Militant/Eric Simpson

Garment workers from Point Blank celebrate union-organizing victory. Seventy workers from plant took part in May 3 event at Ironworkers hall in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Virginia Salazar, a sewing machine operator originally from Cuba and one of the leaders of the union struggle, recalled the reasons the workers fought to be organized into the UNITE union. “Anytime we had something to say the company would say ‘there’s the door,’” she said. “That’s when we looked for the union. Why? Because we wanted justice, dignity, and rights.”

Some 175 workers went on strike for six months, from August 2002 until February 2003. The unionists returned to work after the National Labor Relations Board found the company guilty of unfair labor practices and ordered it to reinstate the strikers and three union militants it had fired before the walkout began. The contract between Point Blank and UNITE took effect April 26. The company’s two other plants in the area—at Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach—are not covered by the union contract.

Dozens of photos from the strike were projected on a movie screen during the event, showing workers picketing in the rain, taking part in solidarity events in the region, cooking food in the strike headquarters, and dancing on the picket line.

Hanging on the wall was a banner that read: “Making history in the South: UNITE Southern district.”

Arcine Rasberry, manager of the Florida district of UNITE, chaired the meeting.

Strike leader Isma Sadius told the unionists, “I was arrested for fighting to get this contract.” He was arrested July 18, 2002, when he led a delegation of workers into the company offices to demand union recognition after a majority of workers at the plant had signed union cards. A few weeks later, after a third union backer was fired, the strike began. “We need to applaud ourselves because we have sacrificed so much to win this contract,” he said.

Sadius led the audience in chants in Creole of “UNITE never gives up.” Several times during the program workers chanted in Creole and Spanish. Unionists at Point Blank include workers from a dozen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Roughly one-third of the workers are Haitian.

Bruce Raynor, national president of UNITE, told those attending the victory celebration that “a determined group of workers who were tired of being treated other than as human beings finally decided they’d had enough.”

“This is the wealthiest country in the history of mankind,” said Raynor. “Justice is for the wealthy.” But this strike and this victory show workers “have the power to change that if we stand up to them and stick together.”

One of the provisions of the contract is the right of union representatives to enter the factory. For the last two years union officials have met workers just off company property. Raynor announced that union officials would enter the plant May 5.

Also speaking from the platform was a representative of U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings.

Scott Cooper, Southern Region Organizing Director for UNITE, thanked all those who aided the strike. They included, he said, the Ironworkers, Jobs with Justice, Service Employees International Union, Unite for Dignity, and Socialist Workers Party.

Union members at Point Blank have supported struggles by other unionists. Dozens of workers signed a card in solidarity with striking coal miners at the Co-Op mine in Huntington, Utah, and donated $150. Milagros Santos read a letter from the Co-Op miners thanking the UNITE members at Point Blank for their support.

“Your victory is an example for us,” the message from the United Co-Op Miners said. “Like you we are determined to go forward until we win a real union and be represented by the United Mine Workers of America.”

At the end of the program dozens of workers danced to the rhythm of a popular Spanish-language chant, “En la lucha del pueblo, nadie se cansa” (In the people’s struggle, no one falters).  
 
 
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