Benito Dominguez, one of the protest leaders, said, "We won an important victory, which is the first step in the struggle. Now we have to go back in to win and defend those rights—not just for ourselves but for all the workers in the plant."

These workers, all Latino, made up one of the production departments and the shipping department. They say they were fed up with low pay, bad working conditions, and lack of respect. They have no union.

"Everybody here is paid by piecework," said Filadelfo Santillan. "We have to produce faster to get any more money. If you don't work fast enough they will fire you." He said they don't get paid if a breakdown stops production.

Quietflex Manufacturing, an air conditioning duct maker, is owned by Goodman Holding, which also owns Amana Home Appliances. It is the nation's largest manufacturer of air conditioning, heating, and home appliances.

"We work with fiberglass," Santillan said. "It goes everywhere. They never clean it up." A cleanup crew had been brought in since the walkout began "because they are afraid that OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] or someone will see how bad they are."

According to Santillan, workers had asked for a raise. The boss refused to listen to them. The day of the walkout, "we got together in front of the plant. The company told us to go back inside." When they did not, they were told that they were all fired. "Then they called the police and they made us get off the property," he said.

The workers decided to set up a picket line, which they have maintained every workday since. "We tried to go back to work Tuesday," the striker said, but the company refused to let them.

About 60 workers from other departments remained in the plant along with replacement workers. Strikers reported the number of trucks leaving the plant had dropped dramatically.

Several workers said the departments are divided along racial lines, with Latinos getting the harder, dirtier, and worst paying jobs. Crescencio Martinez, who has worked in the plant for five years, said, "When people want to transfer to another department they say, 'Do you know English? Well, then they stay in the same place!'"

Doug McGee, an organizer for the Sheet Metal Workers union, was out walking the picket line, but said that his union does not represent the workers.

"I am here in solidarity. We are trying to help out." He said his union has their lawyers working on the case.  
 
 
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