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DES MOINES - The September 7 Labor Day parade here drew thousands of workers and their families from around central Iowa and was marked by the determination, confidence, and high morale of hundreds of members of United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 164. Since May 1 the local has been on strike against Titan Tire in a fight against forced overtime and two-tier wages and for retirement and health-care benefits.

Local 164 led the parade with a large float made out as a ocean going ship named the "U.S.S. Titan" and festooned with USWA insignia. A huge sign demanded, "Hey Morry, don't turn Titan into the Titanic - settle now!" The sign refers to Maurice Taylor, Jr., the owner of Titan Tire.

Other large contingents in the march included members of the Communications Workers of America whose strike against US West recently ended, USWA Local 310 from Bridgestone/Firestone, and others.

In recent weeks, the Steelworkers have stepped up efforts to explain their strike to others and have gotten increased solidarity from unionists around the area.

In early August, Local 164 members staffed a booth at Farmfest '98, an agricultural trade show in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. The activists reported having serious discussion and debate with farmers there. Some farmers said that they were against unions, but others listened to what the strikers had to say.

At a union picnic August 29, striker Cindy Robb said, "We went out determined to stay the course. Only six out of 650 that walked out have crossed the picket line. No one will give up what they have fought and worked for...we should get more from (Titan), not less."

Members of USWA Local 3141 at Griffin Pipe Products in Council Bluffs, Iowa, drove out to the picnic to bring solidarity greetings, a carload of food and clothing for strikers' families, and a check from their local for $800. Earlier in August two dozen members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1149 at the Swift packinghouse in Marshall- town, Iowa, pooled their money to buy a 50-pound box of fresh pork for Local 164's food bank. Later the executive board of the local voted to donate $100 to the strike.

On August 10, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance wrote to express solidarity with USWA Local 164. The group is a national organization of Asian American workers in over 20 different unions. About a third of Local 164 strikers are from Southeast Asia.

Members of United Auto Workers Local 1672 at Emco Specialties, a factory just a few blocks from Titan Tire, organized a week of solidarity with Local 164 August 24-28. School clothes, canned food, and cash were collected inside the plant. Two Titan strikers now working at Emco helped lead the discussion about supporting the strike.

More than 60 strikers have taken jobs at the Bridgestone/Firestone agricultural tire plant across town over the last two months. For Denny Hatch, the new job is a way to continue his participation in the fight against Taylor. During a break at work he proudly recounted a recent incident on the picket line where, through calm discussion, he convinced two strikebreakers to quit.

Some 200 replacement workers are crossing Local 164's picket lines. Titan claims to have production up to 30 percent of plant capacity. Taylor is demanding that after a settlement, strikers return to work in seniority behind the strikebreakers now working inside the plant. None of the unionists see this as a serious proposal.

In a victory for Local 164, Iowa state officials announced September 2 that the strikers were eligible for full unemployment benefits.

The unionists in Des Moines are watching events in Natchez, Mississippi, closely. There, a federal judge made Maurice Taylor's purchase of Fidelity Tire official on August 25. The former owners of the plant filed for bankruptcy in May 1997, and the sale to Taylor was tied up in court as USWA Local 303 fought the contract concessions he demanded.

"If the USWA and Titan Tire of Natchez (Taylor's new company) do not have a satisfactory agreement, the 500 members of Local 303 may be forced to begin an Unfair Labor Practice strike," said Leo Bradley, president of Local 303 August 27. Local 164 officials traveled to Natchez September 2 to discuss the two locals' fight against Titan.

Vancouver hotel strike wins part-time benefits
VANCOUVER - "This agreement is a victory," explained Mike Miller, who works as a doorman at the Hotel Vancouver. Miller, with 27 years on the job, was one of 466 members of the Canadian Auto Workers who struck the hotel for four days. He said it was the first time in 111 years that the hotel was shut down. "There was a strike in 1976, but they brought in scabs. This time we shut it down tight," added Miller, who was participating in a meeting of more than 250 people to discuss and vote on an offer proposed by Canadian Pacific, owner of Hotel Vancouver. The union represents the cleaners, clerks, doormen, bell hops kitchen workers, and maintenance staff at the hotel

Local 4275 chairperson Kevin Quinn said the agreement contains vision care, prescription drugs, hearing aids previously unavailable, and an improvement in dental care. For part-timers, dental care and extended health will be extended to those who put in 80 hours a month. Those working 60-80 hours a month can get coverage by paying half of the premium. For workers who rely on gratuities, the wage increase will be 18 cents a year for two years; other workers will get a 41- cent raise each year. Maternity leave is extended to one year from 6 months.

The strikers showed the company that "we could come together and fight. That's what won it for us," Miller commented. The bosses "never thought we would strike, but we did and showed them that we were determined," he added.

Kitchen worker Surjut Sidhu explained that she voted for the agreement because "it gives us benefits we never had before" The vote to ratify the agreement was 98 percent in favor.

Quebec hotel workers strike over `final offer'
MONTEBELLO, Québec -Some 240 employees of the Chateau Montebello, a luxury hotel located an hour and a half northwest of Montreal, have been on strike since July 1. The office, kitchen, and bar workers, as well as those who clean the rooms are members of Canadian Auto Workers Local 4281. On August 16 they took a second vote and rejected the employer's "final" offer by 86 percent. Their determination is still very strong and they hold spirited 24-hour pickets daily.

The strikers want the same 4.5 percent wage increase that hotel workers at Chateau Frontenac, Québec City, received. Furthermore, they are opposed to the company's demand for split shifts, which would stretch a supposedly eight-hour work day over 11 or 12 hours. Finally, the owners are trying to force them to take their two weekly days off according to the needs of the company, in some cases not having regular days off or not having two consecutive days. The strikers rejected that.

Pickets told the Militant their last strike was 30 years ago, and not one worker has tried to cross the picket line. Many cars passing by honk in support of the strikers. Encouraged by the visit of around 40 workers from the General Motors plant at Boisbriand, the strikers are prepared to continue their fight.

Ray Parsons, a member of USWA Local 310, and Joe Swanson, a member of UAW Local 1672, in Des Moines; Ned Dmytryshyn, a member of the IAM Lodge 764 in Vancouver; and Josée Séguin, a member of the Alliance of Montreal Teachers, and Carole Caron contributed to this column.  
 
 
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