To: Personnel Policy Committee

From: David Trumbull

Date: November 30, 1996

Re: Personnel Policy Committee Meeting November 20, 1996

The Northern Textile Association Personnel Policy Committee met on November 20, 1996 at the American Textile History Museum, Lowell, Massachusetts. Paul Rivard, Museum Director, conducted a tour of the American Textile History Museum. Following the tour of the exhibits, the group was given a “behind the scenes” tour of the textile conservation laboratory and the textile history library. During lunch the group discussed various current topics. Minutes and attendance list of the meeting are attached.

Topics suggested for the next meeting included improving morale, interviewing techniques and allowable questions in interviewing, giving (or withholding) references.

The next meeting of NTA’s Personnel Policy Committee will be February 12, 1997 at the Lord Wakefield Inn, Wakefield, Mass. That meeting will be a roundtable discussion of current topics of interest to personnel managers.

Reply Form

I will _______ will not _______ attend the Personnel Policy Committee meeting on Wednesday, February 12, 1997 in Wakefield, Mass.

Name (s):________________________________________________________________

Company:________________________________________________________________

Suggested Discussion Topic(s):_________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Personnel Policy Committee Meeting
November 20, 1996
Minutes

The Northern Textile Association Personnel Policy Committee met on November 20, 1996 at the American Textile History Museum, Lowell, Massachusetts. In attendance were Mike Schwotzer and Tara Schultz, B.F. Goodrich; Sandee Muzaca, Crown Yarn Dye Co., Inc.; Alexis K. Paskevich, Dorr Woolen Company; Mickie Richardson, Homestead Industries, Inc.; Cindy A. Letourneau, Key Polymer Corporation; Dan Brown, L.W. Packard & Company; Leslie Dietrich, Raffi & Swanson, Inc.; Rita McCauley, Warwick Mills Inc.; Sam Alex, Synthon Industries; and David Trumbull, Northern Textile Association. Ms. Letourneau and Ms. Schultz joined the group for the first time.

Paul Rivard, Museum Director, conducted the tour of the American Textile History Museum. The museum was founded in 1960 in Andover, Mass., and has recently removed to Lowell. Construction of the building is nearly complete and the installation of the exhibits is well underway. The museum will open to the public in the spring of 1997. Following the tour of the exhibits, the group was given a “behind the scenes” tour of the textile conservation laboratory and the textile history library.

During lunch the group discussed various current topics. Violence in the workplace is a concern to many and discussion focused on such things as: the need to have a company policy against weapons on the property, the use of surveillance cameras, use of card entry systems; Mr. Trumbull distributed photocopies of a Textile World magazine article on violence in the workplace.

Sexual harassment continues to be a potential concern. Mr. Trumbull distributed photocopies of a newspaper article about a textile mill in Maine (not a NTA member) which was recently fined for allowing sexual harassment to occur over a long period of time. He also distributed copies of the L.W. Packard and Company sexual harassment policy and a sample policy provided by the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).

Other discussion topics were hiring of relatives of current employees and hiring based in part on the recommendation of current employees. Shift differentials were discussed and it was determined that among companies that pay a shift differential (some do not), the amounts ranged from $0.04 to $0.75 for first shift and $0.06 to $1.35 for second shift.

Topics suggested for the next meeting included improving morale, interviewing techniques and allowable questions in interviewing, giving (or withholding) references.

The next meeting of NTA’s Personnel Policy Committee will be February 12, 1997 at the Lord Wakefield Inn, Wakefield, Mass. That meeting will be a roundtable discussion of current topics of interest to personnel managers. The next meeting following will be in May. For that meeting Mr. Trumbull will engage a speaker.

Respectfully submitted,


David Trumbull
Member Services
Northern Textile Association