"We have support from every single union in the area and we have community support," said Bill Coney, a picket captain. "On December 7 the SEIU [Service Employees International Union] organized a rally of their members at 1:00 p.m. in support of our strike and the Teamsters did the same at 4:00. If there is no agreement by December 13, we are organizing another rally that day at the Silver Lane entrance to the plant."

The members of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) walked off the job at four plants in the Hartford area December 3. Michael Stone, president of IAM Local 1746, one of four striking union locals, said, "Very few union members are crossing the line. The company is trying to get production out of salaried employees and management." Pratt & Whitney has put 2,000 managers and salaried employees to work covering some of the union members' jobs, vowing to meet deadlines for customers.

Workers say Pratt and Whitney, a major manufacturer of jet engines for commercial and military airplanes, has been on an antiunion drive for some time. More than 4,000 of the eligible 5,100 union members turned out for the strike vote and 70 percent cast their ballot to walk out. Many cited concerns over the company's contracting out of work and threats to move the plants elsewhere.

"Corporate America doesn't give a damn about blue collar workers," said Steve McKenzie. "Our union has already given the company a lot in the past, and now we're saying enough is enough. That's why 98 percent of us remain solid this time around." During a strike in 1985, a larger number of union members crossed the picket line. Many workers note the difference today in the backing for the walkout after a decade and a half of company assaults.

"We're on strike for two main issues," said Ronald Roy, an electrician with 16 years seniority at the company. "Job security and pensions. Global companies are shipping our jobs out to where they can find cheaper labor. On the pension, we want to be able to retire after 30 years on the job regardless of our age. Multinational companies have more than enough money invested in pension funds, so workers should be able to retire after 30 years," he added. "The company is under pressure to settle now because of commitments to the military. We are at war."

Howard Huestis, who is a shop steward and works in material process, said, "We want to preserve job security. The company tried to subcontract some of our work to a nonunion Texas outfit, but the courts upheld our contract, which has a clause prohibiting subcontracting. Now the company wants to rewrite the clause to allow subcontracting."

Verne Pharmer also said stopping subcontracting and defending job security is an important issue in the strike. Pharmer, who has 29 years at the company, said, "What good is a good wage if you can get laid off in six months?"  
 
 
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