Firm, Not Amused, Suspends 120 as Santa Cap Solidarity Snowballs

About 80 factory workers marched out of their plant en masse singing “Jingle Bells” Monday, after the entire first shift was suspended without pay in a rapidly escalating dispute over the wearing of Santa Claus hats on the job.

When 20 employees on the second shift at Okonite Co. also showed up for work in the hats, they too were suspended, and the company threatened to fire anyone who persisted in wearing the headgear.

The suspensions number more than 120 when those made last week are counted. Many of the workers gathered to sing Christmas songs and picket outside the plant.

‘Not Appropriate’

Okonite, a manufacturer of electrical cable, called the holiday caps “carnival-like head wear” and “not appropriate for a business environment.”

The dispute began Thursday with the indefinite suspension of Robert Wiget, a testing department worker who said he had worn a Santa hat during the holidays for five years without a problem.

A second worker was suspended Thursday and a third on Friday. About 20 employees showed up Saturday wearing Santa hats and all of them were suspended for two or three days.

Some workers said the company may have suspended the first workers last week to set the stage for upcoming contract negotiations with Local 1992 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, but there has been no indication of labor strife or major issues.

Passed Hats to Others

The suspended workers, who had wished each other “Merry Christmas” as they arrived for work in the holiday hats, passed their caps to fellow workers before they marched out.

They carried signs reading “Okonite Humbug” and “IBEW Local 1992 Supports Santa.” One employee was dressed in full St. Nick costume and another brought an inflatable Santa. “This is ridiculous,” said Tony Seascock from under one of the forbidden caps. “This is America!”

Workers said the company has no regulation against wearing a hat on the job, and that most of them wear baseball caps at other times of year.

Company officials issued a statement confirming the latest suspensions and vowing not to relent despite portrayals in the media as “Scrooges” or “grinches.”

Thomas Scanlon, vice president for employee relations, said: “They were suspended for three days for refusal to follow a reasonable directive from their supervisors.”

Cite Embarrassment

The company began suspending employees when executives conducting a tour of the plant Thursday were embarrassed by the appearance of two workers wearing the hats, said William Miller, recording secretary of the union local. He said the caps had been an annual tradition.

The company said it might continue the suspensions until all employees were affected and the plant was forced to shut down.

Miller said the company has no dress code except for footwear, and the union has been arguing that point. Scanlon refused to comment on the company dress code or to say whether employees were allowed to wear the Santa caps in past years.