Newspapers / Firestone News (Gastonia, N.C.) / Aug. 1, 1973, edition 1 / Page 1
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GASTONIA NORTH CAROLINA BENNETTSVILLE SOUTH CAROLINA BOWLING GREEN KENTUCKY ‘Ttre^fone AUGUST • 1973 The fabric we produce and sell must cover cost of production and the total operation, plus something earned “to keep going on”—or we “go broke.” The only way to survive in business is to make a profit. A firm producing goods to sell meets competition and succeeds in business through the highest rate of production with quality, per unit cost. Jam-s B. Call • Fiiestone Textiles Company President rf: If tii Related Photos Page 2 Old House — Last Day • The old Industrial Relations Annex building across from Main Office at the Gastonia plant, in mid-July was scheduled to be torn down to make way for enlarged parking facilities. For around 25 years the building had served as offices for Methods-Standards, Firestone News and the plant photographic service. Before that, it had been a home for some Firestone people and others. New offices on third floor of the factory left the old house "without a reason for being." Company Shares Help Program WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Firestone is sharing with other organizations its training materials from the company’s comprehensive employee- assistance program for those who have problems with alco hol and drugs. The program is designed to be Introduced to management and supervisors through an hour-long presentation to in struct them on how to help em ployees. The training kit consisting of 137 35mm color slides and a complete script, is available from Firestone at $110 (cost of production and mailing). "WE DECIDED to share this program with other companies, government and social agencies becausc of the widespread prob lems caused by alcohol and other drugs and because of the many requests we have had for it,” said John T. Cahoon. The vice president of personnel and planning pointed out that the National Council on Alcoholism estimates that from 5 to 10 per cent of any given group of em- More Pay Under Tuition Plan Firestone employees going to school now can be reim bursed by the company for an increased number of credit hours satisfactorily completed. Firestone Textiles Company comptroller H. S. Laver said that changes already in effect in the tuition-refund program allows pay for five credit hours, instead of the previous three hours. THIS IS in the undergraduate program for completion of pub lic school, accredited college or university courses. Employees within five years of normal retirement age may be reimbursed for courses which would contribute to a more satis factory and fulfilled retirement, such as investment subjects or hobby courses. The program also includes adult education classes which carry no credit toward a degree. Mr. Laver pointed out that the graduate program now in cludes payment for registration and lab fees, previously not al lowed. THE TUITION refund pro gram has made it possible for hundreds of Firestone people to be reimbursed for the full tui tion costs of many college courses, providing the course work is completed satisfactorily • More, page 2 King Heads UGF BOWLING GREEN ployees in the nation suffer from progressive alcoholism. The Firestone Employee As sistance Program was created a year ago by Edward L. Johnson, a member of the company’s medical department, and an au thority on drug and alcohol abuse. The program adminis trator is a consultant to the Na tional Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a divi sion of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Under the Firestone program, persons who voluntarily seek help remain anonymous. Their identities are known only to Johnson and his staff and no notation is made on the person’s work records. The program is open to both hourly and salaried personnel and to members of their im mediate families. It is designed to identify the employee’s problem at the earl iest possible stage, encourage the person to seek help and to direct the individual to the best possible help at hand. “We have had excellent re sults with this program and we therefore feel that others can gain similar benefits for their employees,” Johnson said. Companies, organizations and groups interested in the Fire stone help program may order the kit from Johnson at Fire stone, 1200 Firestone Parkway, Akron, Ohio 44317. Ralph King is 1973 president of United Givers Fund of Warren County, Ky. The Firestone, Bowling Green, plant manager moved up from vice president, the UGF leadership job he had last year. The 1973 UGF drive for operating funds will be in November. Last year Firestone Bowling Green people con tributed $17,710 toward the $160,000 goal for the county UGF program. How much for flavor? Only about 5 per cent of salt produc ed in the United States is used to flavor food, notes the Nation al Geographic Society. Most of the remaining 95 per cent goes to chemical industries, where it becomes part of everything from synthetic fibers to explosives. United Way Will Seek $685,114 United Way of Gaston County will seek $685,114 in its 1973 fall campaign for funds to provide support for 34 par ticipating ‘people’ agencies and services. Beginning date of the month-long annual drive is Oct. 10, with the Victory Dinner planned for Nov. 8. Firestone Textiles United Way in-plant solicitation is during October each year. Contributions from Fire stone people traditionally ac count for a major portion of the total UW goal. The campaign goal of $685,114 will be sought this year under the slogan "Thanks to you it's working." United Way campaign area includes all of Gaston Coun ty except Belmont, Bessemer City and McAdenville, com munities which have United Fund programs of their own. As in past years, support money for the UW program will emphasize the “Fair Share” guide to giving. This is defined as one hour’s pay per month, or six-tenths of one percent of annual salary for those earning less than $10,000 annually; one percent of annual salary for those earning $10,000 or more an nually. Nashville Tire Plant Expanding Manufacturing and ware housing space will be added to Firestone’s new truck-tire plant near Nashville, Tenn. The plant, which began pro duction in 1972, is on a 170- acre site in Interchange City outside Nashville. James M. Bowles, plant man ager, said the expansion is part of a $-multimillion Firestone do mestic capital investment pro gram to increase production of truck and heavy-duty tires. Other company plant locations adding production capacity as part of the program include Des Moines, Iowa; Akron, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; and Salinas, Calif. These combined expansions will be equivalent to the con struction of an entire new tire plant. At the Nashville complex, overall employment will ap proach 1,200 at full capacity. The facility is designed for production of all types of truck tires, including all-steel radial lines. This tire production means de mand for fabric from Firestone’s textile division. Teddy and Freddy Stubbs Twins: Talent Plenty They’re identical twins. Teddy M. Stubbs and Freddy T. Stubbs began working at Firestone, Bennettsville, on the same day —May 30, 1972. Both eu:e in the Twisting department. Teddy is cable twister operator-changer and Freddy is cable twister op erator. The Stubbs twins have been singing and playing instruments since they were 13. Freddy plays Ribbon guitar and Teddy plays bass guitar. Their brother Rod ney plays piano. THE TRIO sings and plays gospel music at religious gath erings and for radio. They are members of the Pen tecostal Holiness Church. The twins are board members of the church. Teddy and Freddy are mem bers of the Firestone SoftbaU League. Other interests: Fishing, hunting, playing basketball, me- chanicking on lawnmowers. Freddy lives with his mother, Pearl T. Rich (a former Fire stone employee) on Patton Street in Bennettsville. Teddy lives with wife Carolyn on Rob in Street in Bennettsville.
Firestone News (Gastonia, N.C.)
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Aug. 1, 1973, edition 1
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