It's Official...We're On Strike!

I work the graveyard shift(11PM-7AM) at Chrysler's Kokomo Transmission Plant(KTP). When I clocked out this morning I could see the blue barrels at the entrances to the plant parking lots, so I had the hunch we were walking out at the 11am deadline. "Shop-floor rumors" were running wild last night but the general consensus was that we'd be out for a couple of weeks. If you live in a town where there's a Chrysler plant, please take a trip by the plant and give a "HONK" of encouragement for my brothers & sisters walking the line. Thank you for your support!!

Here's a pic from our local rag.
http://www.kokomotribune.com/local/images_sizedimage_283131902/xl

Union Strong, Union Forever

With Chrysler being a private company, for the most part, who knows how this will turn out?

:hi:

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

:applause: :woohoo: :applause:
:applause: :woohoo: :applause:

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

Too many people just don't understand how much we owe to American unions!

You are on the front of a great battle line... wishing you all the best! This is a much bigger deal than most people know.

know. I fear that this is going to be "The Test". You know, the one where the company..no holds barred..pushes the UAW to the break. Quite similar to Firestone back in the 90's. I don't think anyone's prepared for that! Let's hope not!!

here's another pic

http://www.ktonline.com/local/images_sizedimage_283132558/xl

In Reagan's big union ball-buster.

I do believe this is the test... and it will set precedance... and if it doesn't go well, we will all be working for minimum wage and be paying for our own mandatory health insurance through that wage.

What the big auto companies need to do is look at the much bigger picture: who is going to be able to afford their wares if the majority of America can't afford them?

It sure sounds like the Big Three are doing what they can to see how far they can push to destroy the UAW.

May you and your fellow members hang tough during your strike.

Honk! Honk!

You guys have my best wishes.

That was fast.

Also hearing that GM workers have ratified the new contract.

wow...that was fast!! I almost slept through the strike..LOL!! Thanks for all of your thoughts and words of encouragement.

here's a story link

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071010/BUSINESS01/71010088/1014

hopefully things worked out well.

I'm a member of the United Transportation Union and we've been without a contract since 2004.

It's illegal for railroaders to strike because of the tremendous amount of chaos we could create. Within 24 hours this country would be screwed.

Needless to say, were powerless and the 3 years without a contract proves just that.

German train workers are fobidden to strike by law but they did it anyway. http://www.eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=15624


The courts said long haul trains could not strike, but only 2 thirds of them ran during the strike because the workers still struck.

Bring the country to its knees and try to get a good contract. I am so lucky to live in a country where the right to strike is written in the constitution.

The Spanish railway workers I believe are also not allowed to strike, instead they run the trains a 1/20th of the speed slowing the whole grid to a crawl. Technically it is not a "strike" as they can justify the speed reduction on grounds of "deemed safe speed at that time" for whatever reason. But a train crawling at 10mph is really as useless as it being stopped.

European workers are far better organized, and they are aware that without their labor the whole country comes to a halt. General strikes are not unheard of, basically all sectors go on strike except for some crucial services like power, gas, hospitals, and such. But other than that everything stops: School, transportation, manufacturing, even TV and radio. I have been around one general strike and it is an eerie feeling to see a society paralyzed. It drives the point home that without the working been the people at the top can not make a single Euro (or dollar in our case) so if they want to play ball...

*sigh* if only labour was as organized here...

participation is of a higher percentage in the USA than it is here in France. You just need more strikes in the USA.

Thank goodness.

http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/10/news/companies/uaw_chrysler_deal/

:hi:

... and above all, STAY STRONG!!!

I remember him walking the picket line sometime in the 70's.

I hope the settlement works out well for you and you're co-workers.

on edit if not: honkety honk honk :yourock:

would not only honk, I'd join the picket line. Good luck to you folks.

Solidarity!

what are you all striking for anyway?

it only took you 7 hours to win. Right on!

*HONK*

:thumbsup: :headbang:

:yourock:

In the mid 80s, I worked at the post office - next door to an AT&T office. CWA went on strike. I drove my supervisor crazy because every day at lunch, I drove a few blocks to the 7-11 and bought a bag of ice and drinks to deliver to the picket line.

:kick:

Stay strong, stand together.

HONK!