[Jeff Niceswanger]

Gary, I'm sure you remember some of our old conversations. I don't get involved in the conversations much anymore, but I'm down here in the lounge anyway looking at music.While being the Union President @ Ralston Purinia for the last decade of my employment, I sit in on several meetings which had similar topics.We made breakfast cereal. Since it was food, the amount of rules was expanded to protect the public.Sometimes,to some people (our members) the rules seemed stupid. We had to wear hair nets. And beard nets.The rules stated, and were strictly enforced, that everybody wore a hairnet. Even if you were bald. Reason being if you shaved your head to get around wearing those hot hairnets the possibility of it growing back was inevitable. The bosses was always having to remind some members that their hair was getting too long to go without wearing a net. So to stop all the issues.We just made a blanket rule to put one on...Period. Even if you were born bald (we had members that were). But you know what. ? They would never do the same with beard nets.You only had to wear one if you had "stubble" . Why the difference? I have no idea. But they owned the place, we just followed the contract.
We had hat rules too. Everyone was required to wear a hardhat out in the plant, but members in the labs, offices,outside in yard dogs ect. could choose a ball cap. You know how they settled this issue that Goodyear just went through? They supplied the hats.Had a big RALSTON Logo on it. We were not allowed to put Union pins, football teams,NHRA Logo's,... no logos or advertising of any type....The hats were to remain unmolested. Same thing with the hardhats,they supplied them and there was to be no tampering whatsoever. They also supplied the uniforms, same deal. We had two bulletin boards. No political info was allowed on them. I'll post the contract language.This is totally Goodyears mis-sight. They were trying to stop all the political endorsements. But allowing other things similar was a big boo boo. And I would guess this was at the local plant level.Glad I'm out of all that push N pull. Retirement is soooo much better .. good talking at you again


BULLETIN BOARD

Section 1. The Company agrees to provide two (2) bulletin boards which may be used by the Union for posting notices, a copy of which is provided to the Company, and restricted to:

(a) Notices of Union meetings.

(b) Notices of Union elections.

(c) Notices of Union appointments and the results of Union elections.

(d) Notices of Union recreational and social affairs.

(e) Other notices concerning bona fide Union activity such as: cooperatives, credit union and unemployment compensation information.

There shall be no posting of Union information on other bulletin boards within the plant.

Section 2. There shall be no other general distribution by employees of any kind of literature in Company work areas other than as herein provided or as permitted by law.