Newspapers / Erwin Chatter (Cooleemee, N.C.) / Jan. 1, 1953, edition 1 / Page 1
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ftMOIOfDUUS JANUARY 2-31 Looking Forward To The Now Year A REPORT BY PRESIDENT RUFFIN We have been very glad to see our mills running full time through the past few months. Al though the demand for our pro ducts has improved, the prices for them have failed to do so. We have stated in recent communica tions to our employees that we in tend to do everything possible to ward operating our mills full time. We know that short time opera tions are very hard on our people and they certainly are costly to our Company. You can well un derstand that as our production goes down in number of pounds and yards made, our costs per pound or yard automatically go up. We are not yet out of the textile depression, but we hope to see gradual improvement from now on. « New Equipment Being Installed You are seeing some new equip ment going into most of our mills these days, and we know you are interested in that. It has always been the policy of our Company to keep our plants and equipment as modern as is practicable. It takes profits and money to do that, and to preserve our jobs. Be cause we have not been able to make enough money in recent years to keep our plants modern and to provide the additional working capital needed, we have had to barrow ten million dollars to be paid back over a fifteen year period. We have great confi dence, however, in the future of this Company, and in our being able to pay back that loan with your constant cooperation and help. To do that and to keep your Company on a sound basis, we must all strive constantly for the highest possible production and quality and the lowest pos sible cost. INCREASING OUR PERCALE PRODUCTION ■ Four brand new Comber* are running in No. 1 Mill, Durham. Thia is the firat of the new equipment installed in order to double our production of percale aheeting. New Employees To Take Course Introduction Course For Durham Beginners To Start On February 2 Our Training Department has just announced that an introduc tion course for learners will begin at the Durham plants on February 2. The course will be given to new lv-hired employees before they be gin their work in the mill. It is designed to help new workers feel "at home" at Erwin Mills. D. A. Woods, Assistant Training Director, will conduct the classes on the second floor of Erwin Audi torium. The course will also in- THE ERWIN CHATTER Vol. X, No. 1 Your Help Is Needed In talking to our 25 Year Club banquets in December, I expressed satisfaction in the fact that our mills are known as high wage mills, and that we try to provide good working conditions in our plants. To maintain that posi tion, we must be efficient so that we can compete with mills which pay very much lower wages and make high quality cloth of the same type that we do. We ear nestly ask your best cooperation along those lines in the mutual in terest of all of us and of this Com pany. We stress again that what is good for your Company is good for you, and in the reverse, what is good for you is good for our Company. Keeping You Posted We have just mailed to each employee the annual report of our Company. It is our desire to keep you posted on what is go ing on in your Company and just how we are getting along. We hope that each employee will study carefully the Company's annual report. If any questions occur to you, ask either your supervisor or Company officers as you see us go ing through the plants. I close this report with best New Year's wishes to each one of our employees and with the pledge to you that we in management will strive during the coming year for the best kind of team work and cooperation, which is so ne cessary for the success of this Company and for the best inter ests of its employees. Sincerely yours, William H. Ruffin, President elude a tour of the mill so that new employees can get an over-all pic ture of cotton processing, from raw cotton to finished sheets and pillow eases. It will take approximately 4% hours to complete the introduction course and the Company will pay employees for the time they spend in the classroom and during the plant tour. The Company will also pay for their lunch at the cafeteria on the day they take the course. The same introduction course be gan at our plants in Erwin last September and has been given to all learners hired in Erwin since then. Employees find that the course helps them get a better start on their new jobs. JANUARY, 1953 Famous Stonewall Hillbilly Trio Advertises Erwin > -■ :j' * HHHI ' l «r*»p »-jr *? 4Hy Tommy Crane, Jimmy Crane and Johnny Pritchett wear special Erwin denim western hillbilly outfits on tour with Ted Mack and his Original Amateur Hour. The Trio, one of the all-time hits of the Amateur Hour, scored a sensational success wherever they went. Company And AFL Reach Working Agreement Effective Through Jan. 30 For Durham and Cooleemee; CIO Negotiations Continue A working agreement has been reached between the Company and the United Textile Workers (AFL) for employees at our mills in Coo leemee and Durham. The agreement is effective through January 30, 1953, at which time it can be can celled on 24 hour notice by either the Union or the Company. The working agreement includes the ma jority of the contract to be signed at a later date. Only a few issues are still to be agreed upon. Fur ther contract negotiations with the AFL are scheduled for the week of January 20. When all issues are agreed on, the contract will be signed. Negotiations are continuing in Erwin for the contract between the Company and the TWUA (CIO). There has been no contract in force at Erwin since the last CIO con tract expired October 11. The negotiation meetings for the AFL are conducted by Lewis Conn, Acting State Director. Dr. Frank T. deVyver, a vice-president of Er win Mills and Director of Labor Re lations, represents the Company, as sisted by Miss Louise Horner, ad ministrative assistant in the Labor Relations Department. Business agents and committees from Local 251, Cooleemee, and Local 257, Dur ham, are also present. These meet ings are held in the Conference Room at the Main Office in Dur ham. Julius Fry, Area Director for the TWUA-CIO, conducts the ne gotiation meetings in Erwin which are held in an office over the Bank of Harnett. The business agent and members of the committee for the Local 250, TWUA, attend the meetings. Dr. deVyver negotiates for Erwin Mills. NEW EQUIPMENT NOW RLNNING AT ERWIN' --- M v A • --- - ■BP* Revamped Slasher in No. S Mill handles larger loom beams of new X-2 looms. This is a high-speed, three cylinder Slasher with electronic controls. Ivinson Tew inspects yarn as it comes from Slasher. A hood will be built for this new machine soon. !• ~ ]HH H r - ~.. :i . y V■ Ml. % \ Portable tyeing-in machine in No. 5 Weave Room elijjMßj reed, harness and drop eyes off the loom tyeing-in. This saves a great deal of prepares to tye-in on one of the 232 I Weave. Circulation 6,000 3 Boys From Stonewall Toured 19 States With Ted Mack Amateur Show; Wear Erwin Denim Outfits Three boys from Stonewall, Miss., home of Erwin Mill 8, have re turned from an exeiting four-week tour with Ted Mack and his Orig inal Amateur Hour. They are Tommy Crane, Jimmy Crane and Johnny Pritchett the famous Stonewall Hillbillv Trio. For most of the trip the boys wore speeial "Western Hillbilly" outfits made of Erwin denim manu factured in Stonewall. The outfits were provided by Erwin Mills through our selling agents in New York, Joshua Bailey & Company. Suits Attract Attention The hillbilly suits attracted con siderable attention. When the boys were on the stage, Ted Mack would mention their suits and ask Tommy where they came from. Tommy's reply was, "The denim was made in the Erwin mill right in our home town —Stonewall, Mississippi. The tour covered 23 cities in 19 states and took them across half the area of the United States. The Hillbillies drew more applause and more encores than anyone else in the sho;v. When the tour closed, Ted Mack said he would call upon them again in the near future. JANUARY 2-31
Erwin Chatter (Cooleemee, N.C.)
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Jan. 1, 1953, edition 1
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