Detroit public school teachers strike 16 days against cutbacks

DETROIT—Defying a back-to-work court injunction, the 9,500 members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers struck for 16 days August 28-September 13 against the school board’s demands for $88 million in pay and benefit cuts. This included a 5.5 percent pay cut over two years, increased insurance costs, and a reduction in sick days from 10 to five. A 1994 state law bars strikes by public employees. Teachers can be fined a day’s wages for each day on strike and the union an be fined $5,000 per day. The strike effectively shut down all public schools in the city with the unionists conducting large spirited picket lines.

Classrooms reopened September 14 after the union leadership and school board announced agreement on a tentative three-year contract that will freeze pay for the first year with raises of 1 percent and 2.5 percent over the next two years, the Associated Press reported. Teachers are voting on the proposed contract over the next several weeks.

—Marshall Lambie

Ford announces buyouts of all 75,000 U.S. union workers

The Ford Motor Company has announced plans to offer job buyouts to all 75,000 of its hourly factory workers in the United States, and shut down 16 plants throughout North America, in order to cut payroll costs by nearly a third and boost profits. Under this arrangement, younger workers who accept a $100,000 payment eliminating their job must agree to give up retiree health-care benefits and pensions. Ford’s plan is to eliminate 25,000 to 30,000 union jobs by the end of 2008. Ford said it lost $1.3 billion in its North American operations the first half of 2006.

Earlier this year, General Motors implemented a similar plan, reducing its workforce by 34,400 hourly workers through buyouts and early retirement.

With their starting point being the profitability of “our companies,” officials of the United Auto Workers union have backed the buyouts and layoffs of tens of thousands of UAW members at both Ford and GM. “The companies are likely to continue to press the weakened union, arguing Detroit’s UAW-represented operations can’t compete with nonunion factories in the U.S. run by the companies’ foreign rivals,” said an article in the September 15 Wall Street Journal.

—Brian Williams

Ohio: Steelworkers rally against Continental Tire benefit cuts

AKRON, Ohio—On Wednesday, September 13, more than 100 Continental Tire workers and retirees from across the country protested outside of the John S. Knight Convention Center during the 2006 World Tire Manufacturers’ Show here. United Steelworkers Local 890 from Bryan, Ohio; Local 665 from Mayfield, Kentucky; and Local 850 from Charlotte, North Carolina, joined together in protest over the illegal and immoral actions of Continental Tire.

Continental Tire slashed jobs and benefits all across the country for retirees and active workers. Health care premiums will skyrocket: retirees will have to use more than half of their pension just to cover health insurance and active workers will pay outrageous monthly premiums in Charlotte, North Carolina. Protest signs included, “Keep your promise,” and workers chanted “Continental Tire corporate liar.”

—Mark West
 
 
Related article:
Warehouse workers strike to defend union in New Zealand  
 
 
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