This column is devoted to reporting the resistance by working people to the employers' assault on their living standards, working conditions, and unions.

We invite you to contribute short items to this column as a way for other fighting workers around the world to read about and learn from these important struggles. Jot down a few lines about what is happening in your union, at your workplace, or other workplaces in your area, including interesting political discussions.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - More than 800 members of United Auto Workers Local 1155 marched September 23 from their union hall to Pemco Aeroplex, where they set up an expanded picket line. The strikers chanted "Scabs go home" and "Take these cops with you," while 30 Birmingham cops filmed their demonstration.

Since their strike began July 22, the unionists have intensified their protests against the job-cutting demands of Pemco that precipitated the walkout. The company has hired more scabs.

The show of union solidarity was the largest protest yet during the strike. Following the march union members held a meeting. It was reported that after 10 weeks, not one of the 950 strikers had crossed the picket line.

Union members are organizing a one-day expanded picket line every week. They also discussed greater community outreach efforts and calling a protest rally at the Birmingham mayor's office in response to police harassment of strikers. The cops stop traffic to allow busloads of scabs to enter the plant and are quick to usher union members onto the sidewalk. They stop strikers' cars, search them, and ticket the unionists as well.

Pemco's primary revenue source is from military contracts. Its Birmingham Airport facility refurbishes C-130 transport planes and KC-135 tankers. The company is trying to cut job classifications here from 61 to 31, forcing employees to perform several jobs without any wage or benefit increases.

Pemco claims the classification change is necessary to make it competitive, but the union insists the move would cost several hundred jobs and demands that the company put a no-cuts pledge in writing. While claiming the change would actually increase union employment, Pemco refuses to guarantee job security in a new contract. Irving Oil strike settled after 27 months
MONTREAL - A majority of the members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) at the Irving Oil Refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, have accepted a concession contract after 27 months on strike.

Thirty-seven strikers lost their jobs, including all but one member of the former union executive. Dan Farrer, one of the strike leaders fired, explained that the company recalled whoever they wanted. "I've been working at the refinery since I was 19," he said. "In the last 25 years I've prevented at least one major accident.... I can't get an answer why I was fired."

The 106 who were called back are forced to go through a three-week "orientation session."

The Irvings are among the most powerful of Canada's ruling families. People in New Brunswick, the heart of the Irving empire, explain that every second person who has a job in that province works for a company the family owns.

The Toronto Globe and Mail, Canada's major business daily, proclaimed, "Irving strike's end blow to labour; Terms of settlement seen likely to encourage employers across Canada to play hard ball."

Irving was able to keep the refinery open throughout the long strike because several of the smaller skilled-trades unions decided not to respect the picket lines and 72 former strikers crossed the line.

Irving strikers maintained 24-hour picket lines and launched an active boycott campaign. Several major rallies involving thousands of supporters marked the 27-month strike. Several CEP- organized refinery locals sent regular financial contributions. The Irving settlement means the first major rupture in what was formerly a master contract covering all CEP-organized refineries across Canada. Flight attendants in Canada reject contract
VANCOUVER - The 2,600 flight attendants at Canadian Airlines voted 91 percent to reject contract concessions and authorize a strike. The vote throws the company's drive for a new round of concessions into disarray.

Canadian wants to achieve 17 percent productivity gains by reducing the number of attendants per flight, cutting sick leave and vacation time, and increasing work hours with less overtime pay.

Five other unions, including the International Association of Machinists (IAM), have already agreed to negotiate the 17 percent givebacks, through a combination of pay cuts, job reductions, and other concessions. Canadian aims to win concessions totaling $125 million, including $22 million from the flight attendants.

If the flight attendants, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), refuse to settle, the other agreements fall through.

"We feel betrayed," said CUPE member Cindy Pellegrin after the result of the voting was announced September 26. "I don't think anybody wants to strike, but the company is forcing us into this position."

Three years ago, workers at the airline agreed to a pay cut, which was restored in August. The contracts with all six unions expired in December 1995.

"It is not so much the money but the working conditions," said another attendant coming on duty at the Vancouver airport October 1. "I have a six-year-old and I'm on my own. They want us to be away from home longer. They want fewer of us on each flight. We just got back the money we gave up last time." She expressed the mood reflected in the strong strike mandate when she added, "I don't know what the company will do but we are not backing down."

These negotiations take place just as American Airlines, a shareholder of Canadian, has announced plans to use Vancouver as its gateway to the Asia-Pacific region. Vancouver is the base for Canadian and it expects to hire hundreds of workers to handle the extra flights.

More than 100 workers have already been hired in the cabin services department in Vancouver. They work cleaning aircraft for just above minimum wage with no benefits. Other so-called contract workers have also been hired in cargo, laundry, security, and as janitors and station attendants. Those upgraded to part-time positions with benefits and seniority after March 1996 have their wage frozen at just over Can$9 (U.S.$6.65) per hour for the duration of the three-year contract.

George Williams, a striking member of UAW Local 1155 in Birmingham; Annette Kouri, a member of the United Steelworkers of America in Montreal; and Monica Jones and Lynda Little, members of International Association of Machinists Lodge 764 in Vancouver, contributed to this column.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home