200 Chicago Unionists rally In Support of Factory Sit-in
I just got back from a Labor rally at Republic Windows, a factory located on Goose Island, which is a designated Manufacturing District in the City of Chicago, Illinois. There were approximately 200 Union people attending the rally, including 5 Wobblies, along with U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrrez, and the media, including Labor Beat (a Wob Member), all the Chicago TV stations, and probably Chicagoindymedia , Chicago Public Radio as well, can't confirm the last two.
The workers in the factory are members of UE Local 1110. The factory shut down at 10:00 am Friday. There was no advanced notice to the workers. They have been denied vacation pay and severance pay, which under Illinois law is 75 days in a union shop. The workers refused to leave. They are currently occuping the factory. Apperently, BOA (Bank of America) wouldn't give Republic a Line of Credit to continue operations.
At the rally, representatives from Jobs With Justice, Interfaith Worker Justice (which co-ordinated the event), SEIU, Teamsters (the radical local), and US Rep Gutierezz spoke. Most of them had pretty good things to say. Basically, Wall St has been Bailed Out, where's the bailout for Workers?
Illinois Rep Luis Gutierrezz threw his support behind the Republic Workers. He babbled on a bit, as is his nature. He is brokering a deal to meet with UE, BOA , and Republic Monday. The deal is: get the workers their severance and Holiday pay. If the deal falls out, UE will picket BOA HQ at 135 S La Salle St. at Noon on Teusday.
The speechifiers were rounded out by Carl Rosen, President of the UE Western Region, (also the Chicago IWW GMB's Landlord). But then, the crowd was startled to notice someone had jumped up on a portable dock-stand just south of the Factory entrance. This was none other than FW Zito, who Orated in the IWW Soapbox Tradition, exhorting the Workers to Rise Up and Fight! Carl rolled his eyes: "it's all about free speech."
FW Zito then led the crowd in a rousing rendition of 'Solidarity Forever.'
People at the Rally donated to a fund for the fired workers. Also, people are working to make sure the workers occupying the factory have food and water. The factory temperature is at 50 degrees farhenheit.
It is a cold, snowy day here in Chicago. I thought the turn-out was pretty good given the weather. There wasn't enough advance notice to get more Wobs out there. I think UE handled this brilliantly. They got the Media to show up, and other Union reps as well.
Fellow Workers, we are entering an economic crisis unseen since the Great Depression. By the middle of next year, workers in the US (and the World) will be experiencing massive unemployment.
The Republic Windows occupation could be a blue-print for workers taking control of factories. It happened in Argentina. Unfortunately, in this country, there has been a massive anti-union propaganda camapaign for the past 25 years. However, things are getting so bad in the US now that I think workers are getting radicalized.
OBU, Marshall
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