Vol. 79/No. 33      September 21, 2015

Militant/Dan Fein

Steelworkers fighting ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel concession demands join Labor Day parade in Lowell, Indiana, Sept. 7. Contract covering 29,000 Steelworkers expired Sept. 1.

Steelworkers contingents from large mills in the region helped lead the parade in Lowell, Indiana.

The contract between 29,000 Steelworkers and steel giants ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel expired Sept. 1. More than 2,200 Steelworkers are fighting a lockout by Allegheny Technologies Inc. at 12 plants in six states, imposed when they rejected steep concessions.

At the Philadelphia parade, United Steelworkers Local 1165 President Vonie Long from the Coatesville ArcelorMittal steel mill marched with oil refinery workers from Local 10-1. “It was an opportunity to get awareness from other workers about attacks from ArcelorMittal,” Long said.

In Chicago United Auto Workers Local 551 members from the Ford assembly plant wore “No tiers!” T-shirts, opposing the two-level pay structure pushed on them in 2007 and the auto bosses’ latest demand for a lower, third tier at some parts plants. Contracts at Ford, General Motors and Chrysler expire Sept. 14. “We face concessions demands similar to the Steelworkers,” autoworker Scott Aowdiegon told the Militant.

In Burlington, Washington, farmworkers gathered at Sakuma Brothers Farms demanding recognition of their union, Familias Unidas por la Justicia.

At the Labor Day picnic in Seattle signs calling for $15 and a union, a 40-hour workweek and regular hours drew people to a literature table sponsored by OUR Walmart, an organization of workers at the retail giant.

In Omaha, Nebraska, some 3,000 unionists as well as community and youth organizations marched in the SeptemberFest parade. Contingents included the SMART rail workers union, whose members defeated Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s attempt to impose a one-person “crew” last year.

A small group of Walmart workers carrying signs for “$15 an hour, full-time work, and a union” was well received by many. A few unionists countered that Walmart should be boycotted out of business.

Attempting to discredit the growing fight against police brutality, a group that included family members of cops carried signs saying, “All lives matter,” and “My husband’s life matters.” A “SupportBlue rally” held at the Omaha Police Department headquarters after the parade attracted 300.

Kelton Gordon stopped at the Socialist Workers Party table, attracted by a sign that said “For $15 minimum wage, full-time hours, and a union; against police brutality.”

“The police are supposed to protect and serve, but a lot of people are afraid of them,” Gordon said.

At a Labor Day march in Boston organized by Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, Jena Benson, a Dunkin’ Donuts worker who joined the fight for $15 recently, told the rally, “Nine dollars an hour is not cutting it.”

“Airport workers are not giving up,” said Radouane Fadal, a G2 Secure Staff employee at Logan Airport, who was part of two strikes this summer.

Juan Carlos, a downtown Wyndham Hotel worker fighting for safety on the job and a union, said, “When I asked for safety equipment, the supervisor said, ‘You have to figure it out.’” He announced a Sept. 9 protest at the hotel.

Dan Fein in Chicago, John Naubert in Seattle, Barbara Bowman in Omaha, Kevin Dwire in Boston, and Janet Post and Mitchel Rosenberg in Philadelphia contributed to this article.
 
 
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