Show Hatch Co Manager on Oil Strike Larry Mills general manager of WS Hatch Co the trucking firm that recently established a terminal in V Vernal mal Tuesday re- re reported reported ported on the current strike lie He spoke e at at Vernal Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Hotel Vernal Mr Mills explained that his company hauls bulk commodities commodities ies both liquid and dry It is a Utah corporation loc loc loc- located at Woods Cross employing operators in 20 states with more than 50 per cent of Its op- op operation op conducted in utah MR MILLS explained that the firms firm's contract with the Team Team- Teamsters Union expired at the end of September and while negotiations were still in progress a astrike astrike strike was called which has been in effect for 5 weeks He said that when the strike was called only four drivers were left out of but the firm has hired 70 more since No drivers were left in Vernal and 23 new ones were hired and op- op op presently are almost at per cent he reported There are more applications for jobs at present than there are vacancies but additional hiring is expected about January 1 Mr Mills predicted THE EXECUTIVE stated that one of the reasons for the strike was Jimmy Hoffas Hoffa's attempt to secure a national contract for forthe forthe the Teamsters Union but but- buthe he said his firm was unable to give the union what it demanded He averred that Hoffa was trying to put thousands of small truckers out of business to reo re- reduce duce the firms to a few hundred large ones that he could control more easily Mr Mills explained that the average wage in Utah Is from to but his drivers are earning from to 10 30 annually The union demands are for for an 11 per cent wage increase and a 50 per cent Increase In fringe benefits and other cost extras and the union wished to run the company company In many respects he said The trucking company has moved to Vernal as San Fran Continued on page 8 Co Continued from page 1 cisco Chemical Co had indicated ed it would truck to Junction instead of Garfield Al AI so eventually the chemical com com- company pany would ship fertilizer and other finished chemical pro ducts Almost as soon as WS Hatch hatchCo Co set up a terminal in Vernal r It At brought the union out here and anda a strike Mr Mills said THE GENERAL manager said that the new employees were developing into better del dri vcrs vers than those on strike as they have bave learned to think for them them- theme f e selves under harassment The drivers are paid per run of 12 hours with an hour off for meals and rest time he disclosed For it 11 hours work this amounts to nearly 4 per hour i About trips are made each month which means a payroll of per month to this com com- community he pointed out THE ONLY WAY to raise wages is to raise freight rates he said which would put San Francisco Chemical Co at a dis dis- dis Mr Mills disclosed that his firm has offered drivers an in r crease to in wages based on tive live The union demands would cost 2 times the present pro fits he stated This is the first strike that the trucking company has been through the general manager said and he had the feeling that anything goes and it is no plc pic n nic c He opined that acts of vio- vio violence hence lence seem to be approved both by the strikers and their union and noted that similar acts were perpetrated against Copper Corp during its recent strike I I MR MILLS accused the Nat tonal lonal Labor Relations Board of taking employers rights away Unions have the right to strike and picket anywhere he said and hoped that an employ er would be able to continue his operations under strike circum stances He said that his own firm would have to go out of business if it could not continue its operation He asked the help of the Chamber of Commerce in en en- en encouraging residents to be friend ly toward working drivers and not look down on them He ask ed aid In quelling adverse crit of the drivers and asked askedall askedall all persons witnessing acts of i violence to report them I Ilie lie He said that all he asked of the striking drivers was that they obey the law FOLLOWING Mr Mills talk Glade M asked what kind of police protection the dri dri- dri drivers vcrs vers had and U if there was pro pro- protection protection insurance Mr Mills replied that his firm was using the Woods Cross local force that is limited to that plant and Burns Detective Agen- Agen Agency Agency cy and is getting help from Utah Highway Patrol and the county sheriff and the FBI has express express- expressed ed cd Interest lIe ire didn't think that guards would have to be hired on the trucks but he be would rely on regular law enforcement agen agen- des cies lIe said his firm pays for its own damage to a avoid void insurance ance costs A DeMarr Dudley asked if persons hired during the strike would be kept on after the strike is over MR MILLS indicated that they would but the matter would be part of the with the union lIe said that If any strikers were re em that they wo would ld be at I the bottom of the seniority list Accompanying Mr Mills was Tony Wilde Vernal terminal manager Barclay Gardner president of the Chamber of Commerce ex ex- ex expressed pressed his appreciation to the firm for the payroll it has brought to this area In other Chamber business Mr Gardner read a letter leher from the CIO in Salt Lake City announcing that a representative tive would be in Vernal shortly to solicit support for a Christ mas ball in Salt Lake City Dec Dec- December ember 17 L Y secretary secretary- IL manager reported on a recent i meeting to discuss the Upper Colorado River Project He said that water may be drawn from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to fill the lower lakes unless the pre pre- precipitation this winter Is at least average HE CITED average as 15 mil lion feet acre with about eight million feet acre in prospect Mr also reported on pollution problems in the Colorado River especially due to use of insecticide by farmers Steps may ha have ve to be taken to purify the return flow he said I He said that a reconnaissance report on Gray Canyon Dam may be forthcoming in 1966 1900 He I I said that the project is located I I 20 miles es upstream from Green River utah in the Book Cliffs SCHOOL SUPT Glen C Old Old- royd reported on the high school fire See separate story this page Dr Jack A Seitz reported on the Highway meeting that will be held Fri day at G 0 pm at Flaming Gorge Lodge lie He asked for a good representation tation from the Chamber Royal B Henderson said that about 28 visitors will be here for the meeting including dele gates from the cities along the Highway |