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How Many More Jobs Can Our Country Lose? |
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Ben Waxman, Labor 2008 state director for Ohio, reports on a lockout at an Ohio auto parts factory.
In January, a Norwegian company bought an auto parts factory in Van Wert, Ohio, renaming it Kongsberg Automotive. Now, the company is trying to break the union, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1-524, that represents workers there.
The wages provided by these union jobs in the factory aren’t sky high—most people make between $14.50 and $17.50 per hour for the skilled work they do. But these wages, which have helped keep the local community’s economy afloat, now are threatened as Kongsberg Automotive (KA) tries to take them away, proposing to pay many workers a near-poverty wage of only $9 an hour.
To make matters worse, the Van Wert Times Bulletin reports the company already has announced its intention to move 200 of the 326 jobs to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
In the meantime, after a hostile and uncompromising period of “bargaining,” the company locked workers out of the factory with only two days’ notice. This left 330 men and women laid off in tough economic times. Van Wert County already is suffering above-average unemployment for the state. At a rally on Saturday organized by USW Local 1-524, local union President Aaron Collins put the issue in stark terms.
The question is, how much longer can our country take this outpouring of jobs to Mexico and China before the bottom falls out?
The callousness of KA’s treatment of its workers, and its shameless plan to outsource most of the jobs to a Mexican border town, is symptomatic of many of the problems the American economy is facing today. Our nation is struggling, and we as a people have to make a strong, collective effort to get it back on track.
Kongsberg Automotive workers are waging such a fight today, but they’re up against a powerful transnational corporation with no roots in the community and therefore lacks interest in seeing the community through these hard times. However, the workers hope that over the course of the coming days and weeks, they may be able to persuade Kongsberg’s management to come back to the table.
We held a rally and march on Saturday to protest Kongsberg’s action. In a strong display of solidarity, more than 400 people attended, and many unions presented checks to the locked-out union to help them support their families while they are laid off. Individuals supported the local by buying “I Support the Locked Out Employees of Kongsberg” T-shirts and yard signs. You can watch a video of the rally here.
Joe Rugola, president of the Ohio AFL-CIO, pledged that the state federation and his union, OAPSE, would support USW Local 1-524 members. If you’d like to help the workers who are being locked out of their jobs, checks can be made out to USW Local 1-524 and sent to the union at P.O. Box 122, Van Wert, OH 45891. The struggle continues, in Van Wert and around the country, where workers are treated as less important than corporations and thriving communities are the exception, not the rule.
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Hello Friends,
Thanks for running this piece. We have been watching it closely at UnionReview.com (http://unionreview.com/ohio%2C-locked-out-kongsberg-automive-workers-hold-mass-demonstration-and-i-can%2526%2523039%3Bt-find-any-inform) and on JoesUnionReview.com as well as UnionGal.com.
I have been going back and forth with a worker’s wife about the situation. She has been very active in getting Union Review updates. Today I asked if there was some kind of letter-writing campaign that was set up, and she said that she wasn’t sure — and had no idea how we can set one up.
I thought to come here for some assistance. Maybe together we can get something going for these workers?
In solidarity,
Richard / UR
Brothers and Sisters:
Our Defiance Area UAW-Community Action Program (CAP) Council had the opportunity of listening to two sisters talk about the hardship that the lock out from the Kongsberg Automotive Plant in Van Wert, Ohio has had on their membership.
As a result, our CAP Council approved a donation to help the members, in some way, soften the impact that this lock out has had on the many families from USW Local 1-524.
I would encourage any local to help in any way to contribute to these brothers and sisters who have been unfairly locked out with no voice to negotiate a fair and equitable contract.
Fraternally,
Joe Eureste
John McCain supports “strong” trade agreements like NAFTA that will bring the U.S. prosperity and chides us for “hiding behind protectionism.”
Another former U.S. company sold out to foreign interest. Just how exactly is this supposed to make the U.S. stronger and more prosperous? The republican spin doctors in the media and on wall street make it sound like it’s a “good thing” to be foreign owned, but you can feel it in your gut, it’s not. All the crooks want is a piece of a multi billion dollar deal and the heck with America’s future.
Internal security is every bit as important as national security. What kind of security has our government brought us? People worried to death whether they will have a job tomorrow or not. Will they lose the house and be unable to find meaningful work? Will they be able to give their children a college education? How will they be able to retire someday?
And then they’re threatened. Except the crummy wages we’re offering you or we’ll close up shop and move to Mexico.
Proud of America? Half the time I’m ashamed of it and not afraid to say so.
November’s election must bring about change before it’s too late!