Document NENQbxagLqvnR0xB2Dw8B0L5y

tMtBSON S7 IRA I. BROUGHT 8 ASSOCIATES CONSULTANTS 1130 EDISON BUILDING TOLEDO 4.OHIO August ilt 1957 Mr. Louis R. Kessler, General Mana-.-r General Products Division Owens-Corning Fiber*!** Corporation National Bank Building Toicvio *, Ohio Dear Lou: { i recently h*u a Ion* conference with Asbestos Worker* Union Vice President Hugh Mulligan in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Mulligan is the most Oominatin5 force in that union; aa: therefore, considerable credence- i* place., in tatemeuts tna.c by him. We aiscussen at length their International Convention which will be held in New Orleans, La. the week of September i, and ita relationship to Fiberglas an- toe scattered gruiiihlui,* with respect to the health aspects of gla*s fioir.. *' irst on tne agenda at the c^avniion will b* th^ election of the international officers. This will be the first such election in twenty years and there will be s struggle to unseat thu present incumbent Mr. Carl Sickles. Mr. Mulligan is confident that Mr. Sickle* will be clectea, which woul-. be to our aavantage. Several new vice president* of the International will be elected. Those most likely to succeed arc Business Agent Andrew T. Haas of Philadelphia, Pa., who in the past ha* been very fair; and Business Agent Malcolm Detlefa of Detroit, Mich., whose degree of cooperation is, and has been, quite questionable. Since the International has received a number of complaints with regarn to the health hazards of Fibergias, the Exec utive Boarc will hold a session prior to the convention proper to draft a resolution to promote an impartial examination of this prob lem. Mr. Mulligan indicated very clearly ana forcefnlly that he would be in iavor of such a resolution, but that it should ho 01 022 0315 Mr. Kessler 2 August 21, 1957 all inclusive covering all the products they handle, glass fibers, rock wool, asbestos, etc. He indicated strongly that he was not in favor of a demand for a premium. He made the statement that the products they handle are either healthy, or they are not. He felt that the convention would institute a research program of its own. They are conscious of the fact that Fiberglas is domin-ating the insulation fielc. and that future employment will hinge on the application and handling of these products. He has a full awareness that the various deaths from lung ailments allegedly attributed to thi* inhalation of glacs fibers were not medically documented; nor has it been conclusively established that infection resulted from an occupational hazard. 1 feel strongly that Mr. Mulligan will work diligently towar. the program, heretofore outlined. I plan tc attenu thuir conv*nt:on an i ascertain the results. it Very truly yours. I3:gm\v cc: Mr. vVinkli Mr. 'Aright Mr. Burch " Mr. Williams Ira I. Brought 1 022 0310