Ken Burkamp took this photo on June 13, 1956, for an article in the Manchester Evening Herald. Excerpt from the article:

"Almost as many pickets were patrolling entrances to the Gray Manufacturing Co. plant on Hilliard St. this morning as there are workers who might be affected by the strike, which began Thursday at the firm’s Hartford plant. Some pickets sang songs for a while.

There were about 20 pickets present when the local Gray plant began operations at 8 a.m. today.

Norman Comollo, in charge of production here for the company, has said about 20 Gray workers might be involved if the strike spread to Manchester.

He reported about 11:30 today that almost everyone showed up for work. Only the usual amount of absenteeism was noticed today, he added.

Police reported there were no incidents and pickets said yesterday it was to be a “peaceful” operation.

At a meeting last night in Hartford, striking Gray union employees received assurance of financial support for the strike from several union sources.

President Patrick J. Ward of the CIO Industrial Union Council told the strikers they would receive support from the entire labor movement in the region.

In addition, representatives of the Springfield Westinghouse local of the international union of electrical workers, the parent union...."


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