BY JOHN SARGE
PLYMOUTH, Michigan - As members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) entered their third week on the picket line at Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) here and in Ohio, a discussion was unfolding among union members on how to organize workers in the growing nonunion parts sector of the auto industry.

JCI, described by the Wall Street Journal as "one of the biggest and most sophisticated beneficiaries of automotive outsourcing in the world," had $10 billion in sales last year. Only six of the company's 34 North American plants are unionized, including the two on strike for their first contract. The struck plants produce seats for Ford trucks and minivans.

UAW members at both JCI and Ford saw it as a victory when the auto giant decided not to accept management- and scab-produced seats from the struck plants a few hours after the walkout began January 28. Ford made its announcement after strikers and auto workers from the surrounding plants mobilized on the picket lines.

After 10 days of building seatless trucks, Ford closed all or parts of three truck assembly plants, including the Michigan Truck Plant. Most workers assumed that JCI would quickly sign a contract that was close to what workers at the company's main competitor - Lear Seating - have won. Workers at Lear are members of the UAW.

JCI, however, soon removed machinery from its Plymouth plant. Ford made a deal that JCI would make seat frames for its sports utility vehicle at an unstruck plant, then ship them to Lear and Ford's Chesterfield Trim Plant for final assembly. Meanwhile, the 300 Plymouth strikers are organizing picket lines 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even though JCI has removed some equipment. There are between 10 and 30 workers gathered around fire barrels at the two gates at any time.

While pickets say they don't want to discuss what they think about Ford's move to get its lines rolling again, they report that there were a lot of "negative feelings." The strikers are more willing to explain why they are fighting. Workers describe long hours, unsafe working conditions, and lower pay than JCI employees receive in an unorganized plant just a few miles away.

The union is demanding wages from $12 to $14 per hour, up from the current $8.50 to $11. Mario Vásquez, a striker who is originally from Honduras, said he had come to the United States "for a better life." He said, "Now I find the same enemy, the same bosses.... Now I struggle in the USA."

A discussion has broken out in the union over how the JCI strike and Ford's move to find other suppliers effects efforts to strengthen the UAW. A letter circulated by UAW Local 900 officials at the Michigan Truck Plant the day after workers there were called back said, "The temporary arrangement between Ford Motor Company, Chesterfield Trim and Lear Corporation has had many positive results already." The letter highlighted the cancellation of a temporary layoff, the possibility of some overtime at Chesterfield Trim, and the recall of 250 laid off Lear workers. The letter continued, "Michigan Truck Plant UAW members can be proud of yourselves, because of your strong Union support and our good UAW-Ford Management relationships we have once again been a part of making Labor history by refusing to accept non-union or replacement worker made seats."

There was no mention of how supposedly "good UAW-Ford Management relationships" would help the 500 UAW strikers win a union contract. Tim Cumming, a body shop worker, pointed out that "coming back to work will make it harder to get contracts for parts workers. The last contract allows Ford to set up lower cost parts suppliers. Then when parts workers go on strike they expect us to accept it just because they moved the work."

John Sarge is a member of UAW Local 900 and works at Ford's Michigan Truck Plant. BY KIBWE DIARRA

OBERLIN, Ohio - Solidarity for the strike at Johnson Controls has been building in Ohio. Members of UAW Local 2000, which organizes Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, voted February 16 to contribute $1,000 to the striking local and are planning a plant gate collection.

"I think that we as fellow union bothers and sisters should support them 100 percent," said Steve Marrero, a UAW member at the Avon Lake plant. Nearly 3,000 workers there and at the Lorraine assembly plant were laid off after Ford ran out of seats as a result of the strike. Marrero has visited the picket lines in Oberlin several times. He commented, "It would be beneficial to them if we were to help them financially in their time of need."

"The JCI strike is an extremely important fight for the UAW as a whole," said Chris Ladikos, another member of Local 2000. Only 20 percent of auto parts workers in the United States are unionized. Ladikos added, "If we [the UAW] are going to organize other suppliers successfully, we must win this one!"

A student group at Oberlin College sponsored a community meeting February 11 to discuss the strike. Five strikers and 40 other unionists and students attended.

Answering questions, the strikers explained they were getting a lot of support. Other unionists are stopping by the picket line all the time. Picket coordinator Pam Hatfield said, "People have started to come past in the morning and dropping off donuts, and coffee." Hatfield reminded those present that they had an injunction against having more than six pickets at each of the two gates at any time.

Strikers described how support was coming in ways they had not expected. A family who lives across the street from one of the gates let them set up a portable toilet, for instance.

Thanking those attending the meeting, striker Rick Gibson said, "It's important to know you got others behind you."

Kibwe Diarra is a member of UAW Local 2000 at Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant.  
 
 
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