Solidarity with Strikers at American Axle and Manufacturing AAM
PART 11 - The moneyed elites, the fabulously wealthy, are the minority. The majority, namely us, must now dominate this minority.
It's now 40 years since April 4, 1968, when the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, history's greatest civil rights leaders was brutally snuffed out.
Today, 1.1 million residents of Ohio are on food stamps. Poverty is rampant. The robber barons are still allowed to roam, sucking up nickels while impoverishing thousands. But workers are fighting back!
Look here at the recent news that Belgian workers support American Axle strikers. The Fightback is International!
Millions around the globe watch in awe and horror as the American elites destroy their own America, consuming all the goodness and prosperity that has built America up over the last one hundred years. Let's look ahead just a few years when the elite's heartlessnes is institutionalized. Not one will shed a tear, or offer a helping hand when these same American elites cry out in despair as they are shunned, their wealth confiscated, and they and their ilk are tossed on the scrapheap.
The elites are the minority. They represent a teeny, tiny fraction of the masses, namely us. These American elites rely on a fictional population control mechanism called the rule of law. This rule is to protect the minority from the majority.
The minority is the wealthy elite. The majority is us. The wealthy minority deflects our attention from themselves through deception and trickery. They ask us, the majority, to sustain a rule of law that they say is there to protect a minority. All the while, they use this rule of law to protect themselves, the minority, from us, the majority.
The elites has this cute trick of cutting out new minorities from the majority. They then victimize this small group, usually millions of people, and compel the rest of us to rally around this group.
The American elites deceive us with their rule of law. Every so often, the elite puts forth a minority for the majority to protect. First, they find a minority to oppress. Then they use their power to victimize the target. Then they use their media powers to drive us to support to the victims. This cycle can take decades to settle.
One time the elites put forth women as the minority. The elites victimized women. The majority huddled around to protect this minority. Another time it was Black America. The elites victimized Blacks. The majority huddled around to protect this minority. Another time it was Gay America. The elites victimized Gays. The majority huddled around to protect this minority. And on and on it has gone.
This time, it is the auto parts worker. The elites are victimizing auto parts workers. The majority huddles around to protect this minority. The autoparts worker is being marginalized by the elites.
We are being asked to forgo the rightful counterattack against the elites. We are being asked to protect the victimized autoparts worker.
The attacks against the autoparts workers is real and in our presence. We cannot ignore the devastation and destruction these attacks bring. As the civil rights message from 40 years echos through to today, we all hear the call 'We shall Overcome!'
The autoparts workers are suffering due to the American Axle and Manufacturing strike. Many GM assembly plants are shut down because they don't have axles to put in the vehicles they assemble. Thousands of workers at parts plants that also supply pieces for those same vehicles are now layed off. Ohio is heavily hit with downsizing. Those that cannot prepare their own food find nourishment in soup kitchens. Those that still use their own cooking facilities get their food stock from the food bank. They are allotted food stamps that enable them to periodically claim their choice of prepackaged meals.
We must find a way to help these auto parts workers prevail.
We must find a way to dominate the wealthy elite.
We must find a way to replace the wealthy elite's rule of law.
Let's mark the 40th Anniversary of the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr with meaning.
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For clarification of items in the following news items, please consult these references from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
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Rehired workers join picket lines
Refuse to scab at American Axle
By Bryan G. Pfeifer
Detroit
Published Apr 3, 2008
During the fifth week of the American Axle strike, company President Dick Dauch escalated tensions in an attempt to crush the strike. But striking workers and their allies are courageously fighting back as the strike enters its sixth week.
About 3,600 workers at five American Axle plants in Michigan and New York have been on strike since Feb. 26, based on an unfair labor practice. The UAW says the company refuses to open its books. American Axle wants to cut the workers’ pay in half, eliminate pensions and gut benefits—despite the fact that the company made $37 million in profits in 2007. Dauch himself made $10.2 million last year while the workers make on average about $45,000-$50,000 before taxes.
A total of 30 GM factories, including a transmission plant in Ohio that closed March 31, have been fully or partly shut down, with more than 40,000 workers now on layoff. About 80 percent of American Axle’s products are sold to GM.
If American Axle gets its way it will be a mighty blow to the working class generally. This strike is a class-wide battle which all workers and their allies have a stake in.
In the March 27 edition of the Detroit Free Press, Dauch said: “We have the flexibility to source all of our business to other locations around the world, and we have the right to do so. ... If we cannot compete for new contracts in the U.S., there will be no work in the original plants.”
American Axle then announced that it was recalling more than 400 laid-off workers at the five plants on strike in Detroit, Hamtramck and Three Rivers, Mich., as well as in Tonawanda and Cheektowaga, N.Y. These workers were told to report for work March 30.
In a blatant attempt to demoralize, bludgeon and starve the workers into submission, American Axle was forcing these workers to risk losing unemployment benefits. But it failed miserably as the workers organized to fight back.
‘Union staying strong’ despite scab ads
On March 30, the workers, with union reps, walked in, reported for work and walked right back out to the picket lines, where most had been anyway since the strike began. They were welcomed to the multinational picket lines with rousing chants and applause, then went to register for their $200-a-week strike benefits at their respective union halls.
“This is solidarity and it’s empowering. It’s important that the union stay strong,” declared Mario Bynum, a UAW Local 262 member, while joining the picket lines at the Hamtramck plant. He had just marched from his union hall with the local’s leadership and about 60 laid-off workers. A contingent from Local 235 included about 70 laid-off workers and the local’s leadership.
“This is touching. All of our union sisters and brothers working together,” said Harry Jemkort of Local 262 as he joined the picket line.
On March 29 the company ran ads in newspapers and online soliciting scabs in Detroit, Three Rivers and Buffalo. The ad read in part, “Employment offered to applicants responding to this advertisement will be to fill anticipated attrition replacement openings after negotiations or in place of employees involved in this strike.”
This effort to criminally take the jobs that belong to the strikers, their loved ones and the communities was also met by resistance from the ranks. Early on March 30 picket lines began to swell, as the striking workers and their allies attempted to stop cars from coming into the plant.
Management scabs are now operating various machines and trucks are entering and exiting the plant. A significant amount of management in the auto industry, including at parts suppliers like American Axle, are former UAW members, many still receiving a pension from the union.
During the past few weeks, a couple of trucks have hit strikers upon exiting the plant but no truckers have been arrested for this crime, although the strikers are often harassed by the cops.
Cars with Ontario plates are coming into the plant as well. Are management scabs now coming in from GM plants elsewhere to engage in production?
What’s the possibility of the UAW transporting the more than 40,000 workers now unemployed due to the bosses’ greed, and tens of thousands more at other workplaces to Detroit, to surround the plant and enact a “nothing moves” policy? What about uniting this mighty force with labor-community-student organizations? Can solidarity committees—built and led by the rank and file—build a coalition to swiftly win the strike?
Solidarity growing internationally
The Coalition for Economic Justice in Buffalo helped organize a solidarity “walk with the strikers” action in Cheektowaga, N.Y., March 29. Machinists at the struck plants outside Buffalo have refused to cross the picket line as well.
The strikers have wide labor-student-community support that grows daily. In Michigan, after the Graduate Employee Organization at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor’s successful walkout March 25, the union had leftover provisions which they donated to Local 235.
UAW locals and other unions throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and beyond are passing resolutions and sending provisions to the striking workers. The Socialist Metalworkers Federation of Belgium and the Socialist White Collar Trade Union of the GM Belgium plant in Antwerp sent a solidarity message to the strikers on March 25.
On April 18 a demonstration at Hart Plaza in Detroit, sponsored by the UAW, will build support for the striking workers. For more information: 313-926-5312 or www.uawaam.org.
Send donations and support resolutions to UAW Local 235, 2140 Holbrook Ave., Hamtramck, MI 48212; 313-871-1190; adrianrking@hotmail.com or billalford74@yahoo.com.
Articles copyright 1995-2008 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
Rehired workers join picket lines
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AFL-CIO food bank hit hard amid layoffs at Miami Valley plants
American Axle strike's effect on local workers has forced rising number of families to seek help.
By Dave Larsen
Staff Writer
Dayton Daily News
Thursday, April 03, 2008
DAYTON — Demand for emergency food relief in the Miami Valley has increased 20 percent in recent months.
That number is likely to climb higher with the influx of more than 3,300 local workers laid off because of the Detroit-based American Axle & Manufacturing work stoppage.
"They just have gotten really bombarded in the last few weeks," said Foodbank chief Burma Rai regarding the AFL-CIO Labor Food Pantry. The Labor Food Pantry has seen record demand for food relief.
The Foodbank distributes $3.1 million worth of food to more than 90 food pantries, community kitchens and shelters in the Miami Valley.
"We were serving about 48,000 people annually, and half of those are kids," Rai said. "I would expect that we're going to see those numbers jump dramatically by the end of our fiscal year, which is June 30."
Rai attributed the increased demand to the rising cost of food and fuel, coupled with the loss of jobs.
"Many of us are just a couple of paychecks away from needing to go to a food pantry," Rai said. Rai met Wednesday, April 2, with a group of local food pantry coordinators.
They said that many new and younger families are coming to them for emergency food relief.
"We're trying our best to keep up, but we can't endure this for any length of time," Rai said. "Because the food that we get in is moving out so quickly that we're really having to hustle. We hustle, but it's a constant now."
The Foodbank receives donated food from federal and state government programs, America's Second Harvest and canned food drives. It also purchases wholesale food with cash to make up the difference from those programs.
The Foodbank is looking at options to acquire more food and financial support to meet the rising demand.
Local retailers and community members who wish to make donations, organize a canned food drive or volunteer are encouraged to call the Foodbank at (937) 461-0265 or visit www.thefoodbankdayton.org.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.
AFL-CIO food bank hit hard amid layoffs at Miami Valley plants
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Layoffs force local workers to seek food relief
By Margo Rutledge Kissell
Staff Writer
Dayton Daily News
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Layoffs caused by the Detroit-based American Axle & Manufacturing work stoppage is causing local workers and their families to seek emergency food relief in record numbers, local labor and United Way officials said Tuesday, April 1.
They held a news conference at the AFL-CIO Food Pantry in the basement of the United Way building, 184 Salem Ave., to announce additional help while the strike continues.
Labor officials estimated the work stoppage has caused the layoffs of more than 3,300 employees who work locally at the Moraine General Motors Corp. truck plant, Johnson Controls in West Carrollton, Plastech Industries and DMAX Ltd. on Dryden Road.
More than 900 individuals have accessed the pantry already this year, about three times as many as this time a year ago, officials said.
About 350 people came in two days last week, causing the Labor Food Pantry to run out of food Thursday. A partial food order was received Friday and a full order came Tuesday from its food provider, the Foodbank.
The United Way of the Greater Dayton Area plans to use a grant of up to $50,000 from its Dislocated Workers Fund to purchase additional food for the pantry.
"These are hard-working families who are being laid off because of the economic issues that are going on across the country," United Way's President Marc Levy said.
And as early as next week, two additional pantry sites will be set up in local union halls, UAW Local 696 and IUE-CWA Local 798.
"It's not easy for our people," said Joe Buckley, president of UAW Local 696. "They worked and maintained a good living to have to turn to something like this. I think it makes it easier for them to come and get it from people they know."
Galen Turner, president of IUE-CWA Local 798, said the pantry is a great help to those laid off since early March due to the strike.
"It's still dragging on. We hope it will be ending soon and people can get back to work but, until then, we think this is a great opportunity to ... help our community and workers."
Wesley Wells, executive director of the AFL-CIO Dayton Miami Valley Regional Labor Council, noted many of the workers who need assistance now have designated their United Way donations through the years to benefit the pantry.
Those needing assistance can call the United Way's HelpLink 2-1-1 at (937) 225-3000.
Layoffs force local workers to seek food relief
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Also, please see other recent articles about the food pantry system and the ongoing collapse of the middle class in the great state of Ohio:
The Morning Journal - Lorain, OH - 03/30/2008
With almost 1 in every 10 Ohioans on food stamps, we need to hear solutions
Channel 13 ABC Action News WTVG - Toledo, OH - Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Food stamp use hits all-time high in Ohio
The Columbus Dispatch - Columbus, OH - Saturday, March 22, 2008
1 IN 10 OHIOANS - Food stamps double since '01
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Much more American Axle and Manufacturing fightback informations can be accessed from:
Campaign to Oppose Two-Tier Wages
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Thank you,
John Martyn
