The year 1965 holds much importance in the history of local 587, as this was the year our local was formed. At the time, Raytheon's RI facilities included Buildings on West Main Road, Portsmouth, and Connell Highway, Newport. The charter was signed on November 15, by IAM Business Agent, Wilfred Belargeon. The IAM/AW and the IBEW both tried previously to get their foot in the door, but only when  workers started to feel they weren't being treated fairly at the Connell Highway facility, did they vote to join the IAM/AW. One thing that weighed heavily on the decision to go IAM was the fact that the Massachusetts Raytheon facilities were all in the IBEW and the RI workers, who hadn't much seniority at the time, didn't want to take a chance of being affected by layoffs in Massachusetts.

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