Rottach, a packinghouse worker at a Swift plant in Omaha, and a participant in the union organizing drive there, met a number of workers who were interested in learning more about her campaign’s opposition to U.S. imperialism and its moves toward war in the Middle East as well as the importance of labor resistance to the bosses’ attacks at home on workers’ job conditions and dignity.

Going door-to-door in a trailer park near the IBP meatpacking plant here, Rottach met a former meat packer who now works as a trucker. When she explained why workers should oppose Washington’s war drive in the Mideast, he responded that the U.S. government "thinks it is the only country that can have weapons. And who knows," he added, "they could use them in the future against anyone they want." Another worker employed at IBP who read the campaign leaflet said, "Yes, I believe this war is only for oil."

An 18-year-old who recently graduated high school and started work at IBP subscribed to the Militant. He said he opposed Washington’s war drive, but the main reason he decided to get the paper was to follow more closely labor struggles across the country and internationally.

A truck driver and his wife invited Rottach into their home to talk about the socialist campaign. The woman told the socialist candidate she had been denied disability and was facing enormous medical bills for an upcoming eye operation.

"My campaign calls for free cradle-to-grave health care for everyone; the labor movement will need to fight for a nationwide free public health system, not simply win medical programs plant by plant or industry by industry." Rottach pointed to the example of the Cuban Revolution, where workers and farmers took political power, through which they have been able to guarantee health care as a fundamental right for all.

The day before Rottach’s campaign stop in the Sioux City area, a team of socialists met workers during the shift change at the IBP plant. Dozens of flyers were handed out and nine people picked up copies of the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial. Rottach ran into several of the same workers while campaigning the following day.

The gubernatorial candidate was interviewed by the Sioux City Journal and WTIV Channel 4 television while campaigning. Channel 4 ran her interview on the evening news.

Mary Martin is a garment worker in Des Moines, Iowa.  
 
 
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