At 9:30 PM Wednesday night, the workers at Republic Windows and Doors voted to accept an offer from Bank of America and ended their sit-in.
Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase will loan Republic’s owners $1.75 million which can only be used to pay the workers. They’ll receive 8 weeks severance pay plus back pay and earned vacation time – and two months paid health insurance.
The workers left the factory they had occupied since Friday chanting "Yes We Did!" Carl Rosen of the United Electrical Workers said:
"This is about more than just money. It’s about what can be achieved when workers organize and stand up for justice."
Of course the workers are still out of a job – while the owner of Republic managed to buy a new company in Iowa while running Republic into debt. But there’s some hope the workers could be back – the union announced the launch of a fund "to try and re-open the plant:"
It will be initiated with seed money from the UE national union and the thousands of dollars of donations to the UE Local 1110 Solidarity Fund that have come in from across the country and around the world in just the past five days.
Melvin Maclin of Local 1110 announced the name of the foundation, which was chosen by the workers themselves: the Window of Opportunity Fund. Maclin said that the fund will be open to receive donations from all friends of the Republic workers and supporters of their struggle.
As one Republic worker, Heriberto Barriga said of the sit-in:
"It was worth it. It was not only for us, it was for everybody nationwide, because they can do the same thing."
Graphic from the IWW.
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Booyah!!
wo0t! Great news and great post. I hope the Window of Opportunity stays open for those brave workers.
Kitty!
Thank you, Siun. Had not heard the news. Made my heart soar to read the post.
I haz a black kitty! (But my dogs are more likely to take direct action–squirrels beware!)
I take it that the cat logo is a Union Emblem. What Union is that?
Let this be the first of many positive examples of direct action as labor stands up (or sits down, as the case may be.
Perhaps the media may see fit to talk to American workers instead of the too steady diet of Shelby, Corker, Vitter and the like.
America works best when we say Union Yes!
Right. on.
It’s from Industrial Workers of the World. Looks like you can get it as a button.
Hey gang … this was really good news! and a sign that workers can strike back and win.
And yes, the image is from the wobblies.
I’d like to see the workers reopen the plant, raid the new Iowa company’s customers, and drive the old owners out of business again.
Now, while they UEW have the national media’s attention, they need to make a statement about standing in solidarity with the UAW.
Thanks for the update Siun.
Me too! While the media loved this story, they sure stayed clear of the issue of the Iowa plant and the owner’s ability to both run up @$10million in debt (acc to BoA) while buying a whole new company.
Jane has a brand new post up: “Why Detroit — Like New York — Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Go Bankrupt”
Sabocat.
That would be cool. It’s really evil of them to shut the plant down and buy a new one instead of paying the workers what what was promised. It’s the kind of mentality that makes a giant blow up rat so fitting a symbol of management.
A huge victory for this union directly and all other unions indirectly. Nice to see the power of the press work for instead of against union workers.
This situation was part of a political hit job against Blagoevich. The media did not mention that JP Morgan has a 40% interest in the company. The day after Blagoevich ordered the state government to suspend doing business with Bank of America, he was arrested. Instantly, the media was fed wire tap information. Again, the media is being used to bring down a politician who stepped out of line by being on the side of the union; not the corporations. Look what happened to Fitzer when he revealed the impending nightmare of all the mortgage fraud etc. etc.
From what I read here, Illinois is well known for corruption. So, why the rush to expose Blagoevich before he actually ’sold’ Obama’s senate seat? There really is more going on here than just a union battle to get the money owed to its members.
What politician does not look to benefit from his/her own power? When does that become a crime? I would like to know when and why the wiretap started. It seems that they jumped the gun by arresting him early in order to shut him up. He has been tried and convicted in and by the media. This is part of the whole problem with the MIC controlled MSM.
Sorry … as a proud Chicago resident, that’s a serious misreading of the situation.
Hey, Siun
I can’t tell you how glad I was to see the good news in my email this morning. The larger “war” isn’t over, but it’s good to win this battle right now!
FunnyD
Me too.
At the very least, do a full-page, full-on media blitz in the new company’s market making sure those potential new customers know the facts–and that the workers at this new company know that they could be next at any moment if this ****bag becomes the new owner.
FunnyDiva