Hoyman Involved in Many Negotiations Between 1965 and 1975, Preparing Him Well for the Long Stevens Negotiations at Roanoke Rapids
Scope and Content Note: Bargained many initial contracts. “I decided that the ultimate strategy was never to disappear. If you couldn't be destroyed, no matter how feeble a flame might be burning, you had in essence defeated the company up to that point because the essence of a company's strategy toward a union is 'make 'm go away.'” A strike runs the risk of losing it all. “So we would develop and accentuate and expose the company's unwillingness to bargain responsibly.” By the time Hoyman started bargaining at Roanoke Rapids, it was about the eighth situation where he was bargaining against a company which was being advised by Blakeney. Two levels of negotiations: one at the table and one on day-to-day problems. The union in effect had a grievance procedure for six years before it had a contract because the company was under so much pressure due to its labor law violations that it would scrupulously respond to any union request for information. After three years of negotiations, the company finally agreed to arbitrate discharges, but nothing else. “That was a big day.”