines or do any work by non-bargaining unit employes which would normally be done by union personnel.

An attempt to reach high-level management officers of the local plant were unsuccessful this morning. The NEWS was told they were “in conference.”

According to Mengacci, when union and management people met with Judge Gaffney yesterday in his chambers in Superior Court, the judge asked a company lawyer if the firm intended to break the agreement made between Mengacci and Thomas Nelligan, labor relations manager of the rubber company.

Mengacci said the company lawyer indicated the firm intended to “produce samples.”

Judge Gaffney reportedly said, “There will be bloodshed in Naugatuck if you violate this agreement,” Mengacci told the NEWS.

According to the vice-president of the local 5,500-member

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Federal Officials Enter Talks In Rubber Strike

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

18—Waterbury Republican, Friday, June 23, 1967

Federal Officials Enter Talks In Rubber Strike

PITTSBURGH, Pa.— Negotiators from five major rubber producers, the United Rubber Workers and federal mediators sat down Thursday to begin talks in one large group Thursday, but a swift end to a 63-day-old strike was not apparent.

Although no one would predict how long the talks in Pittsburgh might last, one could presume they will not end quickly, as progress made on working conditions during separate talks will be subject to renewed discussion on a group level.

Moderating the talks between the United Rubber Workers and the top five rubber producers was director of the Federal Mediation and Counciliation Service, William E. Simkin.

Thursday’s talks, according to sources, were mostly geared to laying the groundwork for further talks, the first of which is slated to begin today at 9 a.m.

This was the first time since 1947 that all five companies and the union talked together at one table. An attempt earlier in this series of negotiations failed when B. F. Goodrich union representatives refused to join a group meeting with the other companies because they did not want to talk a three-year contract.

According to a news source, the five companies, including Uniroyal, met with the union at one table during Thursday’s talks, then adjourned to meet separately.

Although RW officials have stated they would stand by their wage demands, RW President Peter Bommarito has indicated to reliable sources that he may be willing to move on the union’s demand for a supplemental unemployment benefit totaling 95 per cent of the weekly wage.

Bommarito was reportedly pleased to some degree with a recent General Tire offer which granted 80 per cent of the so-called “guaranteed annual wage.”

What displeased the international president of the

Regional Hospital View Cited

HARTFORD (AP) — A regional approach to meet the pressures of future hospital expansion in the face of slim federal support was urged Thursday by Dr. Edwin L. Crosby, executive vice president and director of the American Hospital Association.

Speaking to more than 200 hospital officials at the 49th annual meeting of the Connecticut Hospital Association at the Hartford Club, Dr. Crosby warned that the state’s hospitals cannot remain “voluntary” without freedom from federal control.

160,000-member union was the wage offer from General Tire, which had been upped from the last offer of 40 cents to 43, cents, with raises of 15 cents the first year, 15 the second and 13 the third.

Bommarito reportedly feels this is still too low, and is looking for at least 50 cents.

General Tire’s wage offer, however, is five cents higher than wage offers from the other four companies. An observer said Thursday that if General Tire could raise the wage offer, Bommarito would probably be willing to settle.

All companies are talking three-year contracts with the union, pensions and insurance included. Bommarito said the RW was holding a policy committee meeting in Cleveland Monday to discuss pension plans.

On another angle, spokesmen for the nation’s auto makers said Thursday the strike has created no shortage of tires for new cars. Production of 1967 cars, they said, would be complete without shortages.

One source said Thursday that the only difficulty might be in the area of molded and extruded rubber parts, such as motor mounts and grommets, which the companies do not heavily stock.

The auto industry will shut down in July for the changeover to new models. Spokesmen would make no predictions about what would happen if the rubber strike continues into the model changeover.

Man Held,

An Open Letter

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Editorial…. 6-23-67

An Open Letter

To Messrs. Peter Bommarito and George Vila and all others concerned:

As representatives of the union and management, respectively, in the current stalemate involving the rubber industry in the United States, you are the logical ones to whom any missive such as this must be addressed.

It may be that there are others whose attention should be called to what we have to say and which we feel must be said. That we shall leave to your individual judgment.

As this is written, 62 days have passed since some 5,500 employes of UniRoyal in the Naugatuck area laid aside their tools and turned to the picket lines instead. At first, the strike was perhaps regarded by many a something of a lark, a change of pace, a vacation of sorts. We will be willing to gamble there is no one today who regards the strike in any such light. No one.

Today there are all sorts of rumors rampant — that the strike will last at least until after the July 4th holiday; that it will last at least another month; that it will last until after Labor Day.

There are as many reasons for these rumors as there are rumors — perhaps more. And this is inevitable in a situation such as presently exists in Naugatuck — for men’s tempers are on edge and their reason highly susceptible to extraneous and not always logical influences.

It must be obvious to all right now, except those who will not see, that the strike has passed the point of no return, so to speak. No one is going to “win” this strike now. It has gone far beyond that.

The losses in wages and salaries to Naugatuck area people right now cannot possibly be recouped for years, if then, and even if the most favorable terms are granted in the final agreement.

Equally, UniRoyal has jeopardized its image with thousands of customers and lost millions of dollars worth of business to competing companies which have not been strike-bound.

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 other. 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.

It seems to us that reasonable men of good intentions should be able to reach agreement on such issues as the length of the contract, pension and insurance clauses and working conditions. It should not have taken this long, and there can no longer be any justification for continuing the battle along present lines.

It is hard for the objective viewer of this increasingly difficult situation to believe that there is no room for compromise, no possibility of a meeting of minds.

We believe you gentlemen, more than any other individuals, are in a position to remedy this situation through a willingness to seek an answer rather than adopting an unrelenting stance.

We urge that you do just that, if you share any slight concern for the thousands who presently stand by uncomfortably awaiting a decision that will put them back to work.

“Show Cause” Hearing

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

“Show Cause” Hearing

6-27 Continued From Page 1

they failed to disperse they were loaded aboard a bus and hauled to the courthouse. Barbuto said they would be charged with contempt of court.

Pickets kept salaried employes inside the plant for about an hour Monday.

Negotiations in the strike against the nation’s largest rubber producers were scheduled to resume today after four days of unsuccessful talks in Pittsburgh.

William E. Simkin, chief of the federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, summoned the URW and rubber company negotiators to Pittsburgh last week for the talks which ended Sunday.

“There had been intensive exploration of the issues, but no agreements were concluded,” Simkin said after the talks.

Some 50,000 rubber workers struck Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich Tire and Rubber Co., and UniRoyal, Inc., on April 20. The General Tire and Rubber Co. plants in Waco, Tex., and here, were struck last Wednesday, idling another 4,000 workers.

URW members are continuing to work at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. on a day to day basis while negotiations continue.

The companies, excluding General, have offered the union hourly pay hikes of 40 cents and a 75 per cent unemployment supplemental benefit plan.

General has offered 43 cents in raises and an 80 per cent benefit package for laid off workers.

The union wants bigger hourly increases and a 95 per cent unemployment package.

Tire workers currently average $3.68 an hour while non-tire workers get $2.69. Elimination of this pay differential is also a high priority goal of the URW.

Rumors Of Production

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

6-30-67

Rumors Of Production

Continued From Page 1

the city’s income tax revenues.
The Chamber of Commerce said
retail store sales also dropped
off in May and June and banks
reported a heavy draw on savings.

It also was reported that
many wives of strikers had gone
to work and that strikers themselves were finding jobs.

URW President Peter Bommarito said Thursday that a $1
million check from the United
Auto Workers union to bolster
the URW’s nearly depleted
strike fund would enable the union to “carry out our strike benefit plan indefinitely.”

The union’s strike fund stood
at $6.5 million when the strike
began.

About 50,000 rubber workers
were on strike against Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., B.F.
Goodrich and Uniroyal. The
firms were struck April 20.

Another 4,000 workers were
idled last week when the union
struck two plants of the General Tire & Rubber Co.

Work at the Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Co. continued on a day-
to-day basis.

Peace resumed in Akron
Thursday after mass picketing
incidents the last two days. Local 5 members met with union
officials and Summit County
Prosecutor James Barbuto and
aired a list of grievances that
triggered the picketing. Included was a charge college students were hired to do production work, which was denied.

Rubber Strike Negotiations Resume Today In Cincinnati

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Rubber Strike Negotiations Resume Today In Cincinnati

7-5-67 [handwritten]

Negotiations in the URW – UniRoyal strike are scheduled to resume today in Cincinnati for another try at reaching a contract settlement.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is the only one of the big five rubber companies continuing to operate with tire production from its plants assisting the other four companies in filling customers orders under a mutual assistance pact drawn up by the five companies prior to the strike.

Sources close to the negotiations said the bargaining has bogged down into a “sticky and confusing” situation with purely local grievances at times blocking the progress toward settlement. While agreements have been reached on several occasions, sources on both sides have become cheery about predicting an early settlement.

Economic issues, including pay boosts and details for a union – proposed full – employment or guaranteed annual wage program, continued to dominate the stale-mate, which has made the dispute the longest work stoppage in the history of the industry.

Economic pressure would appear to be the greatest on the union negotiators, however, despite the financial aid of $1 million lent the URW by Walter Reuther’s United Auto Workers Union with more pledged if requested. The $15 a week benefit check for strikers, reduced from $25, for the 54,000 employes off their jobs represents a weekly drain of more than $800,000 on the union’s resources.

Reuther’s willingness to help

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Rubber Strike Continued From Page 1

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

7-5-67

Rubber Strike

Continued From Page 1

the Rubber Workers is interesting aside from his friendship with Peter Bommarito, URW president. The URW begins its new contract negotiations with the auto companies next Monday and Reuther has let it be known that a guaranteed annual wage, a key hurdle in the rubber talks, will be an agreement “must” in the auto bargaining.

Meanwhile, pressure on the companies to resume production is eased by the combination of high tire inventories, an estimated 50 per cent of the industry still at work, auto manufacturers’ switchover to 1968 models coming earlier than usual and the industry’s mutual assistance pact.

Consequently, the companies can be expected to remain firm on the basis of their latest contract offers, which they say rep-

resents additional employment costs in wages, fringe benefits, pensions and insurance of some 70 cents an hour over three years. But URW officials contend the offer, which they claim adds up to about 60 cents an hour, is inadequate.

Locally, the URW Local 45 and the UniRoyal footwear plant is awaiting the decision of Judge Leo V. Gaffney on the request for a restraining injunction to be issued against the Footwear plant. The Judge is expected to make his finding known sometime the latter part of the week.

The Footwear plant seeks to start production on some 45,000 pairs of sample shoes using non-bargaining personnel. The Local is blocking this move, bringing into court an agreement made between plant officials and the Local, April 18.

The Judge must find whether this agreement was in effect at the time the company sought

No Break In 76-Day-Old Rubber Industry Strike

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

No Break In 76-Day-Old Rubber Industry Strike

7-6-67 [handwritten]

The five major rubber companies and the United Rubber Workers union resumed talks yesterday in Ohio. Representatives of the borough’s three Locals and UniRoyal representatives met again in Cincinnati with other talks being conducted in three other Ohio cities.

No indications of a break in the 76-day-old strike were forthcoming, according to sources.

The offer of Akron Mayor John S. Ballard to assist in negotiations of the four Akron based firms of Goodyear, Goodrich, Firestone and General and his appeal for around the clock negotiations was not eagerly accepted by all concerned.

Goodrich and Firestone, among the companies and the union, replied to the request, citing their willingness to conduct negotiations continuously. Doubt was expressed, however, that third-party participation for a single community would be helpful, since talks embrace company plants in numerous cities.

According to sources many local issues have bogged down the negotiations.

Third Ward Republican Burgess Edward McGrath had appealed to Gov. John Dempsey to help in the negotiations; however, the Borough Board was informed that he was watching the situation. No concrete action in mediation was mentioned in his communication.

Locally, picketing remains quiet at all gates of the three UniRoyal plants in the borough with strikers taking their turns on the picket line as matter of course.

The financial drain on the strikers is becoming more evident with each passing week. The $15 a week union benefit check is far from sufficient to maintain a family. An increasing number of borough residents are finding it difficult to maintain their installment payments, although local banking institutes have been most understanding of the situation.

Striking UniRoyal workers are looking forward to receiving vacation pays to give them a temporary financial lift.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — The president of the B. F. Goodrich Tire & Rubber Co. said today if the record-long strike against the rubber industry continues much longer the firm’s operations here will be reduced.

“We will not leave Akron but the operation will become smaller,” said J. W. Keener. “The longer the strike goes on the less certain we are to maintain customers.” Goodrich employes about 5,000 workers here.

Keener said reduced operations would result “because of the inability to stay in some businesses by becoming non-competitive.”

The strike, in its 77th day, was called against Goodrich, UniRoyal Inc., and the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. when United Rubber Workers (URW) contracts expired April 20.

General Tire & Rubber Co. was struck June 21. Work has continued at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. on a day-to-day basis.

“With the offer that we made to this union our costs are increased to a degree greater than the small companies with

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No Break Continued From Page 1

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

No Break

7-6-67

Continued From Page 1

which we compete,” Keener said.

General has offered 43 cents an hour in wage increases over three years, 80 per cent supplemental unemployment benefits, an additional paid holiday, and an increase in pension payments from $2 to $5.50 a month for each year of service.

The other firms offered 38 cents an hour to tire workers, 31 cents to non-tire workers, an added 10 cents an hour to skilled tradesmen, 75 per cent unemployment benefits and pension payments of $5.25 per month.

Keener turned down an offer from Mayor John Ballard to assist in marathon bargaining sessions. He said marathon negotiations and formal mediation efforts did not offer the best hopes for an early settlement.

Ballard received no reply Wednesday from the URW and General, but both indicated answers were forthcoming. Firestone declined the offer.

Raymond C. Firestone, board chairman of the Firestone Company, said the firm would meet regularly with union negotiators until a settlement is reached.

“We are deeply concerned with the extended strike and the interests of our 17,000 employes who have been out of work in 11 cities,” Firestone said.

Nationally the strike has idled 54,000 URW members in 34 cities.

Negotiations On Strike Settlement Stalemated

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Negotiations On Strike Settlement Stalemated

7-7-67

Negotiation talks continued yesterday in Cincinnati between the United Rubber Workers Union and UniRoyal, Inc. However, sources indicate that negotiations are still stalemated.

Some progress has been noted since the beginning of the sessions, but the wage differential is said to be a barrier against settlement. Also, according to reports, the union’s

The office of the Clerk of Waterbury Superior Court, when contacted by the NEWS this morning, said that a decision from Judge Leo V. Gaffney on the Local 45 suit seeking a restraining injunction against the footwear plant of UniRoyal had not been handed down as yet.

Judge Gaffney had said at the end of the two-day court hearings, that he would reach a decision as soon as possible and hoped for one by today.

insistence of a guaranteed annual income is barring settlement.

According to a statement in a New York financial news-

paper, “Another worry to auto makers is the special interest Walter Reuther is taking in the rubber industry negotiations, where guaranteed annual income is a key unresolved issue. Officials of the United Rubber Workers union have consulted with the UAW on strategy and recently borrowed $1 million from the UAW after their strike fund was depleted.

“There is a strong suspicion in Detroit that Reuther is trying to engineer, by proxy, a breakthrough on guaranteed annual income in the rubber industry and then get an improvement on the rubber pattern from the three auto makers.”

William Simkin, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, has issued no recommendation following the three-day talks in Pittsburgh. It appears that the government has bowed out after a brief attempt to mediate.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — A statement that the 78-day old strike against the rubber industry could jeopardize future operations of the B. F. Goodrich Co. here brought a sharp retort from the United Rubber Work-

ers Thursday.

URW President Peter Bommarito criticized Goodrich President J. W. Keener for using “the good offices” of Mayor John Ballard to “threaten employes and counter with retaliatory action against the employes” who are exercising their right to strike.

Ballard had offered to assist in mediating the strike and called for round-the-clock bargaining sessions if they were needed to halt the walkout. He got a polite no.

Keener said Goodrich would not shut down its Akron plant, but might be forced to reduce the size of its local operation because of loss of competitive power.

He said the strike had “serious implications for the future of the company’s operations.”

Bommarito said Keener’s statements were “not conducive to a quick or durable settlement” and added the union will accept nothing less “than that to which they are entitled under sound economic logic and social morality.”

Bommarito said the union appreciated Ballard’s offer, but said he could not commit the five URW policy committees to marathon sessions.

“Each policy committee decides its own course of action outside the URW International,” he said.

More than 54,000 rubber workers have been idled by the strike against Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Goodrich, Uniroyal, Inc., and the General Tire & Rubber Co.

Work at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has continued on a day to day basis.

The latest General offer, higher than the others, called for

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State Refunds $2,885

Negotiations On Strike

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

7-7-67

Negotiations On Strike

Continued From Page 1

increases of 43-cents an hour over the next three years and an 80 per cent supplemental unemployment benefit plan.

The other companies offered 38-cent an hour raises to tire workers and 31-cents to non-tire workers and a 75 per cent unemployment plan.

The union was not happy with either offer. It wanted greater wage increases, a 95 per cent supplemental unemployment plan and elimination of differentials between tire and non-tire workers.

There have been no signs a settlement was near.

Naugatuck Locals May Quit Talks, Seek Own Accord With Uniroyal

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Naugatuck Locals May Quit Talks, Seek Own Accord With Uniroyal

7-9-67 [handwritten]

By PATRICK KEATING
Register Staff Reporter

NAUGATUCK — Speculation was growing here this weekend that striking Locals 45, 218 and 308 of the United Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO, may pull out of talks between their union’s International Policy Committee and the management of Uniroyal, Inc., and go their own way in an attempt to end the 80-day-old walkout.

The three locals — representing, respectively the Footwear, Chemical and Synthetic Divisions of Uniroyal here — have a membership of more than 5,000.

Their representatives, together with officials of other United Rubber Workers locals striking against Uniroyal, B. F. Goodrich and the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. have been engaged for several weeks now in talks at Cincinnati with the rubber panies.

Last week, Local 45 held an executive board meeting in Naugatuck with George Froehlich, local president, in attendance. There was reportedly strong talk or ordering Froehlich and the local’s other representatives on the International Policy Committee to return home this weekend if no firm progress were made.

Indications were that the other locals would follow Local 45’s lead.

It was also indicated that there is a widening of a breach between the tire plant workers of Uniroyal and non-tire employes, including those in Naugatuck. This disagreement reportedly stems from the wage increase differential between tirement and the non-tire group.

If the Naugatuck locals decide to bargain on their own, union sources said, it would not necessarily be considered a desertion of union principles.

Although union officials here were not available for comment on the rumor, progress reports from Cincinnati from time to time indicate that URW negotiators have been meeting separately with their respective companies.

URW Locals Deny Rumor Of Breach

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

7-10-67

URW Locals Deny Rumor Of Breach

Local 45 (Footwear division), Local 218 (Chemical Division) and Local 308 (Synthetic Division), United Rubber Workers Union, issued a joint statement today to emphatically deny the rumors that the three locals were considering pulling out their respective policy committee members from the master contract negotiations with UniRoyal, Inc.

“At no time was any such action considered by any of the three locals executive boards or memberships,” Cy Blanchard, vice-president of Local 218, said this morning as spokesman for the three Locals.

“All locals give their full support to their policy committee members in Cincinnati. We have the utmost confidence in the policy committees’ ability to reach an equitable and satisfactory settlement for all URW members.

“There is no breach between the tire and non-tire workers of the UniRoyal policy committee section as they are solidified in their intent to reach a settlement with the company with the common interest of all the URW membership at heart,” Blanchard said.

Drawing up the statement were Blanchard, Raymond Mengacci, vice-president of Local 45, and Joseph Arbachauskas, vice-president of Local 308.

Blanchard said the vice-presidents searched today for the source of the rumor but could not pin it down.

A negotiating session between UniRoyal and the United Rubber workers unions representatives was held Saturday in Cincinnati. Additional meetings are scheduled for today in an effort to narrow the differences separating the two sides.

UniRoyal president, George Vila, issued a letter July 7th, mailed to the company’s stockholders, describing the issues in the strike of 22,000 employes and its impact on the company’s second-quarter earnings.

The letter notes that negotiations with the union are continuing, and there has been some progress; however, it is very slow.

When the strike was called, the company had sizable inventories in many product lines which helped to cushion the impact of the strike sales. However, the impact on earnings is severe because necessary fixed costs in the striking plants continue without the production necessary to absorb them. As a consequence, net income for the second quarter will sharply lower than the $1.06 a common share in 1966.

The strike has closed 19 plants and idled 22,000 workers. These plants represent 50 per cent of the employes and over 70 per cent of the sales.

The letter states that four days of negotiations by the major rubber companies and the union with Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service took place in Pittsburgh late in June. Federal mediators, not finding it possible to conclude agreements, discontinued these talks after an extensive exploration of the issues.

Vila spelled out to the stockholders the company’s latest wage, pension and insurance offer to the union and explained the differential between tire workers and non-tire workers pay is because competitors in the non-tire segment of the company’s business do not pay the same high wages and benefits and do not provide the same increases as UniRoyal does.

“Strong Possibility”

Rubber Walkout Might Include Goodyear Tire

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.

As of Friday, all contractual issues with Goodyear had been resolved except economic questions, including wages, pensions and vacations, Nardella said.

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.

The union has rejected as “inadequate” the latest offers from the five firms.

General has offered 43 cents an hour in wage increases over three years and an 80 per cent supplemental unemployment plan.

The other four firms have offered wage increases of 38 cents an hour to tire workers, 31 cents to non-tire workers and a 75 per cent unemployment plan.

Long Rubber Strike Seen Test of Labor’s Strength

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

THE WORKER. JULY 11, 1967

Page 3

Long Rubber Strike Seen Test of Labor’s Strength

By PHIL BART

AKRON, O.—This rubber city with some 300,000 population is in the throes of a long drawn out strike that has passed its 80th day. There are 52,000 on strike in 36 cities, about 15,000 of them here. They work in Firestone, Goodrich and Uniroyal whose base is in Detroit.

Two weeks ago the workers in General Tire joined the strike. Goodyear with 21,000 workers, 10,000 of them in Akron continue to work on a day-to-day basis. It is one of the longest strikes in this industry. Its outcome may help influence negotiations in other major industries.

DEMANDS

Among their demands are a general wage increase, wage adjustments for skilled tradesmen and numerous grievances which remain unsolved. The United Rubber Workers Union (URW) opposes an attempt by the companies to institute a wage difrefential between tire production and non-tire plants. The only reason for this is to split the workers in the industry.

Pension matters are being negotiated separately.

Prior to the strike date of April 21 the companies stockpiled large reserves of tires. The big 5 in the industry arranged a mutual assistance pact similar to the one established among the air line corporations. The object is to have a financial kitty to help the struck companies continue to keep their workers out.

URW president, Peter Bommarito, charges that this pact is a “conspiracy” against the strikers. The union has filed unfair labor practice charges against the companies.

PRICE RISE CITED

The United Rubber Worker, union organ, states, that the cost of living since the beginning of 1966 has more than wiped out the 9 cents gain of the past year. Productivity has increased by more than 7 percent a year, according to J. Ward Keener, president of B. F. Goodrich Co. In addition, Mr. Bommarito shows that sales went up from 6 percent to 13 percent while profits jumped from 8.5 percent to 21.8 percent during the past year.

The Goodrich company in a letter to the strikers claimed it was offering them a 73 cents an hour package over three years. The union countered by pointing out this misrepresentation and said that the offer is closer to 60 cents over that period. Previous contracts ran for a period of two years.

COSTLY BURDEN

The union faces considerable financial problems. It is spending $1,500,000 weekly. The strikers were receiving $25 weekly, which has now been reduced to $15. Those with large families supplement their needs with food stamps. The union has received an initial loan of one million dollars from the United Auto Workers Union.

In talking to strikers one immediately recognizes the militancy and unity in their ranks. Some have had to pull in a notch in their belts but it does not show on their faces. There is a grim determination to win. Pickets are stationed at all gates. An injunction has reduced pickets to two at the Goodrich gates. Office and managerial personnel have been going into the plants daily. There is a feeling among the strikers that they are doing work inside. Sentiment is building up to keep them out.

EFFECT ON CITY

Akron is a rubber town. When rubber production stops the whole city feels it.

We talked to a local newspaper editor. Akron has a one percent income tax for capital improvements. He told us that the loss in income is around $14,000 a week. Where will funds come from for city improvements—that he does not know. It will be felt, however, in months ahead. In a conversation with a couple of small businessmen we were told that they already feel the pinch.

For 20 years wage adjustments in the rubber and auto industries have paralleled each other. These relations have become known as the “tandem relationship.” Evidently the rubber barons are trying to break these relations which have been beneficial to workers in both industries.

The effects of the attacks in rubber may be felt in the auto industry. We asked a union official whether he sees a protracted strike. He said it is possible. He added, that there is opinion prevailing here that the auto industry may be pressuring the rubber corporations to hold out longer and thereby influence negotiations in auto.

As the strike continues it serves as a warning signal against renewed anti-labor attacks. Pickets in Akron and 36 other cities are walking the line not only for themselves but for all labor. A growing movement of support to the rubber strikers is essential now. It is the kind of solidarity which helped advance the interests of the whole labor movement in the past and it must do so again.

Views Of The Naugatuck UniRoyal Strike Are Given In Nationwide Story By United Press International

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Views Of The Naugatuck UniRoyal Strike Are Given In Nationwide Story By United Press International

7-11-67 [handwritten date in top right]

EDITORS:

The industrial city of Naugatuck is in the steel grip of a 13 week strike involving 5,500 members of the United Rubber Workers Union of America and the area’s chief employer, the UniRoyal plant. The economic crush is reflected in various ways with the situation approaching the crisis stage for some, an occurrence unmatched during the Depression or in 1959 when a strike lasted three weeks. “Hell,” says one man,” that was just pie and ice cream compared to this.” Here is a special report.

By JAMES V. HEALION
UPI Hartford
NAUGATUCK, Conn. (UPI)— Anvil Agastio goes through the motions of wiping a counter top in his sandwich shop across the street from Building 2 with its blue-paneled windows. His shop both is empty and in pin-drop silence he says, “We probably feel the strike more than anybody else.” He glances at the chairs piled atop the tables and says, “We opened up two days after the strike began.”

Nearby is the small department store of William Rosenblatt, which has been in his family for 50 years. It is crammed chock-full of wearing apparel much of which he purchased before the strike began, April 20.

“Even the Depression wasn’t as bad as this. There’s nothing you can do but hope.” Rosenblatt points to the mounds of clothing, the dresses, the shoes. “Business is off 40 per cent,” he says.

“Look, if people aren’t working, they can’t buy. They make payments and you get new business. His shop both ways. I’m not pressing anybody for money. I know they haven’t got it. It’s bad, bad, I’m telling you,” he said.

Behind in Bills

A housewife whose husband is employed at the UniRoyal plant says, “We’re getting pretty far behind in our bills. I’ve got two children, one in college and one in high school. If this thing isn’t settled pretty soon, I’m not sure the one in college is going to be able to go back.”

Even if the negotiators in Akron, Ohio, do reach agreement in the next two weeks, it seems apparent that the plant would not return to normal until almost Labor Day because the annual vacation shutdown begins July 28.

The economic loss due to the strike is reflected in odd ways: short collections in the city’s churches; parking meter revenue is off 40 per cent, and in Sullivan’s tap room, they’re drinking beer instead of whiskey.

One big name in the strike is not connected with the rubber workers union. It is that of Walter Reuther, president of the United Auto Workers, which issued an interest-free loan of $1 million to the strikers.

This is sometimes praised; sometimes criticized.

[PHOTO: Black and white headshot of a man in a suit]

JAMES HEALION

“They say you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth but Walter Reuther knows how to win friends and influence people. It could be that he might just want to take us under his wing,” says one striker.

This theory seems to have an element of possibility in it however remote, since the rubber workers appear more aligned with Reuther’s union than any other union, except their own, because a good portion of UniRoyal’s products are for the automobile industry.

The company itself is feeling the stinging impact of the strike in all its departments especially, however, in its footwear division, which is known as the mother plant. This division produces the “Keds” brand of sneaker, in addition to others.

At this time of year, 250 to 300 salesmen are on the road showing their samples to prospective buyers in the nation’s stores but this is not so this year because of an agreement being contested in the courts which stipulates the samples may not be produced during the strike.

Salesmen Idle

UniRoyal, thus, is the only one of the big rubber companies whose salesmen are not displaying their footwear lines. The effect will probably be felt through the autumn and into the Christmas season, according to one source.

Another source says that when the strike ends, the company expects to recruit about 500 new employes for the ones known to have found other full-time employment since the walkout began in April.

Thomas G. Hogenauer, manager of the State Employment Office in nearby Waterbury, says about 200 rubber workers applied for part-time work since the strike started. Forty found work through the office.

There appears to be no surface hard core animosity borne by any of the parties to the strike. The local, in fact, allowed 25 mechanics and millwrights to go into the plant recently to oil and maintain machines that otherwise might have rusted or fouled.

Shipping Goods

While the plant is not manufacturing, supervisory personnel are shipping merchandise. Seventy-five per cent of the incoming orders are being filled, according to one source.

The spinoff effect of the strike is felt in the stores, the service stations and the supermarkets, where layoffs in the city’s two largest stores have occurred.

Lester Odell, who operates a service station, says,”The strike has slowed everything down.” His business has been out by 50 to 60 per cent, he says, “I wish to God it would be over tomorrow.”

Maryann San Angelo, who operates a beauty parlor, says she has about 75 UniRoyal customers — the plant employes about 1,000 women. “Some have stopped coming in and won’t be back until the strike ends. However, we have taken several on credit — we think we should do that much for them,” she says.

Banks Concede

The lending institutions in the city are making concessions. John G. Moni, a vice president of the Naugatuck Savings Bank, says “there is a reverse psychology in this kind of circumstance. Everybody is not trying to withdraw, they’re trying to save. It’s a disaster, in essence.”

Please turn to Page 10

Federal Intervention Possible In Strike

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

7-12-67

If Goodyear Workers Strike

Federal Intervention Possible In Strike

The United Rubber Workers Union has notified the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., that unless settlement is reached it will strike its plants at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

The 21,000 workers at Goodyear’s 11 plants have continued working on a day-to-day basis since the termination of their contract, April 20.

In the event Goodyear’s plants are closed, there has been some speculation that the government would invoke the Taft-Hartley Act providing for an 80-day “cooling off” period. During this time, presumably all the struck companies would return to work while negotiations continued for contract settlement.

However, one source indicated some doubt the administration would seek an injunction at least immediately, although he conceded a strike at Goodyear would ultimately make a move for an injunction more likely.

In another move to force the issue, the United Rubber Workers called a strike last Saturday against Schenuit Rubber Co. in Baltimore, a smaller concern producing aircraft and industrial tires. This possibility will bring added government pressure for a settlement among the five major concerns because of military aircraft tire requirements.

Schenuit was struck by Local 293 of the union, also in a dispute over a new contract, idling about 400 workers. Schenuit’s aircraft tire production goes entirely to the government and represents about 20 per cent of its aircraft tire requirements, according to industrial sources.

William E. Simkin, director of the U.S. Mediation and Conciliation Service, appeared in Columbus, Ohio Monday to as-

sist in negotiating a contract settlement between B.F. Goodrich and the union. Peter Bommarito, International President

of the union, also went to Columbus from Akron, Monday to join the negotiations.

Please Turn to Page 14

A conciliation service spokesman in Columbus discounted the government’s aircraft tire position as being Simkin’s reason for seeking a Goodrich strike settlement. Rather, he said, he believed Simkin felt “it would be more fruitful to start with Goodrich” in seeking company-by-company settlements among the five major concerns.

Officials of the Schenuit Rubber also were meeting with union bargaining representatives in Baltimore yesterday with mediation service personnel taking part in the talks. The Schenuit contract had expired June 30 but workers continued on their jobs on a day-to-day basis until Saturday.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — The United Rubber Workers (URW) plans to shut down the nation’s largest tire producer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., if no contract agreement is reached by Thursday midnight.

A strike against the fifth member of the “big five” tire producers prompted fear of government intervention.

Some 54,000 URW members ready are on strike against our other major rubber companies. Three of them have been closed for the past 82 days the longest strike in industry history.

Kenneth Oldham, a member the union’s Goodyear Policy mmittee, said Tuesday in ncinnati that about 22,000 un members will walk off their ps at 11 Goodyear factories ross the country at midnight ursday, if negotiations, taking ice in a Cincinnati hotel, were successful.

The strike vote was taken by individual URW locals at Goodyear plants.

Negotiations with Goodyear and the B. F. Goodrich Co. intensified.

In both sets of talks, agreement was reported reached on all non money issues.

URW President Peter Bommarito and Chief Federal Mediator William Simkin sat in on the Goodrich negotiations in hopes of reaching a pattern setting agreement that could end the strikes at other companies.

About 51,000 workers have been on strike against Goodrich, Firestone and UniRoyal since April 20, when contracts expired.

Another 3,000 URW members struck two general tire plants June 21.

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.

Major stumbling blocks in all negotiations were wage increases, supplementary unemployment benefits, and pay boost differentials between tire workers and other production workers.

Tire workers average about $3.58 per hour and non-tire workers about $2.69.

The URW Tuesday confirmed reports of another “seven-figure” loan from the United Auto Workers to replenish the URW’s depleted strike funds.

The auto workers previously loaned the striking union $1 million.

Wants Fellow Rubber Workers To Help End The Strike

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

7-13-67

Wants Fellow Rubber Workers To Help End The Strike

To the Editor of The Republican:

The time has come for us rubber workers to get together and let our bargaining negotiators in Cincinnati know that the strike is going on too long with no settlement in sight.

The money we workers lost will never be regained regardless of what the settlement will be. The longer the strike continues, the more we will lose. They talk about a fair and just settlement.

I don’t think it is fair and just for us workers who have to use our life’s savings after working so hard for it, and then go broke and in debt. Whoever is interested in getting back to work please send in a postcard to our Uniroyal

7-13-67

Letters To The Edit

negotiators in Cincinnati and ask them to get going for a quick settlement.

Give them seven days or we will take a vote to go back to work while they are negotiating, until a settlement is reached.

This way we will be earning wages and receive retroactive pay when the strike is over. This is plain common sense. Do it now. Enough time and money have been lost.

In my opinion the company is offering a fair and just settlement. I believe we should go back to work so that we could make sample footwear for the salesman to show to the buyers. This is to our own advantage and insures our jobs for the future.

I appeal to and urge every member to send in a postcard as soon as possible to Uniroyal negotiators in Cincinnati and let them know that we want to vote to go back to work and vote to accept the company offer.

ANTHONY ENSERO
Veteran worker of 31 years’ service
121 Tracy Ave.

Waterbury

Only Economic Issues

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

7-13-67

Only Economic Issues

Continued From Page 1

pay a worker 95 per cent of his wage. All the companies except General offered 75 per cent.

General upped the offer to 80 per cent and it was understood the union would accept this figure if the companies agreed to contribute to the benefit fund an extra penny per month for each employe with excesses from the fund to be distributed as Christmas bonuses.

The companies, however, refused to add the extra penny and want bonuses eliminated altogether.

General offered a 40 cent wage hike while the other firms offered 38 cents an hour to tire workers, who averaged $3.68 an hour under the old contract, and 31 cents to “non-tire” workers, who made $2.69 an hour.

The URW asked that non-tire workers receive the same pay boost as tire workers.

Rubber Strike Talks Recess For Weekend

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Waterbury American, Saturday, July 15, 1967—5

Rubber Strike Talks Recess For Weekend

AKRON, OHIO (UPI)—With the nation’s rubber production down to 25 per cent of its total, negotiators for four major tire companies and the striking United Rubber Workers (URW) took a weekend break.

There was little hope a tentative agreement reached Thursday with General Tire & Rubber Co. would pave the way for a settlement between the union and Uniroyal, B. F. Goodrich, Firestone and Goodyear.

General Tire’s 3,000 idled workers could return to their jobs Sunday night.

A pay raise differential between the tire and non-tire workers appeared to be the major stumbling block in talks with Goodyear, the largest producer.

Tire workers averaged $3.58 an hour under the old contract and non-tire employes $2.69 an hour.

Goodyear offered a 43-cent-an-hour wage increase to tire workers — the same as General — but two cents to less to non-tire workers.

The tire workers’ increase would go into effect in steps of 15, 15 and 13 cents over a three-year period. A Goodyear spokesman maintained that although the non-tire workers’ increase was two cents lower, it would go into effect sooner and, in effect, eliminate the differential.

Resume Monday

A union spokesman called the offer “substandard.” It was the final offer when negotiations broke up for the weekend. Talks resume Monday.

Uniroyal, B. F. Goodrich, and Firestone have been closed the past 12 weeks. Goodyear was closed early Friday, bringing the number idled to 76,000.

The URW general agreement included a supplemental unemployment benefit plan that will pay a worker laid off 80 per cent of his salary.

URW President Peter Bommarito said the plan “Makes it possible for the blue collar worker to plan his family expenditures for months ahead.”

The rubber strike appeared to pose no immediate threat to the automobile industry.

Auto factories one-by-one are halting production for the annual model changeover and large supplies of tires will not be needed until production of 1968 autos starts in August.

Union Strikes Goodyear

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

General Tire Reaches Accord

7-14-67

Union Strikes Goodyear

By Combined Wire Services

AKRON, Ohio—The United Rubber Workers (URW) struck Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., the nation’s top producer, early Friday less than 12 hours after reaching a contract agreement with another major rubber company.

Negotiators for Goodyear and the union met until late Thursday night then recessed talks until Friday morning at 10 a.m.

Goodyear spokesmen said the URW had rejected an offer “similar” to one it accepted from General Tire & Rubber Co. earlier Thursday.

URW spokesman George Scriven said, the Goodyear proposal was “not similar in all respects to the general offer.”

“It was substandard in some parts,” he said, “that’s all I want to say about it.”

The union’s move to add Goodyear workers to 53,000 members who have been on strike at Firestone, B. F. Goodrich and Uniroyal since April 21 followed a Thursday afternoon announcement of a tentative agreement with General Tire & Rubber.

General, smallest of the industry’s big five, has been on strike only since June 22, with 1,850 out at a plant here and nearly 1,200 others at Waco, Tex.

Goodyear has been operating on a day-to-day basis since expiration of the old URW contracts and the start of the strike against Firestone, Goodrich and Uniroyal 12 weeks ago.

The tentative agreement with General Tire & Rubber was heralded as a break in the longest strike in rubber industry history and a possible pattern for other settlements. But the four larger companies have many workers other than tire builders, who make up the union membership at General Tire, and so have additional bargaining problems.

The URW-General agreement was reached in negotiations at Cleveland, and Hamad said the offer amounted to a wage increase of 43 cents an hour over the three years — 15 cents in each of the first and second years and 13 cents the last year.

In addition there would be a 10-cent-an-hour increase the first year for skilled workers.

Tire builders in the top pay group currently average $3.88 an hour.

Vacations were improved, Hamad said, to give workers with 22 years service five weeks, and 30-year veterans six weeks. Formerly workers received five weeks after 25 years.

Supplemental unemployment benefits, a reported key point in negotiations, were increased from 68 to 80 per cent a week for laid-off workers. These benefits extend for 39 weeks, the same as before.

Workers also received a 10th paid holiday, and the company’s contribution for pensions and insurance was increased from $3.25 to $5.50 a month for each year of service.

In the past, the first agreement with the union has set a pattern for others. This seemed even more likely this year since the Big Five entered into a mutual aid pact before the strike.

The pact was the first in the rubber industry’s bargaining history and provided that those companies not struck would give “substantial” aid to those shut down.

Goodyear has been the only major rubber company working since June 22, but all the Big Five had stockpiled products early in the year as a strike-hedge.

Rubber Negotiators

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Naugatuck, Conn.

Established 1885

Rubber Negotiators

SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1967
10 PAGES
Price Seven Cents

Take Weekend Break

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — With the nation’s rubber production down to 25 per cent of its total, negotiators for four major tire companies and the striking United Rubber Workers (URW) took a weekend break.

There was little hope a tentative agreement reached Thursday with General Tire & Rubber Co. would pave the way for a settlement between the union and Uniroyal, B.F. Goodrich, Firestone and Goodyear.

General Tire’s 3,000 idled workers could return to their jobs Sunday night.

A pay raise differential between the tire and non-tire workers appeared to be the major stumbling block in talks with Goodyear, the largest producer.

Tire workers averaged $3.68 an hour under the old contract and non-tire employes $2.69 an hour.

Goodyear offered a 43-cents-an hour to wage increase to tire workers—the same as General—but two cents less to non-tire workers.

The tire workers’ increase would go into effect in steps of 15, 15 and 13 cents over a three year period. A Goodyear spokesman maintained that although the non-tire workers’ increase was two cents lower, it would go into effect sooner and, in effect, eliminate the differential.

A union spokesman called the offer “substandard.” It was the final offer when negotiations broke up for the weekend. Talks resume Monday.

UniRoyal, B.F. Goodrich, and Firestone have been closed the past 12 weeks. Goodyear was closed early Friday, bringing the number ideled to 76,000.

The URW general agreement included a supplemental unemployment benefit plan that will pay a worker laid off 80 per cent of his salary.

URW President Peter Bommarito said the plan “makes it possible for the blue collar worker to plan his family expenditures for months ahead.”

The rubber strike appeared to pose no immediate threat to the automobile industry.

Auto factories one-by-one are Halting production for the annual model changeover and large supplies of tires will not be needed until production of 1968 autos start in August.

Raymond Mengacci, vice-president of Local 45, URW, said yesterday afternoon he had talked with George Froehlich, president of the Local and who is in Cincinnati, yesterday at noon time.

Froehlich told Mengacci the UniRoyal negotiators had asked for the afternoon off to discuss the offer made by General Tire and were expected to begin negotiations again this morning at 9 o’clock.

Mengacci said Froehlich told him the negotiating teams will keep talking “Saturday and Sunday, if necessary.”

Froehlich said he expected UniRoyal to make an offer to the URW very similar to that of General Tire.

Uniroyal Worker Replies To End-The-Strike Advocate

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

MARIAM C. SCHLICHT
Chairman,
Democratic Town Committee

Roxbury

7-16-67

Uniroyal Worker Replies
To End-The-Strike Advocate

To the Editor of The Republican:

As a member of Local 45 URW I would like
to answer Mr. Anthony Ensero’s letter to the
editor which appeared in The Republican July
13.

Mr. Ensero is a badly confused and mis-
informed individual. His expressed desire to
have postcards sent to our negotiating commit-
tee in Cincinnati telling them “to get going”
shows a great lack of the common sense he
professes in his letter to have.

Just what does he think they have been
doing? Is he aware of the deep concern these
men have for the members of their respective
locals? Does he know of the long tiring hours
they have been putting in (without pay) to try
to reach a settlement that will be beneficial to
all of us.

Mr. Ensero states that, in his opinion, “the
company is offering a fair settlement.” I agree
their offer sounds very generous. There are
however, too many clauses which they have
included that render it unacceptable.

There are some instances in which members
are subjected to unfair working conditions. Are
these to be ignored? Can an extra holiday or a
few cents more an hour compensate for this?
Perhaps for Mr. Ensero, but not for me nor for
the majority of my fellow workers who feel
they have certain rights that the company
must recognize and accept.

It is true we will not regain the money we
have lost, but we will have retained our dignity
and our determination to move forward. With
both my husband and I working at Uniroyal we
feel the same, if not a greater, strain on our
purse strings as Mr. Ensero. We don’t, howev-
er, have his belly ache.

Some sacrifices have to be made if we are
ever going to get ahead. In the history of the
American Labor Movement there have been
many struggles, and the benefits we now enjoy
have been obtained for us through the efforts
of others. Are we so small that we can do noth-
ing for ourselves or for those who will come af-
ter us.

If Mr. Ensero must “appeal to and urge” his
fellow workers, let it be to give our negotiating
committee a strong vote of confidence, and a
sincere word of thanks for their dedication.

I cast my vote for these men two years ago,
and I firmly believe now, as I did then, that
they will do the best they can for me and for
all of us, including Mr. Ensero.

THERESA N. MORGADO
Member Local 45

471 Willow St.
Waterbury.

Settlement Is Reached At Goodrich

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

7-16-67

Settlement

Is Reached At Goodrich

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Negotiators for the B.F. Goodrich Co. and United Rubber Workers Union announced in Columbus on Saturday they had

(In Naugatuck, a three-month-old strike of Uniroyal by the United Rubber Workers continues. The union settlement with the General Tire Co. on Thursday encouraged negotiators in the belief that a breakthrough was at hand. (Related story on Page 24.)

reached a tentative agreement to end a marathon strike against the company.

In Akron, after the agreement was announced, Goodrich President Ward Keener said pay

See GOODRICH Page 2

Uniroyal Talks Resume; New Accords Lift Hopes

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Monday, July 17, 1967

BEACON FALLS

Uniroyal Talks Resume; New Accords Lift Hopes

Negotiations were to resume today in Cincinnati between the United Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO, and Uniroyal in an atmosphere of optimism over recent settlements in the rubber industry.

Union agreements with two members of the industry’s big five — B. F. Goodrich Co. and the General Tire and Rubber Co. — have lifted hopes for an accord with Uniroyal, which has plants in Naugatuck and Beacon Falls. Uniroyal has been struck since April 21.

Negotiations were also to be resumed today by Goodyear at Cincinnati and Firestone in Cleveland.

The Goodrich company was ready today for a quick start – up of production at its nine plants in eight states after an agreement was reached in Columbus Saturday.

A tentative settlement was reached with General Tire Thursday in Cleveland.

Union members are expected to ratify both pacts in votes not yet scheduled.

Both the Goodrich and General agreements provide for a total of 43 cents in hourly pay raises-15 cents this year and again next year and 13 cents in 1969. There is an additional 10 cents hourly in the first year for skilled workers. Present hourly top scale is $3.88, the union said.

An increase to 80 per cent of normal pay for supplemental benefits to laid-off workers was hailed by Peter Bommarito, URW international president, as a “giant step forward in reaching the goal of the guaranteed annual wage.”

Injunction Against UniRoyal Imposed

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Injunction Against UniRoyal Imposed

7-11-67 [handwritten]

Judge Leo V. Gaffney ruled today in favor of Local 45, United Rubber Workers, and imposed a restraining injunction against the Naugatuck Footwear plant of UniRoyal, Inc.

The order restricts the footwear plant from performing any work by non-bargaining personnel for the duration of the strike with the exception of work that had been performed at the plant before June 21.

The plant had attempted to start production on sample shoes, using non-bargaining personnel to perform work normally done by bargaining unit personnel, on June 22.

Local 45 immediately went into Waterbury Superior Court before Judge Gaffney requesting an injunction. Following two days in Court the Judge studied the testimony and rendered the above ruling.

The negotiating session scheduled yesterday in Cincinnati between UniRoyal and URW was canceled. According to a source, UniRoyal negotiators went to New York Sunday to meet with the Board of Directors of UniRoyal. The next scheduled meeting is tomorrow.

Raymond Mengacci, vice-president of Local 45, said this morning that he expects the strike will end by 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Two of the “big five” rubber companies have settled with the URW; UniRoyal is expected to be the next. General Tire settled Friday and B.F. Goodrich reached agreement Saturday.

Soon after the Goodrich accord was announced, the company began calling back its maintenance employes to prepare its idled plants for a resumption of production, probably later this week.

Peter Bommarito, who has been URW president less than a year, apparently is on his way to wrapping up the most costly pay and welfare contract agreements in the union’s history. He termed the Goodrich and General Tire pacts “giant steps” toward realizing the union’s goals. “We achieved everything we had hoped for,” he said.

The Goodrich and General Tire agreements are much the same. However, Goodrich calls for the 43-cent an hour pay boost for all employes over a three year period, disregarding the differential between tire and non-tire workers.

Goodrich has agreed to unemployment compensation would be made at 80 per cent of straight time wages for one year to all employes with up to five years service and on a graduated scale up to four years of payment for employes with 25 years of service or more.

The Goodrich agreement includes a revamped vacation schedule but doesn’t provide an additional paid holiday as did General Tire’s. Goodrich’s liberalized program will provide two weeks’ vacation after one year, three weeks after five years, four weeks after 15 years, five weeks after 22 years and six weeks after 30 years.

Like the General Tire settlement, Goodrich’s provides a first year additional pay increase for skilled trades workers of 10 cents an hour; a boost in monthly pension payment to $5.50 from $3.25 for each year of service; company-paid life insurance coverage of $7,500, up from $6,500 previously, and increased hospitalization, medical and dental, visiting nurse and sickness and accident benefits.

The boost in pension payments will mean an increase of $56.25 in monthly payments to those who retire with 25 years’ service. Those now retired also will receive a boost of $1.50 a month for each year of preretirement service.

The new contract runs to April 20, 1970, and contains an “umbrella clause” providing for continuation of pension and welfare provisions for up to 90 days in the event the union cancels the agreement at its expiration date. This reflects an innovation for the industry, which heretofore has had one contract for wages and fringe benefits and another for pensions and welfare issues. Both contracts were expiring this year, however, with the wage accord running out April 20 and the pension pact expiring Sept. 15. During four months’ negotiations, the union finally agreed to putting all the issues into a single package.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) —Three major rubber manufacturers returned to the bargaining table today with hopes for an end to an 88-day strike, while two firms readied their plants to resume production.

The B.F. Goodrich Co. began preliminary maintenance work within hours after announcing a tentative agreement with the United Rubber Workers Saturday. It planned to start production as soon as possible and to call workers back as the preparations proceeded.

The General Tire & Rubber Co. had tentatively scheduled work to resume Sunday night, pending a ratification vote by URW locals at its plants here and in Waco, Tex. The local executive boards met Friday but put off scheduling a vote because complete texts of the agreement were not available. They planned to meet again Wednesday.

In the Goodrich agreement, the union achieved its goal of equal raises for tire and non-tire workers. The pact calls for 43-cent an hour raises for all employes in steps of 15, 15, and 13 cents over the next three years. Skilled workers are given an additional 10 cent increase, effective immediately.

Same Hikes

The General pact, announced Thursday, offers the same pay raises, but no non-tire workers are involved.

Both agreements provide a supplemental unemployment benefit plan guaranteeing laid-off employes 80 per cent of their wages. They formerly got 65 per cent.

Under the old contracts, tire workers averaged $3.68 an hour and non-tire workers averaged $2.68.

URW International President Peter Bommarito said he was “very confident” the agreement would be ratified. approval send 12,000 of 76,000 strikers back to work.

Please turn to Page 10

UniRoyal Won’t Appeal Injunction Decision

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

UniRoyal Won’t Appeal Injunction Decision

7-18-67 [handwritten]

BULLETIN

UniRoyal officials reported at noon today that the giant rubber firm had decided late this morning that it will not appeal the decision of Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney to impose the injunction against the company.

A company spokesman said this morning that the Footwear Division of UniRoyal will appeal the restraining injunction imposed upon them by a ruling of Judge Leo V. Gaffney in Waterbury Superior Court.

The order issued by the court bars the company from producing sample shoes using non-bargaining personnel for work ordinarily performed by bargaining personnel.

The footwear officials and officers of Local 45 URW had signed an agreement April 18 in which the company agreed not to use supervisory personnel for work usually performed by striking URW members in exchange for an orderly shut-down of the plant and plant maintenance during the strike duration.

Local 45 claimed in Waterbury Superior Court that the company had violated this agreement when it started production on June 22; however, the company claimed during the hearing that the Union had violated the agreement when violence broke out at the gates the first week of May and the company no longer considered the agreement in effect.

Footwear officials testified at the hearing to the necessity for sample shoes to be produced for showing on the market by Aug. 1st if the company expected to compete with other lines. The company contended this was for the striking employes’ benefit as well as the company.

The local footwear plant is the only plant stopped completely from producing. Both the local Chemical and Synthetic plans are on limited production.

Vacation pay checks will be issued to employes of the Footwear plant of UniRoyal next Tuesday. It is expected that the company will issue a schedule later this week for employes to pick-up their checks.

UniRoyal negotiators will sit down at the tables again today in Cincinnatti. It is believed that the company negotiators and United Rubber Workers Union are not far from agreement and settlement may come at anytime.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Talks were expected to resume today between the United Rubber Workers (URW) and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. after mass picketing brought a day’s interruption.

Several hundred pickets who gathered at the Goodyear headquarters here dispersed after an injunction was issued in Summit County Common Pleas Court. It limited pickets to two at each gate.

A Goodyear spokesman said the firm had been assured salaried employes would be allowed to enter the plant today.

In addition to Goodyear, the URW was to continue to meet with Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and Uniroyal, Inc.

Tentative settlements were reached last week with General Tire & Rubber and B. F. Goodrich, the first breaks in the now 88-day-old strike. The strikes idled 76,000 workers.

Firestone was the only company to meet Monday with the Union. It was reported to have placed the same offer on the bargaining table that produced the two other settlements.

The General and Goodrich agreements call for wage increases of 43 cents an hour over three years and a supplemental unemployment benefit

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7-18-67 [handwritten]

program giving laid-off workers 80 per cent of their regular pay. Tire workers average $3.68 an hour under the old contract.

The URW was allowing maintenance and service workers to go back to work at the two General and nine Goodrich plants to prepare them for resumption of production. No date had yet been set for a ratification vote on the agreements.

A union spokesman indicated workers may return at Goodrich before the agreement is ratified.

Picketing In Akron Interrupts Resumption Of Contract Talks

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Picketing In Akron Interrupts Resumption Of Contract Talks

7-18-67 [handwritten date in top right]

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) —Talks were expected to resume today between the United Rubber Workers (URW) and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. after mass picketing brought a day’s interruption.

Several hundred pickets who gathered at the Goodyear headquarters here dispersed after an injunction was issued in Summit County Common Pleas Court. It limited pickets to two at each gate.

A Goodyear spokesman said the firm had been assured salaried employes would be allowed to enter the plant today.

In addition to Goodyear, the URW was to continue to meet with Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and Uniroyal, Inc.

Tentative settlements were reached last week with General Tire & Rubber and B. F. Goodrich, the first breaks in the now 88-day-old strike. The strikes idled 76,000 workers.

Firestone was the only company to meet Monday with the Union. It was reported to have placed the same offer on the bargaining table that produced the two other settlements.

The General and Goodrich agreements call for wage increases of 43 cents an hour over three years and a supplemental unemployment benefit program giving laid-off workers 80 per cent of their regular pay. Tire workers average $3.68 an hour under the old contract.

A union spokesman indicated workers may return at Goodrich before the agreement is ratified.

Uniroyal Settlement Still Sought

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Uniroyal 7-19-67

Settlement

Still Sought

NAUGATUCK—Although there was no settlement Tuesday of the United Rubber Workers’ strike against Uniroyal, a union source said that union and management were meeting in small groups late Tuesday night.

The groups will meet as one today to resume large-scale talks in an attempt to reach accord.

In Akron, Ohio, talks between the union and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. resumed Tuesday after mass picketing brought a day’s interruption.

An injunction was issued against the union in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas limiting pickets to two at a gate after several hundred pickets had gathered at the Goodyear headquarters gate.

Tentative settlements were reached last week between the union and General Tire & Rubber and B. F. Goodrich, the first breaks in the now 89-day-old strike.

Firestone reportedly placed the same offer on the bargaining table that produced the two other settlements.

The General and Goodrich agreements call for wage increases of 43 cents over three years and a supplemental unemployment benefits totaling 80 per cent of regular pay in the case of a lay-off.

Settlement Appears Close

February 18, 2026May 5, 1967 by OCR SCANNER

Naugatuck, Conn.

Established 1885
WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1967
12 PAGES

Firestone Next?—

Settlement Appears Close

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Observers looked for further breaks in the 88-day-old rubber industry strike today with attention focused on the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. talks in Cleveland.

United Rubber Workers International President Peter Bommarito was in Cleveland to assist at the negotiations.

A Firestone spokesman said, “We’re hopeful something will come soon, but there have been no indications yet.”

Future settlements were expected to follow substantially the same pattern set in agreements reached last week with the General Tire & Rubber Co. and the B. F. Goodrich Co.

The agreements provided all workers an increase of 43 cents an hour in steps of 15, 15, and 13 cents over the next three years and a supplemental unemployment benefit plan that gives laid off workers 80 per cent of their regular pay.

The Goodrich agreement achieved a major union goal of equal raises for tire and non-tire workers, eliminating a differential in previous contracts.

The union was expected to ask the other companies to also eliminate the differential.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. resumed talks with the URW Tuesday after mass picketing cancelled a day at the bargaining table. The firm Monday had refused to meet with the union until the number of pickets was reduced to comply with a restraining order.

UniRoyal, Inc., also resumed talks Tuesday with the URW.

URW Local 9 was to vote here today on the tentative agreement reached with General. No vote had been set by Local 312 in Waco, Tex.

Local 5 here scheduled a Sunday vote on the Goodrich offer and other locals at eight Goodrich plants around the country were expected to schedule weekend meetings.

Both General and Goodrich prepared to resume production. The URW permitted maintenance and service employes to go back to work before ratifi-

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Settlement Appears 7-19

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cation to prepare the plants.

The strike, which idled 78,000 men nationwide, was called April 20 against Firestone, UniRoyal and Goodrich; June 21 against General and July 6 against Goodyear, largest of the nation’s rubber producers. The walkout cut the industry’s production capacity to 25 per cent.