INDUSTRY & BUSINESS
Chemical industry enjoys labor peace The strikes have been few and the contracts have been big in the chemical industry this year In chemical labor-management relations, it has been a busy but quiet year. Unlike labor negotiators in the rubber, auto, and copper industries, those in the chemical industry have been able for the most part to arrive at bargains acceptable to both sides without escalating differences to the point of strike or lockout. Among those concluded so far (see table) are many that cover key chemical plants and, for the chemical industry, substantial work forces. The International Chemical Workers Union (ICWU) strike at American
STRIKERS. These strikers are now back at work. The 103-day strike was at American Cyanamid's Lederle Laboratories plant in Pearl River, N.Y. So far this year, Hercules and Celanese have suffered serious strikes and Sterling Drug has been involved in a lockout, all now settled 30 C&EN SEPT. 11, 1967
Cyanamid's Pearl River, N.Y., plant is the big exception to this year's labor peace. It ended week before last after 103 bitter days (C&EN, Sept. 4, page 17). There were some other exceptions, including a 34-day lockout of 450 ICWU members at Sterling Drug's Lincoln, 111., plant; the strike by District 50, United Mine Workers, at the Celanese plant in Narrows, Va.; and the ICWU dispute with Hercules at Brunswick, Ga. None of the big contracts negotiated by the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW) in the chemical industry this year were preceded by a strike. OCAW, however, did some sword rattling early this year when it threatened most of the nation's petroleum refineries with strikes. Last year (C&EN, Aug. 22, 1966, page 16), strikes and threats of strikes were far more prevalent in the chemical industry. There were walkouts at two big Du Pont plants (Parlin, N.J., and Louisville, Ky.) and at two Allied plants (Wilmington, Del., and Bermuda Hundred, Va.). Union Carbide at one point had 11 work stoppages on its hands. (The last one was settled this spring. Work stoppages cost Carbide shareholders 28 cents a share last year.) American Cyanamid, Hercules, and Colgate-Palmolive also suffered strikes at important plants last year. And Monsanto's Queeny plant in St. Louis and five Lever Bros, plants had serious strike threats. Sterling Drug's use of the lockout at its Lehn & Fink division plant in Lincoln, 111., is an example of a new "militancy" on the part of management this year. The lockout is an old device, but little used until recently. Union Carbide used it last year at the Alloy, W.Va., plant and the National Labor Relations Board later ruled that Carbide's lockout was not an unlawful use of the maneuver (C&EN, June 26, page 2 1 ) . Lehn & Fink says it used the lockout after reaching an impasse with the union in negotiating a new contract. The old contract expired early in May and talks, under way for some time, dragged on another week beyond the expiration. The company was anxious to get a new contract because the plant's busy season, when it makes Tussy and Dorothy Gray cosmetics for the Christmas trade, was only two
Sampling of '67 contracts
Company and location
No. of workers
Union
Celanese Narrows, Va.
2000
District 50
National Lead Sayreville, N.J.
1200
OCAW
Hercules Brunswick, Ga.
500
ICWU
Monsanto Texas Cityt Tex.
1145
Metal Trades Council
Merck** Pennsylvania, New Jersey
2700
OCAW
American Cyanamid Pearl River, N.Y.
1800
ICWU
1200
OCAW
1400
OCAW
1550 1200 400
District 50 District 50 District 50
1150
OCAW
Olin Mathieson (Squibb) Brooklyn, N.Y. New Brunswick, N.J. Allied Chemical Syracuse, N.Y. Buffalo, N.Y. Tonawanda, N.Y. Sherwin-Williams Chicago, III Wyandotte Wyandotte, Mich.
OCAW
Parke-Davis Detroit, Mich
1500
OCAW
Diamond Alkali Cleveland, Ohio
1650
District 50
Sterling Drug Rensselear, N.Y.
1100
ICWU
* Wage reopener clause in third year. * * Master agreement. 115£ is for cost-of-living adjustment. t t 5 to 101 additional for skilled trades. Note: Some contracts cover two years only. Also, most contracts call for improvements in pensions, insurance, and other fringe benefits as well as wage improvements. Source: Companies or unions
IF YOUR LOT IN UFE INVOLVES PHARMACEUTICALS. POLYMERS OR FINE CHEMICALS. shows big wage increases
Hourly wage increase 1st year
2nd year
7-9*
m
3rd year 7*H9|£
4%
+4i
J
V**f*, •
30 days No 39 days
MJ$
UJf
Strike?
No
-M'%%
No
'WV4--
n^m
103 days
%H
tm
4.5%
No
4.5%
No
MM 10*
No No No
*»%»*
m
10^
No
8-10*
;4'
No
4%
No
