wages

Ohio Talks Hold Key To Settlement

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Ohio Talks Hold Key To Settlement

Rubber Strike

7-20-67

Ohio Talks Hold Key To Settlement

Striking United Rubber Workers employed at the UniRoyal plants in Naugatuck are anxiously waiting news from Cincinnati. With two of the “Big Five” rubber companies settling their differences, local residents are hopeful that a settlement with UniRoyal will come next.

Although negotiators met yesterday jointly following several small group meetings Tuesday that lasted into the night, no immediate news of progress has been released.

Local workers eager for settlement are wondering about the annual footwear plant shut-down scheduled for three-weeks beginning July 28.

If the strike should end this week, the question now is when would the employes start back to work. Some have planned vacations that they feel can not be cancelled even though they have been out on strike for 90-days.

Negotiators were scheduled to meet again this morning at 9 a.m. A few issues are still to be resolved according to sources, and agreements must be stated in terminology acceptable to both the company and the union before settlement is gained.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Signs of optimism were apparent today in the 90-day-old rubber industry strike.

There also were further signs of the walkout’s growing financial toll, as the B. F. Goodrich Co. reported its second quarter net income was down 92.5 per cent.

Goodrich and General Tire & Rubber Co. reached agreement with the United Rubber Workers (URW) last week.

UniRoyal, Inc., of Naugatuck, Conn., Firestone Tire & Rubber and Goodyear Tire & Rubber continued negotiations with the URW.

Among the hopeful signs was approval of the General three-year contract by Local 9 here. Despite a heated feud over the method of voting, the union’s executive board ruled Wednesday that a four-to-one favorable vote — First by a show of hands and then a standing vote — would be upheld.

Production in some departments at the General plant here resumed last midnight. The company said it expected to be going full steam sometime next week. Local 312 in Waco, Tex., will vote on the same agreement Saturday.

Akron Local 5 will vote on the Goodrich agreement Sunday and locals at eight other Goodrich plants also were expected to vote during the weekend.

Industry spokesmen reported growing hopes other settlements would come soon.

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Ohio Talks Hold Key

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At UniRoyal one official described it as an “optimistic but cautious” attitude.

Future settlements were expected to follow substantially the same pattern set in the General and Goodrich agreements.

The contracts provide all employes with wage increases of 43 cents over three years and an 80 per cent supplemental unemployment program.

The Goodrich agreement eliminated a pay raise differential between tire and non-tire workers and the URW was expected to ask the other firms to do the same. Non-tire workers were not involved at General.

Goodrich reported its net income fell to $1,007,732 or 11 cents a share from $13,403,086 for the second quarter last year. Sales for the quarter were off 10 per cent.

Goodrich was the first of the “Big Five” firms to release figures showing the nearly full impact of the strike. Goodrich plants have been closed for all but three weeks of the second quarter.

Firestone, UniRoyal and Goodrich were struck April 20, General on June 21, and Goodyear on July 6.

At its peak the strike had idled 76,000 men.

Vacation Pay Due Strikers In Naugatuck

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7-23-67

Vacation Pay Due Strikers In Naugatuck

NAUGATUCK — Striking employes of the Footwear Division of Uniroyal, Inc., will receive more than $2 million in vacation checks on Tuesday and Wednesday as the plant prepares for its scheduled three-week shutdown beginning Friday.

Footwear officials reminded those eligible that checks will be distributed on both days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Water Street gate.

As the employes prepare to go on vacation here, workers for the General Tire & Rubber Co. in Waco, Tex. ratified a new three-year contract Saturday between the company and the United Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO. Union members in General’s Akron plant previously approved the contract.

It was also announced here that regardless of the present contract negotiations, plans have been made to fulfill the scheedule of closing for the three weeks.

This policy has been set to provide vacations for the hundreds of management personnel including foremen, supervisors and office employes who have been on the job since the walkout on April 21.

It was pointed out that the vacation schedule is set up early in the winter with the approval of Local 45 officials. This procedure allows for a uniform shutdown during the first three weeks in August.

94-Day Uni Royal

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behalf of that group.

94-Day UniRoyal

7-24-67

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Under the old contract, tire workers averaged $3.68 per hour and non-tire workers $2.68. A pay raise differential between the two was eliminated in both the Goodrich and Firestone pacts. General employs no non-tire workers covered by the URW contract.

The settlements set an industry precedent by wrapping up wages, working conditions, pensions and other benefits in single three-year contracts. Traditionally wages and working conditions have been negotiated every two years, pensions and benefits every three years, in separate contracts with separate expiration dates.

Goodrich Union OKs New Pact

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Goodrich Union OKs New Pact

7-24-67

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Rubber workers in Akron voted overwhelmingly Sunday to accept a three-year contract with the B.F. Goodrich Co.

A spokesman for Local 5, United Rubber Workers, said the standing vote was “about 3,000 for and 25 against.” Goodrich has 10,930 union members in nine locals and the Akron local has about 4,900 workers.

If other rubber workers at Goodrich plants follow the Akron settlement, it will be the second ratification among the industry’s big five companies.

General Tire & Rubber Co. employes here and in Waco, Tex., have ratified a similar contract. The union has reached a tentative agreement with the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.

A spokesman for Firestone Local 7 in Akron said a vote will be taken by members tomorrow night. It appears each of the 11 Firestone locals will set its own date for a ratification vote.

Meanwhile, talks between the URW and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and Uniroyal continue in Cincinnati. The two companies represent about 43,000 of the 71,000 URW members.

Uniroyal, UAW Still Carrying On Talks In Effort To Reach Accord

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Uniroyal, UAW Still Carrying On Talks In Effort To Reach Accord

Uniroyal, UAW Still Carrying On Talks In Effort To Reach Accord

7-24-67 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK — Despite settlement between the United Rubber Workers and three of the “big five” in the rubber industry, negotiators were still seeking accord this morning between Uniroyal and the URW in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Uniroyal and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. remain the only firms who have not yet been able to reach an agreement with the URW. Talks reopened early this morning, according to a Local 45 spokesman here who was in contact with Union officials by telephone in Cincinnati.

More than $2 million in vacation checks will be distributed by the Uniroyal Footwear Plant Tuesday and Wednesday. Bargaining unit employes may pick up their checks at the Water St. gate between 9 a. m. and 4 p. m.

The company Friday said that it would go through with it’s scheduled three-week vacation at the Footwear Plant, which will begin officially next Monday, whether agreement is reached before that date or not.

Locals in Akron and Miami, Okla., voted Sunday to accept a new contract from the B. F. Goodrich Co., bringing the 94-day strike, longest in rubber industry history, closer to an end.

Negotiations with Goodyear and Uniroyal did not arrive at a settlement hoped for during the weekend.

Some 4,000 URW members jammed the auditorium of Akron University to shout approval of the new Goodrich contract. Local 5 in Akron has 4,900 members, almost half of the 11,000 employes covered in the contract.

Voice Vote Approval

In Miami, where the Goodrich employes have been back working since Friday, Local 318 approved the contract by a voice vote. Other votes from other locals arouns the country were expected today at URW international headquarters in Akron. A majority of locals must retify the contract before it is officially accepted.

General’s two tire factories, in Akron and in Waco, Tex., were expected back in full production this week, following the vote by Local 318 in Waco to ratify the contract Saturday. All 3,000 URW members in the General Tire factories have approved the contract.

Some 17,000 Firestone employes, in 11 locals in nine states, were to begin voting on their settlement today.

A majority of the more than 75,000 strikers, however, are still idled. About 22,000 of them have been out since April 20th when Uniroyal was struck. The 21,000 at Goodyear did not strike until July 14.

A Goodyear spokesman declined to make any comment about what was holding up negotiations.

They were also taking place in Cincinnati.

The settlements, when they are acheived, were expected to conform closely to the pattern already set.

The three settlements will all provide raises of 43 cents per hour to production workers, in steps of 15, 15 and 13 cents. The contracts will include a supplemental unemployment benefit plan giving laid off workers 80 per cent of their regular wages.

Under the old contract, tire workers averaged $3.68 per hour and non-tire workers $2.68. A pay raise differential between the two was eliminated in both the Boodrich and Firestone pacts. General employs no non-tire workers covered by the URW contract.

The settlements set an industry precedent by wrapping up wages, working conditions, pensions and other benefits in single three-year contracts. Traditionally wages and working conditions have been negotiated every two years, pensions and benefits every three years, in separate contracts with separate expiration dates.

Quick End To Strike At UniRoyal Dimming

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Quick End To Strike At UniRoyal Dimming

gatuck, Conn. Established 1885 TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1967 14 PAGES Price Seven Cents

Four Down, One To Go

Quick End To Strike At UniRoyal Dimming

With four of the “Big Five” rubber companies settled with the United Rubber Workers Union, prospects for an early settlement between UniRoyal, Inc. and the URW don’t look particularly good today.

The annual three-week vacation shutdown of the UniRoyal plants throughout the nation begins Friday.

The firm began distributing vacation checks this morning to some 4,500 local UniRoyal employes who are members of Local 45, URW.

At the same time, UniRoyal officials are asking workers if they would be willing to work during the vacation shutdown, in the event the strike is settled during the vacation. It is not known what response the firm is getting to the request.

Many workers have scheduled trips during the vacation shutdown and won’t be available for work, should local production lines start up. For this reason, company officials are asking workers what week or weeks they would be available for work.

The company received cooperation from officials of Local 45. George Froehlich, president, is involved in negotiations in Cincinnati, Ohio.

A reliable source said this morning that apparently negotiations are being held up in Ohio on non-wage issues. UniRoyal said today that the firm “has offered the United Rubber Workers proposals which match the settlements achieved in their negotiations with Goodrich and Firestone last week.

“To date, the URW has not seen fit to accept the UniRoyal proposals and continues to press demands on a number of issues which involve the right to manage,” a high-level source said.

Although the company did not officially disclose the issues preventing settlement, one knowledgeable source said one of the issues is a demand by the union for a differential in pay increases for certain plants.

One plant is asking for a two-cent hike over that offered the other plants and another plant is seeking a one and one-half cent increase, the source said. Neither of the plants is local, the source said.

One of the main issues of the 95-day-old strike has been the union demand for the same hike for non-tire workers as tire workers. The above demand for a pay increase differential is in direct contrast to previous demands for the same pay increase for all workers, if the source is accurate.

URW International President Peter Bommarito is currently participating in the negotiations with UniRoyal in Ohio. He actively took part in settlements with the other members of the “Big Five” and his participation is thought to have hurried settlements in the other four firms.

UniRoyal, Inc. today issued a statement telling of diminished net profits of the firm due to the strike.

The strike, involving more than 70 per cent of the domestic operations of UniRoyal, Inc. which started April 21 and continues, caused net profit for the second quarter of 1967 to drop to $1,551,000, compared with $14,309,000 in the same period last year, a decline of 89.2 per cent, the company announced today.

Earnings for the quarter after provision for dividends on the preferred stock were two cents a share of common stock compared with $1.06 a share in the same quarter of 1966.

Sales for the second quarter totaled $321,375,000, which were 7.7 per cent lower than the $348,164,000 in the same quarter a year ago.

For the full half-year ending June 30, net profit was $11,100,000 or 53.9 per cent below the $24,061,000 in the first half compared with $1.75 a year earlier.

Sales for the six months came to $636,962,000, compared with $667,050,000 in the previous year, a reduction of 4.5 per cent.

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Working Conditions Final Barrier In 96-Day-Old UniRoyal-URW Strike

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Working Conditions Final Barrier In 96-Day-Old UniRoyal-URW Strike

gatuck, Conn. Established 1885 WEDNESDAY, July 26, 1967 12 PAGES Price Seven Cents

Working Conditions Final Barrier In 96-Day-Old UniRoyal-URW Strike

Negotiations between UniRoyal and the United Rubber Workers union ran well into midnight this morning in Cincinnati with apparently no agreement reached.

In the event of a settlement during the annual scheduled footwear plant shut-down, striking URW members are being asked if they desire to work instead of vacationing in this period.

Local 45, URW, is cooperating with the officials in the footwear plant in permitting this survey to be taken. A spokesman for the union said that they understand the company’s problem and in consideration of the need for samples, will go along with this.

No one is being pressured into working during the shutdown. Both the union and the company stressed that this is purely on a volunteer basis.

Jack Smith, factory manager of the Footwear plant, said this morning that the response has been gratifying. A large number of people, he said, signed up to work all or part of the vacation period. He added several persons, uncertain yesterday when queried, returned this morning, after checking at home or with the union, to sign up.

UniRoyal employes are in their 96th day of a strike which is the longest in the industry’s history. The talks, according to sources, are snagged on local issues.

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Negotiations continued today in an effort to bring the fifth and final settlement in the 96-day rubber industry strike.

UniRoyal, Inc., with headquarters in New York, is the only one of the big five rubber companies that has not reached a settlement with the United Rubber Workers. A union spokesman said Tuesday disagreement over working conditions was was now the major barrier to a settlement.

Some 5,500 rubber workers at Naugatuck, Conn. are among those involved in the strike. UniRoyal has three major plants in the city.

A company spokesman charged the “URW continues to press demands on a number of issues which involve the right to manage.” He did not elaborate.

The union spokesman said the

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“provisions under discussion may not have come up in previous negotiations, but that is because they involve working conditions present only in this particular system.”

UniRoyal said it had offered the 22,000 striking employes proposals matching those in four previous agreements. They included wage increases of 43 cents an hour over the next three years and an 80 per cent supplemental unemployment benefit program.

UniRoyal Tuesday reported an 89.2 per cent drop in its second quarter net income and a 7.7 per cent drop in sales compared to the same period last year. The strike has closed 70 per cent of UniRoyal’s domestic operations for all but two weeks of the second quarter.

Work has resumed at the General Tire & Rubber Co. and the B. F. Goodrich Co. and Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. are in the process of resuming production.

Some 21,000 workers vote today and Thursday on an agreement reached Monday night with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

At its height, the strike idled 76,000 men and cut the industry’s production capacity to 25 per cent.

Goodyear, Union Agree

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Goodyear, Union Agree

Goodyear, Union Agree

7-25-67 [handwritten]

AKRON, Ohio (UPI)— Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and the United Rubber Workers Union (URW) reached agreement on a new three-year contract Monday.

Goodyear is the fourth of the “big five” rubber companies to come to terms in the 95-day strike, longest in the industry’s history. Negotiations continued with Uniroyal Inc., which has 5,000 employes at plants in Naugatuck.

Financial terms in the settlement followed those reached in agreements between the union and General Tire & Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich Co. and the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.

Ratification votes on the Goodyear accord will be held Thursday.

URW locals in Woodburn, Ind., Miami, Okla., and Akron ratified the Goodrich contract Sunday. Reports on votes at seven other plants had not been received by the union’s international headquarters here.

The general pact was officially ratified Saturday when workers in Waco, Tex., added their vote of approval to earlier balloting by Local 9 in Akron.

Local 7 in Akron was to vote Monday night on the Firestone pact.

The agreements all give production workers hourly wage increases of 43 cents over the next three years. They also provide supplemental unemployment benefit plans giving laid-off workers 80 per cent of their regular pay.

Goodyear and Uniroyal employ the majority of the 76,000 men who were idled when the 94-day-old strike was at its height. Some 22,000 are to strike at Uniroyal and 21,000 at Goodyear.

Both General and Goodrich are in process of resuming production. Firestone hoped to begin preparations for start-up as soon as the contract was ratified.

Under the old contracts, tire workers averaged $3.68 an hour and non-tire workers averaged $2.68. A pay raise differential between the two was eliminated in the Goodrich and Firestone agreements.

Ratification Vote

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Ratification Vote

7-27-67

Ratification Vote

Continued From Page 1

their cooperation during this long, hard strike.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Union, Uniroyal Reach Tentative Settlement

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Union, Uniroyal Reach Tentative Settlement

Union, Uniroyal Reach

Tentative Settlement

7-27-67

Ratification Is Expected Over Weekend

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — The longest strike in the history of the rubber industry ended Wednesday when the United Rubber Workers Union and Uniroyal Inc. reached a tentative agreement at Cincinnati on a new three-year contract.

Previous settlements had been reached with other members of the industry’s “Big Five” and the Uniroyal agreement was in line with those settlements.

The agreements provide a wage increase of 43 cents an hour over three years, plus an additional 10 cents an hour for skilled workers the first year. The top hourly rate is now $3.88.

The settlements also call for 80 per cent of normal pay through supplemental benefits for laid off workers, an improved pension plan, increased company – paid life insurance and more vacation time.

Expect Ratification

A Uniroyal spokesman said in New York that the contract covering some 51,670 workers throughout the country will be signed Friday and that ratification votes by union members are expected over the weekend.

Naugatuck URW officials indicated last night they expect the local membership to ratify the three – year contract.

Thomas Nelligan, labor relations director in Naugatuck, said this morning that the 5,500 employes will be advised when they will be wanted back to work. He said it will take about two days to “get things organized and get the plant back into prodduction.”

Nelligan said the plant is presently in the middle of its annual vacation period and that employes would not normally be working at this time.

He said about 1,000 employes have volunteered to come back

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Uniroyal Strike Settled

7-27-47

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to work immediately. Some $2 million in vaacation pay was distributed to employes earlier this week.

URW locals started voting Wednesday on the agreement with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. which was reached Monday in Cincinnati.

The URW struck Uniroyal The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and the B.F. Goodrich Co. when their contracts ran out at midnight April 20.

Goodyear’s contract also expired at the same time, but the union continued working at the company’s plants on a day-to-day basis until July 13.

The General Tire & Rubber Co., whose contract ran out May 15, was added to the strikebound list June 21.

Other Uniroyal plants are in Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and Santa Ana, Calif.; Chicopee Falls, Mass.; Prividence and Woonsocket, R.I.; Passaic, N. J.; Opelika, Ala.; Eau Clair, Wis.; Washington, Michawaka and Indianapolis, Ind., and Painesville, Ohio.

Decline

The vacation pay is supplementing the $15 a week the union has been paying its members on strike duty.

The union had been paying $25 a week during the first two weeks of the strike, but had to cut down on the payments as the walkout dragged on.

Merchants in Beacon Falls and Seymour said yesterday there had been some decline in business.

Businessmen in Beacon Falls have been feeling the pinch more acutely than those in Seymour.

“The strike has definitely affected business here,” Albert

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‘Too Long’

In Seymour, father south of the Naugatuck rubber plant, the strike is being felt, but not as strongly as in Beacon Falls.

“Business has dropped off some,” John Gregos, owner and operator of a grocery store at 335 South Main St., said. “The effect has been slight, though, because there are not as many Uniroyal people down here as there are north.”

Peter Klarides, part owner of Klarides’ K Supermarket, 271 Bank St., had a different idea.

“This strike has gone three months too long,” Klarides said. “I would say it has definitely not done us any good.”

Klarides, who manages the sale of appliances in a store that also handles groceries, said the sale of large, luxury items such as appliances, had dropped off because of the strike.

He said he didn’t believe the sale of groceries had been as much hit by the walkout as more expensive items.

“And I don’t think the vacation pay the Uniroyal people are getting this week will help things,” Klarides said, “because that money will be going toward mortgages.”

Reach Agreement

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Reach Agreement

ESTABLISHED 1881 86th YEAR (DAILY EDITION) NO. 208 WATERBURY,

Uniroyal, Union

CONN., THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1967 FORTY-FOUR PAGES 7c PER COPY 42c WEEKLY BY CARRIER

Reach Agreement

Wage increases over the period will total 43 cents an hour, with a 15 cent increase this year, another 15 cent hike on July 1, 1968 and 13 cents on June 30, 1969. Skilled trade employes will receive an additional 10 cents an hour this year.

Sources indicated that although the wage differential between tire and non-tire employes was not eliminated, the raises for both groups are the same.

The rubber workers have scored a “first” in major industry with the achievement of an 80 per cent guaranteed annual wage.

Although it could not be learned Wednesday whether the guaranteed annual wage agreement with Uniroyal was the same as that with B. F. Goodrich, Goodyear, General Tire and Firestone, if it is benefits would last 52 weeks for employes with five years of service, and up to four years for employes with 25 years of service.

Under the old contract, employes were guaranteed 65 per cent of their regular wages in the event of a layoff.

Company-paid life insurance will be up from $6,500 under the old contract to $7,500 under the new contract.

Hospitalization benefits under the new contract were doubled from 365 to 730 days.

Pension payments were increased from $3.25 to $5.50 per month for each year of service. Employes who retired after July

(Cont’d On Page 2 —Uniroyal)

Local Vote To Ratify Pact Due

By TOM NUGENT

NAUGATUCK — The longest strike in the history of the rubber industry headed toward a halt Wednesday at Uniroyal and United Rubber Workers negotiators reached a tentative settlement on a three-year contract.

Some workers are due to return to work today.

Ratification of the new contract is presently scheduled for Saturday at the high school, according to Local 45 Vice President Raymond Mengacci.

In the meantime, he said, the contract will be signed by both sides pending final approval by the three locals, 45, 218 and 308.

According to Uniroyal officials the new contract extends until April 20, 1970. Sources added that the contract includes a 90-day “umbrella coverage” on the pension and fringe benefit clauses.

In the past the union worked under a two-year master contract and a supplemental contract with pension and fringe benefits, which was due to expire Sept. 15.

The new agreement, said Uniroyal officials, will cost approximately 80 cents an hour and represents an average increase of more than six per cent a year for three years.

Disability pensions have been increased from $6.50 to $11 per month for each year of service. The only apparent economic difference between the Uniroyal agreement and that reached with the four other companies seemed to be the matter of sickness and accident benefits.

While the other companies set heirs at $60 per week for women and $70 for men, Uniroyal has set theirs according to an employe’s average earnings with a minimum of $50 per week and a maximum of $80.

Although the contract has not been ratified by union mmebers warehouse personnel have been asked to report today at the regular starting time.

The new contract has been four months in the making. The two groups sat down in March to hammer out what started as a master contract.

Exactly one month after negotiations started, the start of the strike took place April 21 when 21,000 Uniroyal workers, including almost 5,000 from the Naugatuck plants, joined strikers from Firestone and Goodrich.

Although there were a few brief incidents on the Naugatuck picket lines, on the whole the strike was quiet, and there were instances of cooperation between the union and management during the course of the strike.

One such instance occured when the union answered a request that oilers be sent into the plants to maintain the machinery. 7-27-67

Uniroyal Back at Work After 14-Week Strike

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Uniroyal Back at Work After 14-Week Strike

7-31-67 [handwritten]

Uniroyal employes were returning to work today in Naugatuck and Beacon Falls after two of three striking local unions voted to ratify a three – year contract ending the 14-week walkout.

Resumption of full – scale production is expected to be delayed since many workers are on annual vacation. About one-quarter of the workers have volunteered to postpone their vacations and return to the job immediately, the company said today.

Local 218 , United Rubber Workers of America, Chemical Division, approved the contract last night by voice vote. About 125 of the 725 members were present at Naugatuck High School. Vacations kept most away.

Unanimous Vote

Local 45, Footwear Division, voted unanimously Saturday night to accept the contract.

The third local, 308, Synthetic Division, will vote tonight. It is expected to approve the contract.

About eight men walked out Sunday night before casting their ballots and about five were heard to vote “no.”

A local spokesman for Uniroyal said the “new agreement will cost approximately 80 cents an hour and represents an average increase of more than 6 per cent a year for three years” of the contract.

Wages alone will show a 43-cent hike over the period, he said.

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When asked about this from the floor Sunday, Rzesutek replied: “That’s the way it’s been for 20 years.”

One union member, who walked out before the vote Sunday, said:

“I just spent 14 weeks (on strike) for that contract, and now they tell me I’ve got to wait 45 days before we get the benefits.”

In addition to the 80 per cent guaranteed annual wage, one of the significant gains appears to have been in company-paid surgical plan, which now has unique and untried aspects.

Instead of the $450 maximum for surgical operations, Rzesutek reported, the company will pay the entire bill as long as it’s a “customary and reasonable charge.”

Undoubtedly, the local president told the membership, “we’re going to have some (court) test cases on this.” He said he hoped to get the cooperation of local doctors on this clause regarding “customary and reasonable” medical bills.

The union leader expressed specific pride in improvement of “time spent in grievance meetings.” Also, he said the union won pay for any time spent in arbitration proceedings, “up to 40 hours.”

One other aspect of the contract yet unreported was complete medical coverage of wife and dependants of a worker, who dies on the job and who is at least 55 years old with 15 years of company service.

Local 308’s Contract Rejection Won’t Affect Uniroyal Production

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Local 308's Contract Rejection Won't Affect Uniroyal Production

The Evening Sentinel, Tuesday, August 1, 1967

BEACON FALLS

Local 308’s Contract Rejection Won’t Affect Uniroyal Production

Local 308, United Rubber Workers Synthetic division, rejected the master contract Friday night which was recently agreed upon by the union and Uniroyal, Inc., in Cincinnati.

Less than one-fourth of the 240 members of the local turned out for the vote. The tally was 32 to 26 against ratification.

Of the three Naugatuck locals, this was the only one to reject the contract. Local 45 ratified it Saturday, followed by Local 218 Sunday.

It was understood that Local 308’s action would not affect production at Uniroyal, where union employes returned to their jobs this week after the 14-week strike.

Reason for rejecting it according to President Edward Alves, was that it did not offer time-and-a-half for Saturdays and a night shift bonus.

Alves said that under the present system workers get time-and-a-half after 40 hours. The membership was satisfied will all other aspects of the contract, he said.

Requires Majority

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

If the majority of the Uniroyal locals ratify the master contract, Alves said, it will go into effect when the secondary contract is signed.

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

Uniroyal Talks Resume Tuesday, Other Industry Moves Watched

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Uniroyal Talks Resume Tuesday, Other Industry Moves Watched

Uniroyal Talks Resume Tuesday, Other Industry Moves Watched

Sunday May 14, 1967

By PATRICK KEATING

NAUGATUCK — A “wait-and-see” atmosphere hangs over the community as the strike that has crippled production at the Footwear, Chemical and Synthetic Divisions of Uniroyal is in its 24th day.

The 5,000 members of the United Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO, have been idle here since April 21. Their return to work depends on the outcome of contract talks at Cincinnati between the URW policy committee an Uniroyal Management .

However negotiations were recessed Friday for a long weekend. It will not be until Tuesday morning before the union and management representatives return to the conference table.

Meanwhile, union leaders, including George Froelich, president of Local 45, Footwear Division have taken advantage of the recess to return to the borough for meetings with their memberships. Several sessions have been scheduled for today and Monday.

Local information on the progress of a new contract is dependent solely on reports and these have been good and bad during the past week.

Union officials are showing concern “for what the other people are doing in their negotiations with URW.” They refer to talks between the international and Firestone, Goodrich and Goodyear.

It is their feeling that if one of the other companies settles, any agreement reached will set a pattern for the entire industry. And it could mean a quick end to the strike against Uniroyal.

The spotlight will also be turned Monday towards the General Tire Co., which has a midnight deadline for reaching a contract agreement with URW. Again, if a satisfactory contract is negotiated at General, it could mean considerable to the rest of the industry.

The past week in the community has been very quiet, a sharp contrast to the previous week when demonstrations resulted in the arrest of 71 URW members.

Tuesday, Uniroyal was granted a temporary restraining order against the union for two weeks. Under the court order, the union must conduct its picket lines in an orderly fashion; allow management personnel to enter the plant and refrain from interferring with the shipment of products from the Footwear warehouses.

The union has complied with the court edict and there have no incidents. It has the privilege of requesting truck drivers not to enter the factory gates and in a number of instances, union drivers have refused to cross the lines.

A reliable source reports that beginning Monday, Footwear management plans to resume some production that has been curtailed since April 21. In line with this report, supervisory and other management personnel have been requested to work a 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. shift.

The report further indicates that these white-collared groups will be shifted to conveyor making lines at the tennis division. Jack Smith, factory manager, was not available for comment on this or a report that striking workers may be asked to return to their jobs.

Union officials declined to comment also, saying that they would have to see what happens first before issuing any statements.

This past week, members of the union received a weekly strike benefit check of $25. These payments will again be issued on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

The workers are now entering their fourth week of “no pay” from the company. Locally, the borough welfare department is surveying the situation and reviewing requests for financial assistance from residents on strike.

Still Quiet In 25-Day-Old Strike

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Still Quiet In 25-Day-Old Strike

Monday May 15, 1967

Still Quiet In 25-Day-Old Strike

George Froehlich, president of Local 45, United Rubber Workers Union, stood at the Maple St. gate of the Footwear Plant, along with picketers this morning, as supervisory personnel of UniRoyal reported for work.

Production in the plant by management was reportedly scheduled to begin today. However, no incidents occurred on the picket lines this morning as some employes arrived an hour earlier for work.

John Smith, manager of the Footwear Plant, was unavailable this morning for comment.

Shipment of goods from the warehouse continued all last week without incident. A few truck drivers, members of the Teamster Union, refused to cross the picket line, but some trucks were brought in by trucking company management.

Negotiations on the master contract in Cincinnati were recessed for the weekend with sessions scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. Froehlich returned to the borough over the weekend as well as other local members of the union negotiating team and management negotiators.

The strike, now 25 days old, continues with no word on the progress, if any, being made in negotiations. The issues have not been defined by either side, holding to a pact made by both sides that no statement would be made until settlement has been reached.

The Union was given a strike vote by the membership before it entered into negotiations in Cincinnati and no meeting of the locals has been called to inform the membership of progress.

The three locals in the borough will distribute the $25 benefit checks to its eligible membership for the second week, starting tomorrow.

Rumors of immediate settlement and ones of a long, drawn-out strike, both are rampant in the borough. Most merchants are beginning to feel the pinch of the strike. A few merchants have reported excellent sales as the strikers have been doing household repairs in their idle time.

Many strikers have resorted to part-time jobs to implement their dwindling funds while others, in desperation, have applied for welfare.

Dear Sir:

by

Dear Sir: Wed. MAY 17, 1976

As a pensioner of UniRoyal I was certainly disgusted to read the letter to the Editor on May 11, 1967 where a member of Local 45 wrote you concerning strikers on the picket line, the policemen and management personnel.

I was there and had seen what was going on and at no time was there any rough tactics used by members of Local #45-#218-#308. It was an impossibility for anyone to get hurt when all of the pickets had their hands in their pockets. As I saw it, the group of members of Local #45-#218-#308 formed a solid line, then a certain few, of the militant and aggressive from the police department along with management personnel tried to break through by using strong arm tactics, which caused minor injuries.

Also when Captain Joseph Summa read the laws to the members three times and the crowd did not disburse he motioned to his men that were standing in the street to come and arrest the members and that was done in an orderly basis. Also Captain Summa pointed to other members to follow the police to the police station to be booked. There is no question about who pays the salaries of the police. We all know the taxpayer’s do and we also know that we need a good police force to protect all of us.

I want to say that this problem could have been avoided if management had not violated the verbal agreement that was negotiated by them and the negotiating committee prior to leaving for Cincinnati to negotiate the Master Contract. The verbal agreement was and has been in the past to allow management personnel in the plant for training purposes and for whatever other work that concerned management, but not to work on production of any kind. The only union members to be allowed to work in the plant was for the proper maintenance of the plant. I know these are the rules we followed in the past. I have served under four different Presidents as a Steward, Division Chairman, Policy Committee member, Executive board member, Safety Committee, Negotiating Committee and others.

I want to say that since we organized in 1935 we have come a long way and that it was not handed to us on a gold platter. If the members will look back some years and see what the wages and benefits were, they were very nil. In fact no benefits at all.

The member, referring to the one who wrote the May 11 letter, stresses the point of Vickers closing down. That is not a fact, all they did was to move to where they could get cheaper labor. They did not tell you that they “reaped the harvest” for years. Those members had no seniority rights or no job security like you have. As for the newspaper closing down in New York, from what I read in other newspapers it was from poor management. They have to blame someone, so they blame the Union because of high labor cost. They did not even sit down with the Union and tell them of their problems so that they could solve them.

It seems to me “name withheld” that you are anti-union or you are well taken care of by your boss by getting all the over-time you want. You also say you will never make up the loss, this is not a fact for the simple reason you will get a wage increase, benefits, better working conditions and numerous other gains.

Another point I want to stress is that, the cost of living has already gone up for the past 2 years. You also say it is ridiculous to get 93% of your wages in case of lay off this, in the long run would cost the company about $.02 more per hour. This does not compare with the 14 million dollars the company gave management personnel as a bonus.

You say that you were not told why you are on strike, if you read the last issue of the Rubber Workers newspaper (May Edition) instead of burning it, you would know. Also if you attend the regular monthly meeting you will find that all of these demands are made by the membership and not only the officers. I also want to say that when the policy committee of 19 Local Unions are meeting with management of 19 plants, there are probably 19 hundred problems.

I could go on and on about this but I will close on this subject Mr. or Mrs. Anti-Union saying that I am very proud to have been able to serve as a representative of our great union Local #45 under the Leadership of Mr. George Froehlich, Mr. Raymond Mengacci, Mrs. Rita Ruggerio and all of the officers, policy committee members and also the United Rubber Workers of America. (C.I.O. A.F.L.)

There is also one last remark I want to say is what this policy committee is doing is good for everyone in the area of Naugatuck for the present and future. In 32 years of being an organized union, Mr. or Mrs. Anti-Union, we were never a hooded union or used strong armed tactics and definitely your house would not be burned down.

Mr. Editor please print my name, I am not ashamed I am an honorary member of Local #45 with 36 years of seniority and 39 years of service with UniRoyal Footwear Division.

Pensioner
Mr. Michael San Angelo
77 Chestnut Street

Uniroyal Progress Reported

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Uniroyal Progress Reported

Friday May 19, 1967 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK— Informed sources gave indications Thursday that there were signs of progress in the negotiations between Uniroyal, Inc., and the United Rubber Workers, still in progress in Cincinnati. The two groups are scheduled to meet again today.

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.

Strike Settlement Rumors Remain Unconfirmed Today

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Strike Settlement Rumors Remain Unconfirmed Today

Neptune

[IMAGE: Black and white photograph showing a Neptune truck backed into a driveway with two men holding strike signs in front of a building]

PICKETS and management watched yesterday as a truck backed into the driveway of the EMI building on Spencer St. without incident. The driver of the truck appeared to be a little uncertain of his reception but picketers assured him no attempt would be made to stop his entry onto Company property. -(News photo by Nichols)

Friday MAY 19, 1967 [handwritten]

Strike Settlement Rumors Remain Unconfirmed Today

Excitement mounted yesterday afternoon in the borough as stories of the strike settlement grew stronger. The NEWS office was deluged with calls, seeking confirmation that it was settled or about to be settled.

Firestone did not meet with the Union yesterday in Cincinnati and the rumor was to the effect that they had either settled or were about to settle. The story remained unconfirmed and Firestone is again scheduled to meet with the negotiators today.

According to informed sources, some progress is noted in the UniRoyal talks. The number of issues involved have dropped from approximately 50 to 20.

One of the main issues in the strike negotiations has been said to be the guaranteed annual wage. Sources say that management is now offering a guaranteed annual wage amounting to 75 per cent of base wage in the case of a lay-off. The union’s original demand was reportedly 90 per cent.

However, with both parties agreeing to the pact not to issue any statement until settlement is reached, none of this could be confirmed.

Picketing remains quiet in the borough this morning. The pickets seemed to be buoyed this morning with the talk of settlement running strong for the first time in the month-long strike.

UniRoyal Strike 32 Days Old; Settlement Rumors Optimistic

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UniRoyal Strike 32 Days Old; Settlement Rumors Optimistic

NAus. News
Monday MAY 22, 1967

UniRoyal Strike 32 Days Old; Settlement Rumors Optimistic

The strike of United Rubber Workers against UniRoyal has now entered its 32nd day with picketing in the borough calm as white collar workers and trucks pass through the gates of the plant.

The flurry of rumors of impending settlement that caused excitement in town last week has subsided and the strikers have once again adopted a waiting attitude.

Negotiations between management and Union, which have been conducted since March 20, will resume this week in Cincinnati following a weekend recess. No word of the progress has been released.

The financial loss in wages alone in the borough is staggering. Applying mathematics and figuring 5,500 striking employes in local plants and an average daily income of about $25, approximately $137,500 is lost every day of the strike in wages alone, not taking into consideration the loss in income for the plants not producing merchandise.

By extending this figure over the 32-days the strike has been in progress, the total wages lost, using these figures as a base, is $4,400,000.

Using the same base as daily wages and considering that 55,000 persons are out of work due to the strike against the “big five” Rubber Companies more than $40 million has been lost in wages thus far.

The union is paying its membership a benefit of $25 a week. Many of the striking workers have found temporary part-time employment while others are beginning to dig into their savings.

The welfare agencies have received requests from strikers who have nothing to fall back on since the first week of idleness.

Uniroyal Rumors Unconfirmed

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Uniroyal Rumors Unconfirmed

SAT. MAY 20, 1967 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK — Although rumors ran wild in the borough Friday to the effect that Uniroyal and the United Rubber Workers had reached a settlement in their negotiations on a master contract, the rumors failed to pan out, and no settlement was announced.

Other rumors, which claimed that they were at least close, were heard around the borough but remained unconfirmed, as negotiators in Cincinnati refused to speak with the press.

The first hints of possible settlement were indicated by reliable source Thursday, when it was reported that the number of items under discussion had dropped from approximately 50 to about 20.

It was also reported that management had offered a 75 per cent guaranteed annual wage clause. No further details on the clause could be obtained.

Rumors of a settlement between Firestone and the URW also remained unconfirmed at press time Friday, as no statements were issued.

Recess In Talks Dulls Hopes For Uniroyal Strike Settlement

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Recess In Talks Dulls Hopes For Uniroyal Strike Settlement

Recess In Talks Dulls Hopes For Uniroyal Strike Settlement

Sunday May 21, 1967 [handwritten]

By PATRICK KEATING
Register Staff Reporter

NAUGATUCK —A weekend recess in contract talks between the international policy committee of the United Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO, and of Uniroyal management carried the strike at the company’s three divisions here into its 31st day today.

Negotiators agreed to the recess Friday and will resume talks Monday at 10 a.m. at Cincinnati.

The recess is a disappointment to the 5,000 idled employes of the Footwear, Chemical and Synthetic Divisions of Uniroyal here, for hopes of a settlement had been feeding on reports,

some reliable and others unsubstantiated, that a breakthrough was imminent.

Officials of Locals, 45, 218 and 308 who are in daily contact with Cincinnati, however, are holding out some encouragement that the strike will be settled shortly. They said their sources report closer contact at the conference table.

Reportedly, Uniroyal management is using the weekend to reassess the revised demands of the union.

One spokesman for the unio here said that company official could walk into the conferenc room Monday and agree t terms.

This, if it happened, could n

come too soon for rubber workers and the town. The strike has had an effect on the financial status of the striking employes and the economic life of borough stores and businesses.

The strike has left the idled workers with four payless weeks and the prospects of a fifth if an agreement is not reached early next week.

Financial relief of $25 weekly is being extended to members by the URW and assistance is available from th

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Strike Settlement Close? Most Residents Hope So

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Strike Settlement Close? Most Residents Hope So

Strike Settlement Close? Most Residents Hope So

Tuesday May 23, 1967

The new pastime in the borough is the guessing of when the strike will end. A more optimistic attitude has been adopted by the strikers and the consensus of opinion is that settlement is close.

However, no statements on the progress of negotiations in Cincinnati have been issued. The negotiating teams are meeting daily, discussing the terms of the master contract. Local contracts will be considered once settlement is reached on the master contract.

UniRoyal is continuing to ship from its warehouse with no objection from the union as long as the company ships only goods made prior to the strike and does not attempt production in the local plants.

The three borough Locals of the United Rubber Workers began issuing benefit checks to its membership for the third week today and will continue through tomorrow working on the same schedule it used for the past two weeks.

Many strikers families are becoming anxious with school graduations just a month away. The financial pinch of 33 days without full pay will cause curtailment of planned celebrations.

Local 45 Membership Meets This Afternoon

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Local 45 Membership Meets This Afternoon

Local 45 Membership Meets This Afternoon

5-29-67

By RUTH NICHOLS

A meeting of the membership of Local 45 United Rubber Workers is scheduled for this afternoon at 2:30 in the Naugatuck High School auditorium.

Local 45 President George Froehlich, home from the negotiating sessions in Cincinnati, will address the membership as a whole for the first time since the beginning of the 39-

day old strike. No advance word as to the subject of this meeting has been released.

Because of the Memorial Day holiday this week, the issuance of the strike benefit checks will vary from the previous weeks. Those who have been receiving their checks on Tuesday are scheduled for the same time Wednesday and those who normally pick up checks on Wednesday will report Thursday, Local

45 announced.

Picketing in the borough remained quiet today at all three plants of UniRoyal. Both Local 45 and 218 are operating with the threat of a restraining injunction being imposed at the first sign of violence.

At the beginning of the month the membership of Local 45 became angered when management officials announced they

Please Turn to Page 10

Naugatuck Stalemate May Ease

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Naugatuck Stalemate May Ease

Rubber Strike In 45th Day 6-4-67

Naugatuck Stalemate May Ease

By PATRICK KEATING
Register Staff Reporter

NAUGATUCK — A turning point in the stalemated negotiations between the United Rubber Workers-AFL-CIO and Uniroyal is expected this week, possibly as early as Monday.

The strike at the company’s three local divisions is now in its 45th day.

Though neither side is talking outside the conference rooms, it has been indicated that the issue of a new master contract has reached a point where either

the union or the company will have to budge.

If this happens, an agreement could be reached that would send some 5,000 local union members back to work after being idle since April 21.

The seriousness of the deadlock in negotiations was evident this past week when the URW international committee and Uniroyal representatives reportedly failed to meet following the Memorial Day holiday.

Reports from Cincinnati were that both negotiating teams had passed up official conferences so that they might meet separately in a drastic effort to resolve the stalemate.

A reliable source has said that when negotiations are resumed Monday, Uniroyal will have a package deal available for the consideration of the union. The context of this reported proposal is not yet known and the policy of Uniroyal has been to abstain from public announcements on its position.

Last Monday, the company forwarded an open letter to its employes, explaining that it had proposed that the contract be negotiated on a day-to-day basis. This would have permitted production to continue.

George Froehlich, president of Local 45, Footwear, did not discount the statement but said that the proposal to work and negotiate had been tendered only a short time before the expiration of the contract.

Prior to the strike, the URW announced it was seeking a substantial hourly wage increase

and a guaranteed salary, among other benefits. The guaranteed wage is considered one of the real issues that has kept the negotiators apart.

It is reported that Uniroyal is interested in signing a contract on a three-year basis. Present contracts are for two years.

Also, Uniroyal is looking to September when it will have to negotiate a supplemental contract with the union. The possibility of another walkout then has prompted Uniroyal to seek an understanding at this time on pension and other benefits. However, the union reportedly is not enthused about any agreement now on issues that pertain to the supplemental contract.

City’s Yale Club To Hold Annual Dinner On Monday

The annual dinner meeting of the Yale Club of New Haven will be held Monday in the dining room of Ezra Stiles College, according to club president Norman I. Botwinik. A social hour will begin in the buttery at 6:30 p.m.

Henry Elliot, program chairman, said scholarships will be presented to Mark DeFrancesco of Notre Dame High School; Joseph Roberti, Branford High; Richard Sweeting, Wilbur Cross, and Harry Armstrong, who will be graduating from West Haven High. Membership dues provide the revenues for the scholarships.

Speaker at the dinner will be Ingslee Clark, director of admissions at Yale. Donald Walker will be toastmaster.

Goodrich Negotiators Holding Up Settlement?

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Goodrich Negotiators Holding Up Settlement?

Goodrich Negotiators Holding Up Settlement?

6-5-67 [handwritten]

According to a story in an Ohio newspaper, one group of union negotiators, reportedly from Goodrich, may be preventing the United Rubber Workers and Big Five rubber companies from moving toward rapid settlement of the 44-day strike against three of the companies.

Arrangements reportedly had been made for representatives of all five companies, Goodyear Firestone, UniRoyal, Goodrich and General Tire, to sit together at the bargaining table with representatives of the union locals from each firm.

Word was that all the companies and URW policy committees from four of the firms has agreed to the industrywide bargaining. The Goodrich negotiators reportedly wouldn’t go along.

The mass talk plan was viewed as significant for two reasons: All parties involved in the negotiations would know exactly what was going on. The full range of negotiable natters, including pensions and insurance, could be put on the table.

Current talks have involved only wages and working conditions. Contracts covering pensions and insurance haven’t expired.

URW members from Firestone and Goodrich plants say they don’t want to face another strike in three months. And they say there is nationwide sentiment for wrapping the whole thing up in one sitting.

URW President Peter Bommarito rejected the companies’ offer of wage increases in a two year package plus other improvements, saying it was worth about 2.5 per cent and most settlements in the last year or so had been in the 5 per cent range.

Bommarito has been saying that the companies just aren’t bargaining and Thursday went so far as to charge Firestone with just that, refusal to bargain, in a complaint to the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board in Cleveland.

The Rubber Companies have a mutual pact which calls for the firms not struck to give financial help to the ones that are. Bommarito said the industry has taken its pact to the bargaining table.

Union insiders admit they haven’t been able to exert much economic pressure on the companies because of the pact. But they say the real problem is that because of the pact the companies first have to negotiate with each other and reach agreement on what to offer before they can talk at the tables.

The massed meeting would eliminate this type of union griping, URW sources say. It would put everyone face to face with most decisions made on the spot or in adjacent caucus rooms.

The URW has been negotiating with Goodyear and UniRoyal in Cincinnati, Firestone and General in Cleveland and Goodrich in Columbus. The industry-wide meeting would have been in a neutral city, Pittsburgh.

Locally, the picketing has remained calm at the gates of the Footwear, Chemical and Synthetic plants. The striking workers have resigned themselves to no early settlement.

A few hopeful strikers rumor that work will begin next week, but tracing down the rumor, no

Please Turn to Page 10

Governor’s Aid Urged In Uniroyal Dispute

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Governor's Aid Urged In Uniroyal Dispute

Governor’s Aid Urged In Uniroyal Dispute

6-6-67 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK — The Board of Mayor and Burgesses may take action today to seek Gov. John Dempsey’s aid in settling the master contract negotiations between Uniroyal and the United Rubber Workers.

Third Ward Republican Burgess Edward McGrath said Monday night he plans to make a motion during tonight’s borough board meeting to “bring the governor into the picture ”

“It’s high time the governor took action,” said McGrath, adding that “the economy of the whole valley is affected by the strike.”

An attempt to reach Governor Dempsey for a comment Monday night failed.

Although the governor cannot take coercive action, McGrath felt that persuasion from the highest office in the state might have some effect in bringing about a settlement in the six-week-old strike.

“This is too important a situation to just sit back,” said the burgess. To date, he added, no one has taken any official action to help bring about a settlement.

If Goverior Dempsey and his advisors cannot weild the necessary influence, McGrath said he would consider seeking federal action, possibly through President Johnson.

Although Uniroyal’s negotiations are on a national scale, noted McGrath, the immediate situation is local, and warrants the governor’s attention.

Negotiators for Uniroyal and the URW met face to face Monday for the first time since May 26. Following a Memorial Day weekend recess, the groups did not convene as scheduled last Wednesday.

It was claimed that the meetings did not take place at that time because both groups “had some things to discuss.”

Management negotiators contacted Monday night said that both groups met during the day, but declined to state whether any signs of progress could be seen. They are scheduled to meet again this morning.

Although federal mediators are present in Cincinnati, where the negotiations are taking place, it has been reported that they are not at the negotiating table.

Goodrich Negotiators

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Goodrich Negotiators

Goodrich Negotiators

6-5-67 [handwritten]

Continued From Page 1

basis can be found for the story.

No negotiating sessions were held last week for the first time since the strike was called April 20. Both sides met separately to discuss the situation.

The lack of income is beginning to touch all striking workers and the borough in general. URW members were buying merchandise to work on homes and yards in the first weeks of the strike but now are beginning to be cautious with their savings.

UniRoyal Strike Could End This Week-End

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UniRoyal Strike Could End This Week-End

6-8-67 [handwritten]

A very reliable source told the NEWS this morning that the strike could be settled over the weekend; and, if not, by the middle of next week.

Matters seem to be coming to a head with both management and union making proposals.

Our source also informed us that under a three year contract offered by the company, pension payments, both for new and retired employees would be increased to $4.75 a month per year of service (not $5.25 a month as was stated yesterday). This would be an increase of $1.50 from the present $3.25.

The United Rubber Workers Union will cut their striker’s

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Borough Will Request Aid In Ending Strike

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Borough Will Request Aid In Ending Strike

6-7-67

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Uniroyal 6-8-67 Continued From Page 1

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UniRoyal 6-8-67

Continued From Page 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

60-Cent-An-Hour

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60-Cent-An-Hour 6-7-67

Continued From Page 1

ing made.

Contention most likely will develop over the companies’ continued plan for pay boost differentials between tire and non-tire employes. This is what George Froehlich, president of Local 45, explained at the meeting he held for the Local’s membership in the borough.

The length of the contract and the guaranteed annual wage provisions will also probably be a stumbling block. A pay boost differential has been contained in each of the last three wage contracts, though the margin was narrowed in the 1965 agreement. Bommarito has labeled the differentials as discriminatory.

The proposals have activated the negotiation sessions which had grown stale. Membership of the three borough Locals were becoming depressed and fortifying themselves for a long drawn-out strike when no apparent progress was reported.

Union members have been collecting a $25 a week check; however, the amount is scheduled to be decreased to $15 per week as the union treasury is being drained with the seven week strike involving some 55,000 members.

Rubber Strike 60-Cent-An-Hour, 3-Year Pact Offer Submitted To URW

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Rubber Strike

6-7-67

60-Cent-An-Hour, 3-Year Pact Offer Submitted To URW

The five major rubber companies have offered a single package wage, pension and welfare proposal estimated to cost more than 60 cents an hour over a three year period to the United Rubber Workers Union, it was reported today.

A breakdown of the proposal shows the contract will call for a pay boost of 38 cents an hour for tire workers and 31 cents for none-tire workers. This offer is being studied by URW negotiators.

A settlement of the 47-day old strike, if it comes, is considered unlikely before tomorrow.

The contract-renewal plan, lumping together for the first time in the industry pension and welfare benefits with wage increases, was proposed by Uni-Royal, Goodyear and Firestone Monday. Goodrich and General Tire joined the move yesterday.

Present three-year pension and welfare contracts aren’t due to expire until September. But the proximity of the two rounds of negotiations was said to be blocking a wage agreement alone. Evidence increased last week, however, that the union had become less adamant about keeping the two contracts separate.

A three-year contract as proposed by the companies, rather than a two-year offer, might still be an obstacle to an early settlement.

The proposed pay boosts for tire workers would break down to 16 cents an hour the first year with 11 cent increases in each of the two succeeding years. Other production workers (this is of interest locally) pay rates would be raised 13 cents the first year and nine

cents each of the two following years.

The proposed package, including pension and welfare benefits, would amount to an hourly increase of about five per cent.

Peter Bommarito, president of the International URW, rejected a previous proposal which would boost the pay rate of tire workers 23-1/2 cents an hour and non-tire workers 18 cents an hour over two years. He termed this boost as inadequate and only about 2-1/2 per cent.

Under the new proposal, the companies would lift the pension payments, both for new and retired to $5.25 a month each year of service, and increase of $2 from the present $3.25. Improvements are also included for insurance and vacations as well as broader pay-boost differentials for skilled trandesmen workers who perform maintenance tasks on rubber goods production equipment. This had been a key issue in the URW contract demands.

Further liberalization is also included in the contract proposal for supplementary unemployment benefit payments. The amount wasn’t disclosed, but it is understood that it fell short of the URW bid.

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

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Rubber Firms Offer Striking Union a Pact Combining Pay, Pension, Welfare Benefits

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6-7-67

Rubber Firms Offer Striking Union a Pact Combining Pay, Pension, Welfare Benefits

By a WALL STREET JOURNAL Staff Reporter

AKRON—A single-package wage, pension and welfare proposal estimated to cost more than 60 cents an hours over three years was received by the United Rubber Workers Union from the five major rubber companies.

The contract proposal, calling for pay boosts tataling 38 cents an hour for tire workers and 31 cents an hour for nontier workers, is being studied by URW negotiators. A settlement of the 47-day strike against three of the concerns, if it comes, is considered unlikely before tomorrow. Acceptance of the proposal would almost surely be followed by price boosts on tires and other rubber products.

The contract-renewal plan, lumping together for the first time in the industry pension and welfare benefits with wage increases was proposed by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and Uniroyal Inc. Monday. B. F. Goodrich Co. and General Tire & Rubber Co. joined the move yesterday.

Strike Began April 21

About 51,000 URW members have been on strike since April 21 against Firestone, Uniroyal and Goodrich, following expiration of a two-year wage contract. Production has continued, however, at Goodyear’s plants, whose contract also expired April 20, and at two General Tire plants, where contracts ran out May 15.

Present three-year pension and welfare contracts aren’t due to expire until September. But the time proximity of the two rounds of negotiations was said to be a block to a wage agreement alone. Evidence increased last week, however, that the union had become less adamant about keeping the two contracts separate.

A three-year contract, as proposed by the companies, rather than a two-year offer, might still be an obstacle to an early settlement.

The proposed pay boosts for tire workers would break down to 16 cents an hour the first year with 11 cent increases in each of the two succeeding years. For other production workers, pay rates would be lifted 13 cents in the first year and 9 cents in each of the two following years.

Average hourly wages of tire workers is about $3.69 and those of other production workers about $2.68. The proposed package, including pension and welfare benefits, would amount to an hourly cost increase of about 5%.

Previous Offer Rejected

An ealier proposal covering only wages was made by Goodrich, Uniroyal and Firestone prior to the strike it called for tire-worker pay boosts of 23½ cents an hour and increases for other workers of 18 cents an hour over two years. Peter Bommarito, URW international president, put these boosts at 2½% and termed them inadequate.

Under the new proposal, the companies would lift pension payments, both for new and present retirees, to $5.25 month for each year of service, an increase of $2 from the present $3.25. Improvements are also included for insurance and vacations as well as broader pay-boost differentials for skilled tradesmen—workers who perform maintenance tasks on rubber goods-production equipment. This had been a key issue in the URW contract demands.

Further liberlization is also included in the contract proposal for supplementary unemployment benefit payments, another basic issue in the union’s demands. The amount wasn’t disclosed, but it is understood that it fell short of the URW bid. This demand was an integral part of the union’s “full employment” program for gaining a form of guaranteed annual wage. The union sought to raise supplementary payments sufficiently to provide laid-off workers 95% of their normal straight-time pay. Present payments provide for up to 65% off such pay.

Five Top Rubber Firms Agree to Share Cost If Any of Them Is Hit by a Work Stoppage

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4/11/67

Five Top Rubber Firms Agree to Share Cost If Any of Them Is Hit by a Work Stoppage

◇

By a WALL STREET JOURNAL Staff Reporter

AKRON — The rubber industry’s five top tire producers disclosed they have joined in a mutual assistance agreement whereby any of them hit by a labor work stoppage will receive “substantial” financial assistance from the others.

The companies are Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Uniroyal Inc., B.F. Goodrich Co., and General Tire & Rubber Co.

Goodyear, Firestone, Uniroyal and Goodrich are in negotiations with the United Rubber Workers Union on contracts to replace the present pacts expiring April 20. General Tire is scheduled to begin negotiations April 17 on a new contract replacing the one expiring May 15. About 75,000 United Rubber Workers members are employed by the five companies.

Details of the “strike cost insurance” accord weren’t disclosed. It is understood that other rubber companies in the industry were invited to participate but only the five large concerns signed the agreement.

Peter Bommarito, international president of the United Rubber Workers, said he had no immediate comment on the companies’ agreement, but he indicated he might have a statement later. The union and the several companies in negotiations have followed their traditional policy of no public discussions on the progress of the talks.

The mutual assistance accord among the five companies was termed a “private” agreement; that is, no insurance underwriter or outside party is involved. Any benefits accruing to any of the five experiencing a labor work stoppage, it is understood, would be based on a specific formula worked out by the companies.

The formula or the basis on which benefits would be computed wasn’t disclosed. The benefits, however, would be aimed at assisting a struck company to defray certain fixed costs, with possibly certain other continuing charges, and wouldn’t reimburse the struck concern with any revenues or profits, it was noted.

An integral part of the agreement also provides that it doesn’t prohibit any of the five concerns from continuing negotiations with the union independently from the others or any reaching a separate contract satisfactory to itself, the companies said.

The mutual assistance agreement, while representing a “first” among rubber companies, has precedents in other industries. Seven commercial airlines have such an agreement. A group of railroads in 1959 inaugurated a similar but more complicated insurance plan under which participating roads would pay into an insurance pool only in the event that a limited percentage of the industry was hit by a strike.

Members of the American Newspaper Publishers Association can obtain strike insurance through an ANPA agreement with a Bermuda-based insurance company.

The current contract negotiations are taking place in three Ohio cities. Goodyear and Uniroyal are having their talks with the United Rubber Workers in Cincinnati, while Firestone is negotiating in Cleveland and B. F. Goodrich in Columbus.

In addition to “substantial” wage increases, the union is seeking adoption of a “full employment” program built on supplemental benefit payments in effect in the industry and increasing the companies’ supplemental benefit payments to 7 cents from 5 cents an hour per worker.

As proposed, the plan would lift to 92½% from the present 65% of weekly straight-time pay the benefits to be received by a laid-off worker, including state unemployment compensation. If the laid-off worker isn’t eligible for state compensation the benefit pay would be 95% of weekly straight-time pay,

Uniroyal, Union Talks; No Agreement As Yet

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Uniroyal, Union Talk; No Agreement As Yet

4-19-67

NAUGATUCK—With only two days remaining before the contract between the United Rubber Workers of America and Uniroyal, Inc. expires, the possibility of a general strike against the company’s various plants, including the three local operations, increases. The present contract expires at midnight Thursday.

Company and union negotiators are in their sixth week of talks in Cincinnati, Ohio, and as the deadline approaches the talks are being intensified in an effort to ward off a strike. It was learned that negotiations had recessed last Thursday and resumed Saturday.

Raymond Mengacci, vice president of Local 45, Footwear Plant, declined to comment on progress of the talks, but said a call had been received from Local 45 Pres. George Froehlich Monday from Ohio, reporting that the negotiations are still in process.

An agreement had been made between the company and union negotiators that no information about the talks will be released before the talks end.

Several weeks ago union employes of the Chemical Division, the Synthetic Plant and last week the Footwear Plant, representing approximately 6,000 workers in the three locals, took an affirmative strike vote, authorizing the International Policy Committee to call a strike if the talks are stalemated.

However, if progress is being made by the negotiators when the contract expires, the con-

tract may be extended in the hope that an agreement can be reached without a strike.

One of the issues being discussed, it was learned besides additional benefits, is a guaranteed annual income for all employes of the nation’s big rubber companies.

Naugatuck Rubber Workers Join Nation-Wide Strike

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Naugatuck Rubber Workers Join Nation-Wide Strike

4-21-67 [handwritten]

About 5,500 members of the United Rubber Workers struck the UniRoyal plant at Naugatuck as part of a nation-wide strike against three of the Big Four rubber companies. Contracts expired at midnight.

More than 50,000 union jobs were affected by the action — the first comapny – wide strike since 1965 when the rubber workers manned picket lines against the U.S. Rubber Co., now UniRoyal.

The companies affected are Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich Co. and Uni-Royal.

The Sponge Products Division of B. F. Goodrich in Shelton is not affected. Employes are not covered by union contract.

Shortly after midnight the three locals at Naugatuck set up about 15 pickets at gates of the company’s three divisions —footwear, chemical and synthetic. The locals said the pickets would continue through today and then daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until a contract agreement is reached.

Word of the breakdown in Firestone negotiations came at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The Goodrich strike was announced shortly after midnight, and Uniroyal was struck a few minutes later.

Picket lines across the coun-

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Strike—

Continued from Page 1

try were manned, according to a URW spokesman, while negotiations continued with Goodrich early today.

The union said Firestone officials were willing to renew negotiations today, but a company spokesman had no comment on the statement.

No talks were planned in the Uniroyal dispute.

Negotiators for about 21,250 workers at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. voted to continue work on a day-to-day basis. Sessions were scheduled to resume with Goodyear at 10 a.m. today.

The four rubber companies and the General Tire and Rubber Co. agreed, effective April 1, that they would give mutual aid to any one of the five struck by the rubber workers.

General’s contract expires May 15. Negotiations got under way Monday in Cleveland.

The union continued its joint policy with the rubber industry of not releasing details of negotiations until bargaining is completed.

When negotiations began last month, however, the rubber workers said its goals included a “substantial wage increase,” plus increases in skilled trades rates, elimination of “unwarranted wage differentials” and a “full employment earnings program.”

The earnings program as outlined by the union would boost benefits for laid-off workers to 92½ per cent of regular pay.

The union said the program could be financed by raising the employer’s contribution from the present five cents to seven cents an hour per worker.

The supplemental unemployment benefits now pay up to 65 per cent of the laid-off worker’s regular pay for 26 weeks, union researchers estimate.

Present wages range from $3.25 to $3.35 an hour for semi-skilled or unskilled labor. A URW spokesman said recent U.S. government reports indicate the tire and tube division employes, considered the highest paid in the industry, make about $3.67 an hour.

UniRoyal Struck

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UniRoyal Struck

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plants represented by the United Rubber Workers of America went on strike shortly after midnight when the company and the union failed to reach agreement on a new contract covering wages and employee benefits.

“No time has been set for resumption of the negotiations.

“The company stated it had offered to continue the contract on a day-to-day basis with the plants in operation, which it felt would be in the best interest of its employees and customers. The union declined this offer.

“The Company announced it had offered a substantial increase in wages and various improvements in employee benefits.

“The strike does not affect employees at other plants of the company not represented by the URW.”

This morning, downtown Naugatuck has assumed a holiday cloak. A small number of pickets are stationed at each gate with no incidents reported.

UniRoyal workers not knowing what to do with their leisure time and anxious for news of the strike are driving around the downtown areas or simply standing near the gates watching the pickets.

Police Chief Frank Mariano reported this morning that Captain Joseph Summa is in charge of the men on special strike assignments. Summa reported he has posted one policeman at each gate of the striking plants with a total of 10 men pressed into extra duty.

Summa also has a motor patrol checking on strike activity. The policemen are equipped with radios to keep headquarters posted on conditions, although no trouble is anticipated.

Local 45 union headquarters said this morning it has pickets at every gate. About six pickets are assigned to each gate. Picketers are allowing white collar workers to cross the lines as well as doctors and nurses and anyone in need of emergency treatment.

The Local also reported everything was orderly this

morning, no production workers attempted to cross the lines and the company made no attempt to bring trucks in or out of the plants.

Both the union and company are eager to keep the strike quiet and each is being cautious so not to step on the others’ toes.

Reliable sources report that the tire division of UniRoyal is most dissatisfied with the conditions of the contract being offered by the company.

Goodyear has received an agreement from the union to continue working on a day-to-day basis. Negotiations were to begin at 10 this morning.

The fifth of the big five rubber firms, General Tire, began negotiations Tuesday under a May 15 deadline. Contracts signed with the big firms are generally used as a basis for negotiations with smaller firms.

[Left column]

“A strike will be bad for Naugatuck. People won’t buy.” A wife and mother whose husband works for UniRoyal, “Of course I don’t want a strike. It’s okay for a week, but no longer.”

It is obvious that the strike was anticipated by most local residents. One can only hope that it will be settled quickly to every one’s satisfaction.

UniRoyal this morning issued the following statement on the strike:

“Approximately 22,000 employees of UniRoyal, Inc. at 19

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Rubber

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Rubber

(Continued from Page One)

contracts for 108,000 workers or 60 per cent of the union’s membership will be negotiated this year.

A union spokesman said both hourly and piecework employes were involved in the negotiations.

The rubber industry has had only two major strikes since 1947 the longest in 1959 lasted 51 days.

Firestone employs a total of 17,500 at 11 plants in Ohio, California, Tennessee, Indiana, Massachusetts, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Goodrich has 10,000 workers at nine plants in Ohio, California, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Alabama, New Jersey and Indiana.

As the half-hour passed, phones in local headquarters rang incessantly with calls from workers wanting to know what action to take. At about 12:30 a.m., the final call to strike came in and pickets took up their posts following an orderly shutdown of machinery.

Uniroyal has 19 plants in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Rhode Island, Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio and Alabama.

Union representatives had met with Goodyear and Uniroyal in Cincinnati, Firestone in Cleveland and B. F. Goodrich in Columbus. There was no immediate word when negotiations other than with Uniroyal and Goodyear would resume.

The fifth firm of the rubber industry’s big five, General Tire and Rubber, began negotiations Tuesday, working toward a May 15 contract deadline. Company and union representatives refused to discuss issues, although wages were said to be the chief matter of dispute. Wages are also an issue in the Uniroyal talks.

A long strike could affect the auto industry and defense production.

The average pay for a worker in the rubber industry is $2.80 an hour. In the tire and tube facilities the pay is $3.76.

Contracts with the big five are generally the basis for negotiations with smaller firms. In all,

(Cont’d on Page 4—RUBBER)

Naugatuck Rubber Strike Idles 5,000

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4-21-67

Naugatuck Rubber Strike Idles 5,000

By PATRICK KEATING
Register Staff Reporter

NAUGATUCK —A strike, the second in the past two years against Uni-Royal by the United Rubber Workers, AFL-CIO, has closed the company’s three local divisions and idled some 5,000 workers today.

The decision to strike the entire Uni-Royal operation was made early this morning after contract talks between management and the URW’s International Policy Committee broke down when the midnight deadline passed. The old contract between the company and union expired at midnight.

The URW, in addition to striking Uni-Royal, hit two others of the big four of the rubber industry as workers at Firestone and Goodrich were called out. Good year, the other member, is presently negotiating with the union on a day-to-day basis.

Although Goodrich is being struck, the Shelton and Derby plants of the Goodrich Sponge Products Division were not affected by the strike since neither plant is unionized.

It is estimated that over 50,000 union workers are on strike nation-wide. Of this total, Uni-Royal employs 22,000; Firestone, 18,000 and Goodrich, 11,000.

At Chicopee Falls, Mass., 1,600 UniRoyal employes went on strike, led by 500 third shift workers who walked off their jobs. Union spokesmen said pickets would be set up this morning.

At Woonsocket, R. I., 800 UniRoyal employes went on strike and picket lines were established.

Another 700 employes struck the Uni-Royal plant in Providence, R. I., and set up pickets.

At Fall River, Mass., union leaders called a strike by 650 employes of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., and pickets were established.

All 800 employes at the Goodyear plant in Windsor, Vt., were reported on the job today. A company official said they would work on a day-to-day basis while negotiations continued.

Representatives of the three locals involved —Local 45, Footwear Division; Local 208, Synthetic and Local 218, Ch emical —are partipitating in the contract negotiations that have been in progress this past month at Cincinnati, Ohio. Talks are expected to resume today.

Immediately after word was received about the breakdown in talks, preparations were made for establishment of picket lines at the three local plants. Shortly before 1 a.m., the pickets were marching.

Magnagement personnel were permitted this morning to cross the picket lines and assume their duties. No incidents were reported as a pre-strike agreement had been reached concerning the admittance to plants of supervisors, foremen and office employers.

It is not known at this time whether the company will adopt a policy of having supervisory personnel “live in” at the chemical plant. Several years ago when the plant was struck, this procedure was followed and the operation continued with this skeleton crew.

Workers who reported Thursday at 11 p.m. for the regular last shift at the three divisions, walked off the job when notified that the strike was in progress.

Union officials reported that it was an orderly walk-off since the locals and the company had agreed on plans for closing down the operation.

The pickets have been instructed to stop all trucks entering and leaving the plants that might be transporting company products. However, the company will not be affected by such a stoppage as merchandise for customers had been shipped by rail and truck in excessive amount during the past two weeks.

The strike does not come as a surprise to most union members here. They had been alerted to such a possibility for the past week as news out of Cincinnati indicated that the negotiators were not making any headway.

“However, there was a faint hope expressed late Thursday that an extension of the talks might be granted.

Two years ago, the walkout carried through three working days. Another strike eight years ago crippled production for three weeks.

Information that has filtered through from Cincinnati indicates that the company has turned back the first proposals for wage increases, reportedly around 20 cents an hour for pro-

See STRIKE Page 2

‘There’s A

Uniroyal Talks Slated Monday

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Uniroyal Talks Slated Monday

4-12-67 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK—The first day of picketing by the three United Rubber Workers’ Naugatuck locals—45, 218 and 308—passed very quietly, with no official reports of disturbances being heard.

Negotiations between Uniroyal and the URW were suspended throughout Friday, with the next session scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday.

As of Friday evening, picketing by Locals 45 and 308 was suspended at 6 p.m. for the weekend, with resumption scheduled at 6 a.m. Monday. Local 218, chemical plant personnel, continued to picket one gate throughout Friday night and is scheduled to continue today until 6 p.m. There will be no picketing Sunday.

The three locals joined other locals of the URW across the country shortly after midnight Thursday in a strike against Uniroyal, Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., and B. F. Goodrich Co. after a month of negotiations failed to produce contract agreements.

The fourth and fifth members of the rubber industry’s “big five”—Goodyear and General Tire and Rubber Co.—were not struck.

Although Goodyear’s contract with the union expired at the same time as the struck firms, negotiations continued in Cincinnati on a day-to-day basis.

Following the strike order from union officials in Cincinnatti, the three borough locals manned their picket points after machinery was shut down.

Third shift personnel in the local operation manned their posts throughout the night keeping spirits fairly high despite nippy temperatures.

Starting at 6 a.m. Friday, picket teams worked in two-hour shifts, permitting management personnel to pass through the lines. Although police stood by, the atmosphere was one of almost extreme calm as the teams talked and marched.

Both union and management negotiators for the struck companies declined to discuss issues, but sources said wages and a guaranteed annual income were the principal matters in dispute.

Uniroyal said management offered “substantial increases in wages and employe benefits” but the offer was rejected.

The average wage for a worker in the rubber industry is $2.80 an hour. Wages in the tire and tube facilities average $3.76 an hour.

Plants idled by the walkout included the world’s largest tire factory, a Uniroyal plant in Detroit which makes more than 10 million tires a year. About 60 per cent of them are sold to auto makers for use on new cars, the Uniroyal spokesman said.

UniRoyal Strike Situation Quiet

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UniRoyal Strike Situation Quiet

4-22-67

The first day of the United Rubber Workers strike against UniRoyal, closing down the large plants in the borough, passed without incident.

Picketing was conducted in an orderly fashion and the company made no attempt not to honor the lines around the plants. Pickets were stationed at all gates by the three locals of the borough from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. yesterday.

Picketing was suspended last night at 6 p.m. for the weekend and will be resumed Monday at 6 a.m.

All’s quiet in downtown Naugatuck this morning with the air of excitement of the first day gone. The big question today is how long will the strike last.

Negotiators are returning to the borough from Ohio today with talks scheduled to be resumed Wednesday.

The strike order came to the borough from Cincinnati about 12:30 a.m. Friday morning. Within minutes of the announcement by the Union officials of the strike operations for closing down the plants began. White collar workers were allowed to pass through the lines all day yesterday.

The strike call came after weeks of negotiations which failed to produce agreements on a new contract.

Both union and company officials have failed to disclose the issues in a pact that no information will be forthcoming unless released simultaneously. However, rumors persist that the main issues are wages and a guaranteed annual income.

URW workers have struck three of the big five Rubber firms, UniRoyal, Firestone and B.F. Goodrich. Negotiations with the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. have continued on a day-to-day basis. However, 500 workers at a Goodyear plant in North Chicago, Ill., walked off the job yesterday forcing the plant to shut down. Work continued at all of the company’s other plants.

The fifth firm, the General Tire & Rubber Co., is negotiating toward a May 15 contract deadline.

Strike

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Strike-

Continued from Page 1

bers of the rubber industry’s Big Four—around midnight Thursday as two-year contracts expired.

Most of the 21,250 rubber workers members employed by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., the other Big Four member, were on the job after union negotiators voted late Thursday to work on a day-to-day basis as bargaining continued.

Goodyear negotiating sessions are to resume at 10 a.m. Monday in Cincinnati where Uniroyal negotiators will meet Wednesday. Firestone sessions will be in Cleveland and Goodrich’s at Columbus.

Contract to Expire

A contract with the nation’s fifth biggest rubber producer, General Tire & Rubber Co., with 3,052 employes, expires May 15. Negotiations are under way in Cleveland.

A mutual aid agreement between General Tire and the Big Four went into effect as the rubber workers put up picket lines across the country, a company spokesman said.

Peter Bommarito, the union’s international president, criticized the mutual-aid agreement under which the two working companies would lend financial assistance to those struck.

The union has shown more militancy since Bommarito became president in September, and observers say apparently it is his full employment earnings program which is a major issue in negotiations.

The program would boost unemployment benefits from 65 to 92½ per cent of regular weekly pay for laid-off workers.

The union also is demanding a “substantial” wage increase, plus improved fringe benefits. Present wages for highest paid workers average $3.67 an hour, according to the union.

Uniroyal Talks Due Wednesday

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Uniroyal Talks Due Wednesday

4-24-67 [handwritten date at top]

NAUGATUCK — Negotiations between the striking United Rubber Workers and Uniroyal, Inc. will resume Wednesday morning in Cincinnati, local union spokesmen reported Sunday night.

Pickets at the three Locals, 45, 218 and 308, are scheduled to resume their strike posts today at 6 a.m. and continue throughout the day in two-hour shifts.

Joseph Rzeszutek, president of URW Local 218, chemical workers, has called meetings of his group today at 2 and 7 p.m. in Union Hall, Curtis St., to report to the local on the contract negotiations he attended last week in Cincinnati.

George Froelich, president of Local 45, will report on negotiations to the local executive committee this morning at 9:30. President of Local 308, Edward Alves, reported he met with his executive committee Saturday evening for a briefing on contract talks.

The three local presidents, along with three additional policy-making members of Local 45, will attend the national URW policy-making session in Cincinnati Tuesday evening in preparation for Wednesday morning’s resumption of negotiations.

Due to its large, over 4,000 membership, Local 45 is allowed three policy-committee members, making it the largest represented group attending the session. The three committee members, John Butler, James Nardello and Lionel Turner, along with Froelich give Local 45 a four-man team, out of a total of 31 national policy committee members.

Contract talks between URW and the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. will resume this morning in Arkon, Ohio, but no negotiations for any of the three strike-bound firms are set before Wednesday.

The strike, which has idled some 50,000 members of the URW, was called at midnight Thursday against the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., and the B.F. Goodrich Co., both of Akron, and Uniroyal, Inc.

The three firms produce half the nation’s rubber products.

The strike spread to one Goodyear plant in North Chicago, Ill., Friday when 500 workers walked off the job, but work continued at other Goodyear plants under the old contract which was extended on a day-to-day basis.

The other member of the industry’s ‘Big Five,’ the General Tire and Rubber Co., is negotiating toward a May 15 contract deadline. In Akron, 1,800 general employes have been idled by a two-week-old wildcat walkout.

Talks will resume Wednesday morning with Firestone in Cleveland, and B. F. Goodrich in Columbus.

Higher wages and a guaranteed minimum wage were the major issues in the negotiations. The union sought payments for laid-off workers amounting to 93 per cent of their regular eranings.

340,000 Strike Three Firms In Rubber Union’s Biggest Walkout

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THE WORKER, APRIL 25, 1967 Page 3

Voice of Youth To Be Heard at May Day Rally

THE MAY DAY slogans of ending the war and draft, independence for Puerto Rico and equality for black Americans are bringing youth into participation and planning for the celebration.

A spokesman for the 81st May Day Planning committee announced that Jose Stevens, co-chairman of the New York area Du Bois Clubs will be a speaker. Blyden Jackson, Harlem Communist leader has been designated rally chairman by the committee.

Jackson, in describing the forthcoming event, said “The Jet Set Band is going to entertain. They are great. The band has been playing for young people and is quite popular.”

Speakers for the event will include Mrs. Grace Mora Newman, sister of Dennis Mora, now in prison as one of the “Fort Hood Three” for refusing to fight in Vietnam; Juan Mari Bras, secretary-general of the Puerto Rican Movimiento Pro Independencia, Chris Kearns of the Catholic Worker, Herbert Aptheker, noted historian, and Esther Carroll, trade unionist.

Barbara Dane, folk singer, will also be a featured entertainer.

The May Day celebration will be held at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 1, at Union Square.

340,000 Strike Three Firms In Rubber Union’s Biggest Walkout

THE BIGGEST STRIKE in the 32-year history of the United Rubber Workers idled three of the Big Four tire manufacturers Friday as 340,000 workers walked out with the expiration of their contracts.

Peter Bommarito, president of the 159,000-member union, said prior to the strike that the rubber workers needed more money now “because the cost of living has increased so much in the last year.”

Bommarito cited the fact that productivity has increased and the profits of the tire corporations have skyrocketed.

The companies affected Friday were Firestone Tire and Rubber, B. F. Goodrich and Uni Royal, formerly the United States Rubber Co.

Negotiations with Goodyear were continuing past the deadline on a day-to-day basis but were reported to be shaky.

The union and the General Tire and Rubber Company, the fifth largest tire producer, began talks last week on a contract that expires May 17.

The strike, whose major issues are a substantial wage boost and increased unemployment benefits, was expected to be rough.

The rubber companies have stocked their warehouses with a three-month supply of tires, and union sources have revealed that the companies entered into a financial assistance agreement to aid struck companies in meeting fixed costs.

The strike closed down the three companies’ 39 plants in Ohio and 15 other states. The union has 75,000 members employed by the Big 5.

The union’s wage demand was not specified, but Bommarito said the workers who now receive an average of $3.30 per hour, were fighting to “bring our wages up to the level of our brothers in auto plants.” The average among auto workers is around $3.44, but they, too, are entering negotiations and will also be seeking “substantial” wage increases.

The rubber workers are seeking 2 cents an hour more for their Supplemental Unemployment Benefits. Management now pays 5 cents per hour per worker into the SUB fund, and the worker receives 65 per cent of his salary weekly during layoffs. This figure is SUB combined with unemployment compensation.

The raise would bring the payments to 92½ per cent of the worker’s regular salary. If he was not eligible for state compensation the SUB payments demanded would give him 95 per cent of his salary.

Work conditions are also included in this set of negotiations; pensions will be negotiated in September.

Bommarito indicated the ability of the rubber companies to meet his union’s demands by citing last year’s profits in the industry: Goodyear, $123.9 million; Uni Royal, $46.2 million; Firestone, $48.8 million.

Rubber Strike Negotiations Resume Today

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Rubber Strike

Negotiations Resume Today

4-26-67

For the first time since the United Rubber Workers called its members out on strike shortly after midnight Thursday, negotiations for UniRoyal, Inc., and URW officials will resume talks today in Cincinnati.

While negotiations are conducted in Ohio, peaceful picketing continues in the borough. Capt. Joesph Summa of the local police department is maintaining his special force of policemen at the gates. Due to the orderly picketing, only one officer is assigned to each gate where pickets are stationed.

No official word has been released on the progress of the negotiations. However, it is felt that the major source of disagreement is the union’s demand for a guaranteed annual wage. UniRoyal announced Friday that “a substantial increase in wages and various improvements in employe benefits” offer had been made.

Members of Local 218 of the Naugatuck Chemical may apply at Local headquarters on Curtiss St. today and tomorrow from 1 to 4 p.m. for strike benefits, according to the Local treasurer, Robert McDermott.

Locals 45 and 308 are waiting for the necessary forms to enable its members to apply for benefits. Mrs. Rita Ruggiero, secretary of Local 45, said that they expected them tomorrow or Friday. Local 45, the largest of the three borough Locals, has a membership of 4,500.

Applications For Strike Benefits Taken

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Applications For Strike Benefits Taken

4-28-67 [handwritten]

United Rubber workers and UniRoyal are continuing negotiation talks in Cincinnati as locals in Naugatuck are announcing schedules for applications to be taken for strike benefits.

Local 45, the largest of the three URW Locals in the borough, began taking applications this morning at 10 a.m., according to an announcement by Rita Ruggiero, secretary and treasurer of the local. The office will be open today for applications from 10 to 12 noon and from 1 to 4 p.m.

Art Calder, treasurer of Local 308, said that his local will maintain the same schedule for taking applications for benefits. Both units will also open their offices at the Portuguese Hall Monday, maintaining the same schedule, enabling members to file for benefits.

Members are urged to bring their social security card with them when making an application. Benefits will be payable the following week.

A union official in Cincinnati said that negotiation meetings are being conducted daily on a day-long basis. The meeting yesterday was in session until 10:45 last night and discussions were scheduled to resume this morning at 9 o’clock.

Ohio Talks Continue In Strike At Uniroyal

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Ohio Talks Continue In Strike At Uniroyal

4-27-67 [handwritten]

NAUGATUCK—Talks between the striking United Rubber Workers union and Uniroyal, Inc., are being continued today in Ohio, according to Local 45 Pres. George Froehlich. Negotiations were resumed Wednesday morning following a weekend recess.

Contacted Wednesday night in Cincinnati, Ohio, Froehlich declined to state whether or not an agreement between the two groups was in sight. His only comment was that negotiations will continue.

Although no official word has been released on the progress of the negotiations, it has been reported that a major stumbling block in the talks is the union’s demand for a guaranteed annual wage.

While negotiations between representatives of the URW and Uniroyal continue in Cincinnati, rubber worker locals in plants across the nation continue to picket operations.

Picketing in the borough remains quiet, with small groups of pickets keeping vigil at strategic locations around the plant entrances. The locals will shortly be entering their second week of striking.

Both Locals 45 and 308 maintain picket operations from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., with no reports of difficulty procuring volunteers to carry the strike placards. Local 218 is maintaining its picketing “24-hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.”

Members of Local 218 were asked to report to local headquarters on Curtiss St., Wednesday and today from 1 to 4 p.m. to fill out applications for strike benefits. Locals 45 and 308 have not yet notified members to report for the applications.

Firm Offers “Inadequate,” Union Charges

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Rubber Strike 4-27-67

Firm Offers “Inadequate,” Union Charges

AKRON, Ohio (UPI) — Negotiations were to continue today in the week-old rubber industry strike in the face of charges that four major companies have failed to make an adequate wage offer.

Peter Bomarito, international president of the striking United Rubber Workers, leveled the charge at the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich, UniRoyal, Inc., and the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.

Contracts with the four firms expired last Thursday and all but Goodyear were struck. Both sides in the Goodyear negotiations agreed to extend the old contract on a day to day basis.

Bomarito said the companies have refused to follow a formula on wage adjustments that would give rubber workers about the same wages paid in the auto industry.

“For 20 years wage adjustments in the rubber and auto industries have paralleled each other,” he said.

“This year the major rubber companies say they will not follow the tandem relationship between auto and rubber workers because it will provide too great an increase,” he said.

Negotiations resumed Wednesday, with the three struck companies for the first time since 50,000 workers went on strike last Thursday.

Picketing in the borough remains quiet while rumors circulate that this will be a long strike.

Both Locals 45 and 308 are maintaining a 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. picket schedule with members working two-hour shifts on the line. Local 218 is maintaining a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week schedule for its pickets.

Local 218 started yesterday and again today from 1 to 4 p.m. to have its members fill out applications for strike benefits. The other two Locals in the borough have not yet notified its members to report for applications.

This week local plants will be paying its striking workers for the last time until the strike comes to a conclusion. White collar workers are maintaining a regular work schedule within the plants.

Continuing Talks Give Hope Of Uniroyal Settlement

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Continuing Talks Give Hope Of Uniroyal Settlement

4-30-62 [handwritten]

By PATRICK KEATING
Register Staff Reporter

NAUGTUCK — Hope that a breakthrough in the stalemated contract talks between the nited Rubber Workers and Uniroyal may develop is being expressed by local employes of the rubber company as the strike heads into its 10th day.

The optimism is predicated on the willingness of both the URW Policy Committee and management of Uni Royal to continue negotiating sessions in Cincinnati Saturday and again today.

Normally, negotiations are recessed on a weekend. Therefore, the meeting Saturday and the one scheduled today are considered by the 5,000 workers who struck the Uniroyal footwear, chemical and synthetic plants here April 21.

Last weekend, the negotiating teams not only recessed for that period but stayed apart until Wednesday.

Failure to agree on clauses of a contract when the old one expired at midnight April 20, caused URW to strike the 19 plants of Uniroyal scattered about the country.

Both sides have adopted a set pattern against any public announcements on progress of talks. But second-hand reports indicate that hourly wage increases and URW’s request for a guaranteed annual pay wage of about 95 per cent of salary are the main stumbling blocks.

It has also been indicated here that representatives of the three area locals — 45, 218 and 308 — are in a settling mood. However, according to the report, tire plant workers of Uniroyal are still at odds with management over pay hikes.

Strike Benefits

Meanwhile, URW executive committees are setting up machinery so that local union members may receive strike benefits. Applications were accepted Friday and they will again be received Monday to enable the strikers to be eligible for weekly checks while the shutdown endures.

Picketing at Uniroyal’s Naugatuck Chemical Co. continued this weekend on around-the-clock schedule. At the footwear and synthetic plants, however, pickets were called off until Monday morning.

During the past week, management personnel was permitted to cross the picket lines. It has been reported, however, that this privilege may be denied starting Monday. Management has reportedly instructed personnel, if challenged, to withdraw without question.

Negotiations At Uniroyal Continuing

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Negotiations At Uniroyal Continuing

5-7-67 [handwritten notation]

NAUGATUCK — An unidentified union spokesman in Cincinnati reported negotiations will continue today as the strike against Uniroyal’s three plants here by the United Rubber Workers remains and pickets continue quietly.

Due to an agreement between union and manangment groups not to release any information, no indication of progress was given.

Whether or not some of the major union demands had been granted was not known, although it is believed the greatest stumbling block preventing a settlement is the demand for a guaranteed annual wage.

At present, six-member picket teams keep vigil at the company’s main entrances, permitting office workers to pass through the lines. How much longer pickets will permit this remains in the air, but one picket recently remarked that there was “too much business going on in there.”

Members of the three Naugatuck locals, 45,218 and 308, have by now filed for strike benefits which entitle them to $25 weekly until the strike ends. The last paychecks have been received.

Although union members also remain in the dark as to the progress of the negotiations, rumors are circulating among the membership that the strike will continue for some time to come.