Leader Lookback: Strike ends, DECA

ST. MARYS COTTON MILLS IS BACK IN OPERATION; UNION APPROVES CONTRACT, ENDING 18-DAY STRIKE

St. Marys Cotton Mills is back in operation.

A limited force was called back to resume operations this morning. The full force of employees on the payroll when the plant was struck Feb. 3 will be called back to work as soon as possible, depending on when the raw materials are returned.

The order to resume operations was issued yesterday by the Leshner Corporation shortly after word was received that Local 15266, A.T.W., had approved the contract negotiated by the Company and the bargaining committee of Local 15266.

Approval of the three-year contract was voted at the Sunday afternoon meeting of the Union members held at the Eagles Hall.

The vote was 123 to 48 to approve the contract.

Although full details of the contract were not released today, the Union and Company jointly an

nounced that it includes wage increases, improved fringe benefits and working conditions.

The workers have been granted nine paid holidays, the Friday after Thanksgiving having been added to the holidays previously granted by the company, it was announced.

Plant-wide seniority, a part of the previous contract, will be in effect under the contract approved yesterday.

Local 15266 has a membership of 230 at the Present for the meeting with the Union yesterday were Joseph Timko, regional director of ATW and Wilbur Campbell, assistant state director of the ATW.

Mrs. Glendo (Margaret) Stienecker, president of Local 15266, and other officers and members of the bargaining committee were pleased with the vote to accept the contract. In the meeting yesterday the plant-wide seniority clause was restored in the contract. Changes in the seniority program had met with opposition from Union members.

The Company’s petition for an injunction to enjoin the Union officers and members from interfering with the Company’s removal of materials from the plant is expected to be withdrawn today. It was scheduled for hearing at 3:30 this afternoon in Auglaize common pleas court. The St. Marys Cotton Mills has been struck since Feb. 3 at 9:30 a.m. when workers walked out and picketing was started. The decision to strike had been made in a meeting Jan. 30 when the company and the bargaining committee negotiations had failed to produce a contract acceptable to the Union. The strike action was deferred until authorization had been received by the Union from headquarters of International Technical Workers Allied at Washington, D.C. The Union rejected the contract negotiated by the Company and bargaining committee of the Union at the Union meeting last Wednesday. The following day Boris Petricoff, president of Leshner Corp., parent company of the St. Marys Cotton Mills, advertised for sale the plant occupied by the St. Marys Cotton Mills. In the advertisement he said occupancy would be granted within 90 days: that materials and equipment would be moved out immediately.

Leshner Corporation, headquartered in Hamilton, Ohio, operates the plant in St. Marys along with plants in Hamilton and one in Tennessee. Mark Petricoff of the Leshner Corporation in a statement made Thursday to The Evening Leader said the company held no animosity toward the employees in St. Marys, that their relations had been good. He said the company had only so many dollars to spend and could go only so far in their contract offers, that they had reached that point in their negotiations with the bargaining committee. An editorial in Friday’s issue of The Evening Leader included:

“Some of the St. Marys Cotton Mills employees have said they would welcome an opportunity to vote again on the proposed contract. Do Union rules permit putting the question back to the workers? Would the company reconsider its decision to cease operations here if the Union members voted contract acceptance?!! The news of their re-vote decision and of the company’s decision to continue operations here were welcomed by employees dependent on the St. Marys Cotton Mills for their livelihood. It was good news to the community as a whole.

2 BROWNIE TROOPS, NEW BREMEN, WENT TO NURSING HOME

Brownie Troops No. 254 and No. 150 of New Bremen went on a heart warming trip to St. Marys Nursing Home to bring good cheer, Valentine cookies and sing songs for the 34 patients in the home.

Girls from Troop 254 were Tracy Dick, Debbie McCollum, Bonnie Waterman, Andrea Inman, Beth Opperman, Linda Stammen, Jamie Wierwille, Linda Koverman, Connie Pleiman, Jeannie Lindner, Lisa Koverman, Donna Temple, Linda Waterman, Julie Rump, Tammy Uetrecht, Kelly Plattner, and their leaders, Mrs. Dennis Klingler and Mrs. Don Hellwarth.

Members of Brownie Troop 150 who went to the Nursing Home were Pam Brockert, Kim Maurer, Diane Friemering, Susan Friemering, Amy Perl, Debbie Schroer, Kathy Sch wartz, Tammy Slife, Denise Subler, Debbie Wright, Jane Opperman, Eileen Cooper, Lee Ann Friemering, Amy Hoff man, Yvonne Keifer, Darlene Heinfeld, Debby Subler, Linda Hoffman and their leaders, Mrs. John Hoffman and Mrs. Gerald Kiefer

Troop No. 254 also stopped in at the Lone Pine Nursing Home in New Bremen to bring cookie baskets for the four residents there.

Appreciation was extended to the drivers, Mrs. Nick Pleiman, Mrs. Charles Brockert, Mrs. Jim Cooper, and Mrs. Roger Perl who helped the leaders with the transportation.

The Brownies were most pleased to exchange greetings of friendship with their elders and talked all the way home, especially about the 104-yearold lady who is in the pictures with some of the Brownies from Troop No. 150.

CHRIS SPECKMAN WILL REPRESENT MHS IN STATE DECA CONTEST

Chris Speckman of the MHS Distributive Education Club of America, won first place in the sales demonstration event at the district competitive meet held in Coldwater high school. He will represent the MHS DECA at the state level.

Jerri Kogge was first runner up in the job interview and Jeanette Severt was second runner-up in the Miss Ohio DECA activity.

The six other DECA participants from St. Marys and their subject matters were Deb Ashbaugh, advertising; Sandy Clark, business vocabulary; Deb Burd, current marketing topics; Becky Dietz, display; Joe Schetter, mathematics of distribution and Brad Gehrlich, radio advertising.

Approximately 120 students from eleven programs in the area in the contests at Coldwater. Each vied for the right to go to the state competition.