LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Thirteen striking members of Teamsters Local 89 have been picketing outside DSI Tunneling every weekday, rain or shine, for the past month. The workers won a bitter fight last November to win union representation, and then began negotiating for their first contract. After months of stalling by company lawyers, the unionists voted unanimously to strike Aug. 4.
Amanda Owens, a local Walmart worker, joined the striking workers Aug. 28, waving her handmade sign at cars passing by. She told the Militant her first picket line experience was exciting. She heard “the workers had to work 10-hour shifts and then stay over for hours of negotiations.” She added, “I work four hours and I’m ready to leave.”
The bosses are cutting off striking workers’ health insurance starting Sept. 1. “The company is trying to put pressure on us to stop the strike,” Deyago Urrutra explained to the Militant.
The picketers have received solidarity from several local unions, including visits by workers at TARC, Louisville’s city bus service.
Owens said she understood that the workers picketed “outside in the hot sun all day” because “it’s for their union. If we go through hard times we’re going to need someone to stand up with us to help fight, no one should be alone.”
Send contributions and messages of solidarity to Teamsters Local 89, 3813 Taylor Blvd., Louisville, KY 40215.