The company had notified members of the American Flint Glass Worker Union (AFGWU) by mail just before Christmas that if a settlement was not reached, the bosses would have permanent replacement workers start up production January 7. The company, Jay County's largest employer, delayed taking that action after negotiations resumed January 3.

When the vote of 172-147 was announced, the Dunkirk News and Sun reported that enthusiastic cheers filled the union hall. On January 10 the strikers voted 181-133 against even voting again on the company's next offer. "There will be no vote on the offer itself," the union's national representative Andrew Slipp said. Although optimistic as the latest round of negotiations commenced, Slipp said following the second vote he was "overjoyed that our members have stood by their comrades and rejected an offer that was otherwise unsatisfactory." Local 501 president Sonny Poor said, "It was a terrible contract to begin with."

According to the strikers, the key issues have never been pay or benefits, but contract language concerning work rules and expanded prerogatives for the bosses, including mandatory overtime and combining departments.

Union members said that a major reason for rejecting the latest offers was to hold out until the company agreed to rehire three members it had fired and four who were forced by court order to resign. The company used trumped-up criminal charges of violence and vandalism against the seven union members after the strike began October 8.

As striker Charles Ferguson put it, "We went out together and we'll go back together." Union members voted 267-63 in early October to strike the company.

This is a widespread sentiment among strikers. The January 11 Star Press quotes Max Weaver, a 28-year employee of Indiana Glass: "We stuck together 100 percent.... Until those seven go in as union members, we aren't going back. This time they picked seven; next time it could be 15 or whatever." Weaver said work status for the seven union members wasn't the only issue keeping the strikers out of work, "but it's the biggest."

If Indiana Glass doesn't get this message, they'll get the next one," said Coy Phillips, one of the four who, after 36 years at Indiana Glass, was forced by the December court ruling to resign.

The company persists in maintaining a climate of intimidation in Dunkirk. Hired security thugs from Huffmaster Security, a notorious strike-busting outfit, continue to attempt to provoke the strikers, calling them derogatory names and nudging pickets at the plant gate.

On one recent morning the company bused in 25-30 guards. Picket Brett Robertson observed, "They were marching Hitler-style in full-fledged riot gear, with shields and face guards, just like SWAT teams." According to Bill Parson, a 27-year employee of Indiana Glass, the strikers refused to be provoked. "They were bumping one of our pickets, just flexing their muscles, trying to intimidate us," Parson added. "We just laughed and walked away. Kind of made them mad."

Poor reported that company guards were seen scattering nails on the driveway leading into the plant. They then videotaped the scene, in order "to blame us for the nails," he said. Guards were later observed picking up the nails.

An employee of the city government reported that the mayor's office has asked city workers to volunteer for riot duty. Strikers report a recent increase of cops patrolling the streets of Dunkirk, including from the sheriff's department from adjacent counties, state police, and plain clothes cops in unidentified cars. Looking out the union hall window on the main street, a longtime AFGWU member and current union officer said, "This union has never been stronger." The other five members in the hall strongly agreed.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home