**Date:** 1967-05-27
**Source:** Unknown
—
NAUGATUCK An injunction sought by Uniroyal Chemical Friday against the United Rubber Workers was continued by Superior Court Judge Leo V. Gaffney.
The continuance was ordered following an early morning session of peaceful picketing by Local 218 at the Elm St. entrance to the plant. All personnel seeking entry into the plant passed through without incident.
In its court appearance Thursday, the local must show cause why an injunction should not be issued against “illegal picketing activities.”
Although the scene at the gate was quiet Friday morning, eight pickets were arrested Thursday at the same gate.
At that time pickets were attempting to stop management personnel from entering the plant to produce items management said were needed for the Vietnam war effort.
Judge Gaffney said he knew “there was a spark of patriotism” in everyone and added he hoped this would lead to a lessening of tensions at the Chemical Plant.
Union Pres. Joseph Rzeszutek, one of those arrested Thursday, hotly denied that any of the items produced Thursday were going to Vietnam.
No witnesses were called in the case. Judge Gaffney met with union and management lawyers in chambers and then issued the order in open court.
Rzeszutek’s comments came after the court proceedings. He claimed only items shipped were “slabs of reclaim,” or slabs of rubber made by a reclaiming process starting with old tires and other rubber items.
“What are they going to do with slabs of reclaim, drop them from airplanes and smother the Viet Cong?” he asked.
The union president said he resented the implication that he and his union were unpatriotic rising from the company claim that the production was needed for the war effort.
Rzeszutek said he was a veteran of combat and “had been shot up a few times” himself.
“I certainly don’t want our men to do without anything they need,” he said.
He said he could guarantee that not one thing had been shipped from the Chemical Plant to Vietnam.