Republic Windows Workers Occupy Factory1

[apoyojuicios]

Good!!! finally america is waking up!!!

[pterryn]

Great struggle, great victory!Gongratulations.

But maybe the workers should not give up the occupation right now. If the factory is about to close, they could run it themselves as workers are doing elsewhere.

Look up on the experience of factories under workers control in Argentina, e.g. Zanon, Brukman and many others. Because bosses need workers, but workers don't need bosses!

[Gongsunsheng]

In our hands is held a power

greater than their hoarded gold

Greater than the might of armies

magnified a thousand-fold

We can bring to birth a new world

from the ashes of the old

'CAUSE THE UNION MAKES US STRONG!

[AcaiBerryMONAVIE]

BANK OF AMERICA shall SUCK SATAN'S COCK now

[parisrai]

The US government and workers are asking BOA to extend a line of credit(loan) to a failed business. Average worker due $3500 X 300 workers for $1,050,000.00 in loan to a FAILED business. Banks making bad loans is part of what got us into this mess.  So, it the bank just going to write off this million dollars. Or are they going to expect the failed business owner to pay it?

[Warhorse46]

Large US banks and federal reserve need a course correction. National debt is now $34000 dollars for every American (google "national debt clock"). Congress is complaining about Chrysler needing 7 billion but they just gave the banks 100 TIMES AS MUCH (700 hundred billion). Defend the workers, F the bankers, abolish the fed reserve.

[t1201971]

And if you think some people should have fewer rights than others because of where they were born, then maybe YOU should be the one to leave the country, asshole!

[t1201971]

So wait, it's OK for the company to completely disregard federal law (the WARN act) in lying to the workers about the shutdown of the factory, and it's OK for Bank of America to piss away billions of taxpayer dollars while crying poverty when it's time to loan out a couple million to save jobs, BUT the big problem comes when some workers have to have a sit-in to defend their jobs? Hunh? You know what? FUCK RACISM!!! Workers have a property right to their jobs no matter where they were born!!

[PlastikBlakLawnJocky]

i want to know if these workers are here legally or not. every interview i have seen has a hispanic with such a heavy spanish accent you can hardly understand them. if they are here illegally then they need to GTFO and quit acting as if they have rights, but those here legally more power to them

[tellusmore]

I question how many of these workers are illegal immigrants and now they want a federal law obeyed. Why should a company start obeying federal laws now?

Chicago is a sanctuary city and if picking and choosing which federal laws to obey is OK for them its OK for the company. If you cry Im profiling well, when you march in the street waving the mexican flag demanding rights for breaking laws in Spanish the questions are obvious.

Hows it feel to be unfairly displaced? You reap what U sow.

[binlatose]

fuck all of you im happy you lost your job now you will find out how the people like us who get fucked out of the same things you take for granted get fucked ... you dont even work at work you lazy fucks... you should be happy you had it so good for all that time

[pulppeeler]

hmmm either you have seperate accounts to try an conceal you identity...or you cant think for youself and have to cut and paste someone elses post...either way...sad

[cornedbeefandcabbage]

Dont give up!!!!!! the whole country is watching this injustice maybe all union and non union shops will take a page out of your playbook its time for a workers rights revolution........good luck a Teamster from albany ny

[trabalengua]

This is great, now to really set an example that could be followed across the country is there any way you can fire up the factory and start producing again? Show the world that there's no need for the boss to organize production... turn it into an autonomous factory run by worker council. Occupy, Resist, Produce! peace and solidarity!

[keptyeti]

People Matter! Stand strong, UE!

[ltlmsmetal]

From The Chicago Tribune:People who apparently have ties to the financially strapped Republic Windows formed a limited liability corporation in Illinois last month, Echo Windows & Doors, that has bought a similar plant in western Iowa.

Sharon Gillman, who shares an address with Republic President and CEO Rich Gillman, is listed as an officer of Echo Windows & Doors LLC, which was incorporated in Illinois on Nov. 18, according to secretary of state records.

[IBPatton]

Good, Echo Windows can buy the business out of bankruptcy for pennies, reopen lean and save these jobs. There should be a model where $2 million a month in window sales is profitable.

[JTSA58]

There should have been provisions for this type of situation in their union contract.

I'll bet their union rep has enough money to pull through LOL.

[JoseYuri]

GO UE!!! Lead the way!! We're all with you!

[PhuckHue2]

this is why unions suck. They paid thousands and thousands in dues and all they get is a 3 day notice. Since the company broke the 60 day law they will have to pay. But of course they aren't giving out a penny until a judge decides. Its gonna be a LONG time before those workers see any money.

[Desarollo]

the union isn't the reason they got a 3 day notice. the union is the reason they have a fighting chance at actually getting the money they should be getting. plus this union is UE, which is known as one of the most democratic, rank and file, member run unions. plus union dues for the whole year wouldn't even run over $500 for the highest paid positions (considered $30+/hour). i don't understand in this situation how the union could be blamed for anything

[IneptTroopr]

Well said Desarollo. Unions aren't perfect, but we need these sort of struggles to return a lot of activism and militancy that most unions haven't shown for many, many years in the US. Really exciting stuff at Republic Glass.

Unions are the only shot that workers will be able to stand a chance against the top trying to "tighten the belt" of working people and tell us "we all need to make sacrifices", while CEOs and their ilk get trillion dollar bailouts and golden parachutes.

[lwirbel]

Well, thoughtchallenge has the right idea, bring it back to BofA. Since taxpayers already own a portion of all the major commercial banks, Congress should dictate to the large banks exactly when, to whom, and under what terms they make loans. No loan freezes, or the money vanishes. Hell, put the bank executives under slavery.

[IBPatton]

The 60 day notice doesn't apply to any company regardless of size when the company files for bankruptcy.  I doubt B of A gave the company 60 day notice that their credit line was being revoked.

[PhuckHue2]

If the company files for bankruptcy they don't owe those workers a dime. They don't even have to pay the payroll for last week

[BeCreativeKids]

Within the last 8 years of deregulation across the board, due to Bush. We the people will now truly suffer. I agree this is the beginning and many others will lose their jobs in the same way. But I tell you this I will be contacting the AFSCME the union for these people and since Bank of America recieved 25 billion from us the taxpayers I have contacted them and maybe will pull my accounts from the bank.

[tikinkss]

Thanks to these people for beginning the fight for the millions of us that may have this happen to us in then next few months.

[TheFlowLox]

people vs. constricting economic flow cycles ... historic times in stochastic $ model i hope they get their cash.

[thoughtchallenge]

These workers deserve 60 days notice by law. Federal government should step in and make sure they get paid, or pull the plug on Bank of America.