Muncie, Ind.; We have 2 tanks going, one on tableware, blocks & insulators; the other on TV face plates

local news

                                                                                    Deadline for Local News 10th of Month.

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MUNCIE, INDIANA — Don Everhart . . .

Hello Flints. This letter is from Owens-Illinois of Local Union No. 50. This is the first news letter I have submitted in over three years. Also the first that I have written for Owens-Illinois of Muncie, Ind. I came to Owens soon after Ball Bros, announced they were going to close down, which will be two years in March. There are some of you that are not acquainted with the Owens plant in Muncie and maybe some that didn't know it existed, so I'll try to acquaint you with our plant in this letter.

At this writing, we are getting some overtime in the mold shop, as needed. We have two tanks going at this time, making television face plates on B tank and glass building blocks, tableware and insulation on A tank. Our tableware on A tank is a big thing at this time, for we received over fifty new jobs on this line in the past six months. We can give our operators a word of praise for this because we would not have the jobs if it were not for their ability and determination to make good ware. I would say the employees of this plant are wealthy with determination.

Our B tank is making colored television face plates at this time and I hear there will be no let up on this for the demand is so great for colored T.V. The company has moved in another press machine on this tank to fulfill other orders on T.V. Fellow Flints, I've seen a lot of press ware machines before, but I've never seen monsters like these; man, they are big. Also you would think they are made out of gold the way the operators take care of them, but, on the other hand, maybe that's \vhy they do so well. Bless them.

When I came to Owens, they had what they called a spinner machine. It made the after end, or funnel part of the television tube. This was quite a machine to watch. The gob drops in the mold. The plunger comes down and forms the neck, the mold starts spinning-, the glass creeps up the side of the mold and at a given time the mold stops spinning and the funnel is formed. This machine has more panels, lights and gadgets than an I.B.M. machine.

I understand, in the near future, if thing's keep going the way they have, we will receive another tank. We all hope this comes to pass, for we need another tank here in Muncie. I understand the company will employ about a hundred new men in the next six months. I don't believe there will be an addition to the mold shop at this time, but for other parts of the plant where there will be added machinery there also will be added employees.

When I came to Owens, T was introduced and given the opportunity to join the Onized Club. All departments have a club and funds are raised in various ways to be spent as the majority chooses. Last September, we all of the mold shop, with our wives, boarded a bus and went to Florence, Ky., to the horse races held at the Latonia Race Course. All was paid for by the Owens Club, except the bets. We were taught a good lesson, but we are going back next September. Then, in December, we had a Christmas party at the Waco Restaurant, and again all was paid for by the club.

Next month we are having a stag party in the downstairs of the personnel building. I don't know if this will be a fund raising campaign or not but if it is, I know all will have fun for the money is spent in a manner that we all enjoy.

Since I have been at Owens, we have had three dinner parties for the men and their wives. One horse race for all, two smorgasbords at the shop, two Christmas parties at the shop, all paid for by the club.

Today, I was told by the President of all our Owens Clubs that he was going to try and send all of the Owens employees of Muncie, with their families to Riverside Park in Indianapolis this summer. This is an amusement park that the Owens clubs have rented for the past several years for a day, or so many hours of one day and all is free, the kids of the plant and their children always have a good time on the rides. Next time, I hope to be one of those kids.

By the way, Flints, this plant is completely governed by the A.F.G.W. U. Maybe this is one reason why things go so smooth. This plan also employs no women other than in the offices. None in the union, even our selectors are men. Nothing to look at but, good at, their jobs.

I'm sure my co-reporters from Ball Bros, will tell you the names of our new officers in Local Union No. 50, so I'll omit this. The new president of our miscellaneous union here is Joseph Ed Dickson, he has been president thirteen times since 1946. Can't be too bad, can he? Joseph Ed is also our chief mold inspector in the mold shop. He is also a lead man over the polishers. He has the best crew of polisher's I have ever seen in a long time, even if they are men. Our polishers also take care of the chrome shop, which does all the chroming now which is on all equipment that is run at this plant.

Well, Flints, this is all for this month, except for the names of the men in the picture below.

Front row, left to right; James Palmer, Earl Hiatt, Jr., Allen Ferrebee, Lyle Buckner, Paul Warner, Walter Houk, Thurman Evans. 2nd row; Ed Dickson, Dorris Herbert, Leroy Wagner, James Tincher, Maurice Grille, Ralph Shea, Howard Wilson. 3rd row; Kirby Johnson, Louis Hicks, Jack Gates, Lloyd Snyder, Harold Tharp, O. W. Franklin. Back row; Don Everhart, Charles Wall, David Evans, Jim Barnell.

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