**Date:** 5/15/69
**Source:** Unknown
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NAUGATUCK — After a Thursday morning flareup between police and pickets at the Uniroyal Footwear Division plant, in which 50 people were arrested on charges of breach of peace, the scene became quiet for the remainder of the day, even to the point that pickets permitted a postal shipment to leave the main warehouse.
Negotiations between top management and labor representatives continued during the day in Cincinnati without settlement, and at the end of the day, the rumored injunction being sought by management had not been received.
Police Chief Frank J. Mariano said Thursday night that the disturbance which prevailed after the clash to the “extent cooperating” among those arrested, particularly to two high ranking local police officials. Chief Mariano said that he felt that the police force, under the leadership of Capt. Joseph Summa, had done “an excellent job” in handling things down, but that the joy might have been more difficult at a Local 45 Vice President Raymond Mengacci and Local 218 Vice President Cyrus Blanchard not cooperated as they did.
The actions of Mengacci and Blanchard, said Chief Mariano, “averted possible rougher incidents.” When the two vice presidents were arrested, he added, the peaceful attitude which they exhibited set the tone for the remaining pickets, who went quietly to the police headquarters.
At about 5 p.m., according to Local 45 Secretary Rita Ruggiero, a postal shipment was permitted by pickets to leave the main warehouse. Rumors that a helicopter shipment would be made by helicopter remained rumors, and no such shipment was made.
The scuffle in the early hours of Thursday morning brought out the entire police force, some of whom had had only a few hours rest before the call to return to duty.
In addition to the regular force, supernumerary policemen were called out to force their way through the 100-man picket line at the Maple St. gate, and provide a passage way for office and supervisory personnel. The office personnel eventually made their way in.
The first group, arrested about 6:45, had to be physically forced to the police station, across the street from the trouble spot. Only after Police Capt. Joseph Summa read the riot act in the state statutes over a bull-horn to the unruly crowd did the commotions begin to settle.
Women in the picket line and in the group trying to get into the plant began to cry as the tension mounted, and the evidence of possible physical violence rose. Police blocked off Maple St. to all traffic during the height of the scuffle.
Although police did not use clubs or other devices to restrain the picketers, several minor injuries were reported. One striker, Nunzio Finateri, 52, Union City Rd., was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury, where he was X-rayed, treated and being held for observation, as the first group had been taken to the police station.