Vol. 78/No. 4      February 3, 2014

Below is a note sent by Anthony Dutrow in Miami along with a check to the Socialist Workers Party Capital Fund, turning a “blood money” bribe from the boss into a contribution to build the communist party. Bonuses and other payouts by bosses to convince us to accept speedup, wage cuts, concession contracts and dangerous working conditions are a political cornerstone of the fund, which finances long-range work of the party.

I’m proud to send a check for $99.22, equal to this year’s so-called “profit-sharing” bonus. I work at a stamping plant churning out brass, zinc, and steel grommets, plugs, eyelets, and other parts for a variety of industries, including for military accessories. Since it moved from New York and set up its union-free operations here in 1960, workers have no rights to protest wages or safety conditions.

Several weeks ago, a Haitian co-worker was sent temporarily to the department I work in. He said that he started working in the shipping department over 20 years ago when he was 30. A few days before he told the bosses he couldn’t keep lifting 200-pound barrels by hand — the bosses don’t even provide come-along pulleys or other nonmechanical lifting devices. He told me his back was getting worse and worse so they sent him over with us to decide if he wanted to keep his job. The bosses’ offer: to train him in “proper” lifting methods. Isaac, this one is for you.  
 
 
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