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UAW Elkhart Steinway Strikers Still Battling For Justice
UAW Elkhart Steinway Strikers Still Battling For Justice-No Money For Christmas With $900 Million Strike Fund
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
My local brothers and sisters of 364 in Elkhart, Indiana have been on strike since since April 01, 2006. The
times are only getting harder. No heat, groceries, clothing, not being able to meet the simple daily utility bills,
has plagued the dedicated people still left out on the line.
We started with 230 at the beginning of the strike. Around 80 crossers and around 90 left on the line still.
Work in my town has come to a standstill. Gas prices in the past has scared the normal consumer into buying a trailer, or an RV.
10,000 plus jobs have been lost in my town. The number is growing daily.
We receive help as far as insurance and 200.00 weekly in strike pay. Even though in Summer of 2006, the weekly strike pay was raised in Las Vegas at a Union Convention to 250.00 that we never saw.
We do not have regular union meetings at all. The last meeting we had was to discuss what shift everyone was on.
When strikers asked questions concerning talks with the company they refused to talk about those matters.
Where is my union support. No bucket drops, job training, food banks at all, from my local. I used to believe it was a good thing to have a union support the American workforce like it was in the early 1900's. Mother Jones we need you again. People stood up and stood tall and stuck by each other. Through thick and thin.
Where has the Jobs gone to but overseas. Our Government paying companies to do so has put our country in a terrible crisis.
Continually our government bails out other countries after disasters, when most of those countries would not help us out when in need after our own disasters, but what do they do for their own? Then they also pay for the illegals to live, purchasing their food, medical costs and housing.
It sure is a backwards system that will never work. Then they bail out companies that knew they did wrong when they take from their employees. (Enron for example ) The housing industry and now the three car companies.
Some strikers asked our head Union official Patty Clark what she would do for Christmas this year. Her comment was we have no money. With a strike fund of over 900 million and no money. That is real hard to swallow.
Thanks to the other unions in 2006, that helped myself to put the Christmas party together then. It was the most beautiful gathering I have ever had. I had to go in the back room and cry from happiness cause all the children's joy in their eyes when they each received 3 gifts a piece was something I will never forget. The food that the union's helped out with was beautiful too. The strikers really appreciated it and were grateful to the union brothers and sisters who supported us when we could get no help from our local officers. Thank you so much.
Your Sister
Deneen Stout
BSeigler@comcast.net
Conn-Selmer Strike web site
www.connselmerstrike.com
Video of solidarity meeting and speakers:
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3386674426389672298
Please send strike donations to:
Food For Strikers
58558 Ardmore Dr.
Elkhart, Indiana 46517
In April 2006 the Vincent Bach company which is owned by Steinway Musical Inc. forced 230 instrument makers who are members of UAW 364 on strike. The company demanded concessions on healthcare, benefits and other conditions. They are also seeking to export the jobs to China in order to increase the profits. The owners including CEO Dana Messina is a stock manipulator (he was one of Milkin's boys) and he along with other owners sold some of their stock just before the strike began.
The company has hired 130 replacement workers (scabs) and is seeking to starve the workers out. This video is about these workers and why they need support for their struggle.
Ron Gettelfinger and ask him to support bucket collections for these strikers at every UAW auto plant in the country. His number is 313-926-5000.
Contact UAW 3 Regional Director Mo Davison and ask him why he and the UAW are not doing more to support these workers. His phone number is 317-547-0614. Also call UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. His number is 313-926-5000.
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