Labor, Management Pledge Full Production at Elgin

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, October, 1946

Labor, Management Pledge Full Production at Elgin

ELGIN, Ill. - Labor's pledge to join with management in reaching full production at Elgin National Watch Company was hailed by T. Albert Potter, watch company president, as the "most heartening" advance of the month in relations between employers and employees of large industries.

Also head of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, Porter addressed a, company directors meeting. His management-labor reference was inspired by a new work contract recently concluded by the watch company.

When the contract was signed, a joint announcement by management and labor recognized the problems facing the American fine watchmaking industry because of excessive and unrestricted Swiss watch imports.

A statement authorized by Walter W. Cenerazzo, national president of the American Watch Workers' Union, and William F. Hameister, president of the Elgin National Watch Workers' Union, added that, "The membership of our union is assured under this contract continuous and expanding employment.
"In behalf of our members we pledge the management of the Elgin National Watch Company full cooperation in meeting its schedule for the coming year. And we assume our responsibility under free enterprise for the part which labor plays in making any corporation a success." A similar pledge of cooperation was given earlier to the company by the International Association of Machinists, District Lodge No. 108, through 1. J. Fitzpatrick, business representative.

"Cooperation from our employees is doubly important in our efforts to return to normal peacetime production," Potter told his directors, "since the State department failed to restrict watch imports to the extent suggested by the American watchmaking industry. Today our chief hope is in 100 per cent production and 100 per cent manufacturing efficiency."