'Yes' Vote at Republic: Workers Get Pay, Plant Occupation
Ends
10 December, 2008
CHICAGO
After the conclusion of negotiations Wednesday evening, the membership of Local
1110, more than 200 workers, met in the plant cafeteria to hear and consider
the tentative settlement that had been worked out by UE negotiators over the
past three days.
The settlement was approved by a unanimous vote.
'We Did It!'
Following the vote, the UE members, led by Local President Armando Robles,
marched out of the plant, chanting “We did it!” in English and
Spanish.
Pres. Robles stepped to the microphones outside the front entrance to the
plant, where a throng of reporters and cameras had been waiting. "The
occupation is over," he announced. "We have achieved victory. We said
we will not go until we got justice, and we have it."
UE Western Region President Carl Rosen, who led the union negotiating team,
then described the negotiations, summarized the settlement agreement, and
commented on the significance of the struggle and the workers'
achievement.
Pay, Health Care, Vacation Pay
The settlement totals $1.75 million. It will provide the workers with:
* Eight weeks of pay they are owed under the federal WARN
Act,
* Two months of continued health coverage and,
* Pay for all accrued and unused vacation.
JPMorgan Chase will provide $400,000 of the settlement, with the balance coming
from Bank of America.
Third Party Fund
Although the money will be provided as a loan to Republic Windows and Doors, it
will go directly into a third-party fund whose sole purpose is to pay the
workers what is owed them.
As the Local 1110 leaders characterized the settlement, “We fought to
make them pay what they owe us, and we won.”
'Historic Victory'
UE Director of Organization Bob Kingsley spoke on behalf of the National Union,
describing the outcome of the occupation as “a victory for workers
everywhere,” and as “an historic victory for America’s labor
movement.”
Kingsley went on to call the settlement “a win for all working men and
women who face uncertainty, unfairness and job loss in a troubled
economy.”
The 'Window of Opportunity
Fund'
Kingsley then announced the creation of a new foundation, dedicated to
reopening the plant. It will be initiated with seed money from the UE national
union and the thousands of dollars of donations to UE Local 1110's
Solidarity Fund that have come in from across the country and around the world
in just the past five days. ...
(To see the entire story and other updates go to
http://www.ueunion.org/index.html)
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SHUT 'EM DOWN!
Downtown Los Angeles Protest in Solidarity with UE
Workers Forces Early Close for Bank of America Hill St.
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