VOL. XVI
Spray, N. C., Monday, October 21, 1957
NUMBER 8
Displaced Employees
Hired At Other Mills
Fieldcrest has been able to offer jobs
to virtually all of the production em
ployees affected by the closing of the
Synthetic Fabrics Mill last spring.
Of the 373 displaced workers, all but
four have been offered employment in
other mills. It was indicated that the re
maining four persons will be offered
jobs as soon as suitable openings oc-
^ur, in line with the Company’s policy
of giving preferred hiring to displaced
employees.
A total of 296 former Synthetic Fab
rics Mill employees are now working
in other Fieldcrest plants, and 73 per
sons were offered jobs but did not take
them. Some of the latter group elect
ed to retire, some accepted jobs else
where, and others declined for various
i"easons.
In commenting on the Company’s suc
cess in re-employing the former Syn
thetic Fabrics people, C. J. Frank, di
rector of industrial relations, said, “Al
though Fieldcrest gives a priority to the
hiring of such displaced employees, it
}vould have been impossible to offer
jobs to them in such a short time with
out the splendid assistance given by
the foremen in our various plants.
“The fact that all of this has been
done in approximately six months, and
(Continued on page three)
Eleven Departments At
Fieldcrest With 100%
Cornerstone Club
In the recent Tri-City Hospital
building fund campaign in which
5’ieldcrest employees contributed more
than $223,000, 11 of the departments
had 100% membership in the Corner
stone Club, representing a contribution
of $50 or more by every employee.
These departments, as announced by
William McGehee, general chairman of
the campaign at Fieldcrest, were as
follows: Blanket Mill, wool picking,
''binding, and yarn dyeing; Bedspread,
yarn dyeing; Karastan, packing and
shipping and plant service; Finishing,
sample department; Bleachery, piece
dyeing; physical testing laboratory, fil
ter plant, mechanical development de
partment; and mail employees and jani
tors in the Service Department.
C. A. Davis (left) and Bruce Gauldin (center) accept safety award from W. C,
Creel, of the North Carolina Department of Labor, at barbecue for Blanket Mill em
ployees. (More pictures on page eight)
Blanket Mill Ge
A Certificate of Safety Achievement
awarded jointly by the North Carolina
Department of Labor and the United
States Department of Labor has been
presented to employees of the Blanket
Mill for their outstanding safety record
in 1956.
The presentation was made at a bar
becue in Morehead Stadium Saturday
afternoon, October 5. W. C. Creel, safe
ty director for the State Department
of Labor, presented the award which
was accepted on behalf of the Blanket
Mill employees by C. A. Davis, super
intendent, and Bruce Gauldin, a 50-
year employee of the mill.
Mr. Creel gave statistics showing the
great progress made by North Carolina
industry generally in the reduction of
plant injuries. He cited Fieldcrest Mills
as a leader in the State and nation
in accident prevention work.
President Harold W. Whitcomb, in a
brief address, congratulated the Blanket
Mill employees on their fine record.
He gave figures showing the tremend
ous reduction in the accident frequency
rate at the Blanket Mill over the past
20 years.
J. H. Ripple, manager of the Blanket
and Sheeting mills, was master of cere
monies. The Rev. S. G. Strader, retired
► Safely Award
blanket mill master mechanic, gave the
invocation. Barbecue and brunswick
stew were served to the several hun
dreds of employees attending.
The Blanket Mill received the award
for achieving an accident frequency
rating 75% or more below the State
average for textile mills. The Com
pany recently announced that a barbe
cue will be given all the employees of
any mill that for 1957 receives such a
State Department of Labor award. Be
cause the Blanket Mill was the only
plant to qualify for the award in 1956,
the employees were given the barbecue
on the basis of their last year’s record.
Towel Mill Plays Host
To Area’s Textile Men
As the Mill Whistle went to press
Friday, everything was in readiness for
the fall meeting of the Northern North
Carolina-Virginia division of the Sou
thern Textile association at Fieldale
high school Saturday morning, October
19.
An attendance of approximately 250
mill men was expected, including a
large number of executives, supervisors
and staff men from Fieldcrest.