Militant/Don Mackle (top), Dean Hazlewood (bottom)

Workers at Garden Manor Farms, a meatpacking plant at Hunts Point, Bronx, New York, outside plant August 28. Two days earlier they had walked out to oppose company efforts to sabotage the certification election held that day for United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 342. The boss had sent workers one at a time to take part in the vote during the one hour officially allotted. At the end of the hour, eight union supporters still had not had the opportunity to vote. “When John (the union observer) came back into the plant and told us what happened, we just put down our stuff, left the meat on the table, and walked out,” said Frankie Matos. After consulting with the union representatives outside, the workers returned to work together. The 17 ballots cast were taken to Washington, D.C. The union hopes to get the results in a couple of weeks. “This all just makes us stronger,” said Alfonso Morales, an 11-year veteran at the plant. Workers regularly meet outside the plant with Local 342 representatives to discuss their fight.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home