Peace Returns to Rohr Picket Lines

Peace returned to the Rohr Industries Inc. plant here Wednesday as a machinists union strike at the company entered its third day, authorities said.

On Tuesday, 14 members of the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 964, in Riverside were arrested in a fracas that erupted when management officials tried to drive their vehicles through a gate during a shift change, authorities said.

Attorneys for the company then won a temporary restraining order in Riverside County Superior Court that limits the number of pickets to two at each of Rohr’s three Riverside County facilities and requires that they stay 10 yards apart. Other pickets must remain 200 yards from the property.

“From 350 to 400 vehicles entered the plant at shift change Wednesday,” Riverside Police Officer Fred Kelvington said. “About 150 union members stood by peacefully, and they appeared to be abiding by the court order.”

A similar court order was obtained in Superior Court in Chula Vista in San Diego County where Rohr has another plant. The firm produces components for aircraft and employs about 8,000 people.

“At this point there are no (bargaining) talks scheduled,” said Dick Dalton, spokesman for the company.

He added that the 4,600 union members at the firm were scheduled to pick up their paychecks at the Riverside and Chula Vista facilities today.

“We are working with authorities in Riverside and San Diego counties to see this is carried out in an orderly fashion,” Dalton said.