Spouses of Steel initiated and led a rally outside Kaiser's plant in Tacoma, Washington, the weekend before the Spokane rally. That rally was attended by 125 people, many of whom came from Spokane on a Spouses of Steel bus. The rally and car caravan around the plant blocked the scabs trying to leave or enter the plant during their shift change for 45 minutes, boosting the morale of the pickets. Spouses of Steel are now organized in Tacoma, and they are helping to organize one in Newark, Ohio.
In Spokane, they meet every Tuesday evening at the union hall. Jokkel explained that they "started the group on May 1. There were four of us. Now it's grown to about 30."
"We e-mail all the unions we can find listed on the Internet and write them about their lock-out and ask for support," she said. The group also organizes a phone calling tree, calling the workers by picket group about important events.
Jokkel herself didn't start off as a supporter of the strike. "The first day of the strike, I was mad at Paul [her husband] and the union. I told him to go out and get a job."
As the strike progressed, she went down to the union hall for a Christmas party. "I was overwhelmed by the warmth and solidarity I felt," she said. Then, "I told Paul, `I'm starting a wives' group.' " Now, " I support him and all the strikers 101 percent!"
During the barbecue, Tony Duncan, husband of one of the locked-out workers, explained why he joined the group two months ago. "It gave me a chance to release the stress and state my opinion," he said.
The Spouses of Steel are promoting a fund-raising raffle now, and plan to organize activities for the children of locked-out Steelworkers in August. They are discussing a prayer vigil in mid-September at Kaiser's Gramercy, Louisiana, plant.
- S.B. AND C.R.