Submitted on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 3:43am
As of Friday morning, 200 angry UE Local 1110 workers have occupied the The Republic Windows and Doors factory which closed abruptly last week after Bank of America canceled the company's financing. This is the first major organized factory occupation in the US by unionized workers since the 1930s and very likely the portent of further actions by workers as the capitalist system's house of cards continues to come crashing down. The following account is by a member of the CHicago IWW. Links to other news stories about the occupation are included as well:
Fellow Workers,
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 Tuesday.