C. L. Hite to B. Mulder on Waukegan's Red Slip Cases and the Union (1971)

A one-page memo of April 14, 1971, from C. L. Hite at the Waukegan, Illinois, plant to B. Mulder at J-M headquarters, copied to R. H. King. Hite writes that since 1962 Waukegan had told employees of their condition "relative to dust" and moved them to dust-free jobs, auditing its "red cases" to make sure they stayed there. The union had known that workers were told they were "dusted" but not that they were being moved; after two employees complained about being transferred because of a "dust problem," the union wanted to discuss the whole matter with management.

What it shows

Hite reports that union official Ben Foust expected a proposal that any worker moved to a lower-paying job because of a lung problem caused by asbestos or silica at work should keep his old pay rate (for example $4.00 an hour instead of $3.75) for the rest of his employment. Hite thought the plant had moved people "in a way that has not hurt the employee either physically or financially," and wrote: "I don't feel that we have an immediate problem at Waukegan in this area. We might see a flurry of activity, but I don't think it will continue for a prolonged period of time." The "red slip" system went back years at Waukegan (see Dr. Davison's 1963 memo on untold red slip cases).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

C.L. Hite (Waukegan) writes to B. Mulder (General Headquarters), dated 4/14/71, regarding Waukegan's handling of red slip cases. Hite states that since 1962, Waukegan has informed these employees of their physical condition and has transferred them to dust-free jobs without physical or financial harm to the employees.

The union has been aware of Waukegan's disclosure policy but not of its transfer practices. Hite states that in the past, there have always been open dust-free jobs and the transfer has been handled amicably. However, recently, two Waukegan employees who are to be transferred brought this situation to the attention of the union officials.

The union now wants to discuss "this whole problem" with management. Ben Foust has told Hite that the union is going to propose that employees who are transferred to a lower paying job because of work-related pulmonary problems retain their same wage rate. Hite says "I don't feel that we have an immediate problem at Waukegan in this area. We might see a flurry of activity, but I don't think it will continue for a prolonged period of time."