As part of a three-year contract between the company and the union, workers at the factory were supposed to get a 20-cent per hour raise as of Sept. 1, 2000. Instead, at the beginning of that month the company attached a letter to their weekly paycheck stating that the raise would instead be paid as a bonus the week before Christmas. Many workers at the plant are quite angry about this. The overwhelming majority of them are paid on a piece-rate system and when work is slow are sent home early. They rely on receiving their weekly paycheck.

In response to this attack, the workers have turned to their union. One meeting of about 40 workers has been held with the union business representative. The petition drive is viewed as a useful tool to involve the majority of workers in stating their views. The petition demands that the company reinstate the raise retroactive to September 1.

Nancy Rosenstock is a member of UNITE Local 506.  
 
 
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