**Date:** 5/19/1967
**Source:** Unknown
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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 and 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 rounds 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 a 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 interfering with the shipment of products from the Footwear warehouses.
The union has complied with the court edict and there have been 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-collar 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.