IWW-IU 670/Buyback Contract Negotiations Open With a Bang

Submitted by marctorney on Tue, 06/14/2005 - 18:38.

The workers gathered in the parking lot in front of the office, donning IWW pins and hats. They chanted ¡Sí se puede! and filed into General Manager Jeff Belchamber’s office. FW Jose Alvarez stepped to the front of the group.

“Yo Jeff, we’ve got some things we want to say to you,” Jose said.

Shop steward Randy Addison read the workers’ list of demands: a pay raise, an end to the job classification system that keeps some workers making far less then their fellow workers, more paid holidays (an issue that had resulted in a wildcat strike on MLK Day of this year), an end to the co-payment workers pay to see a doctor, more vacation time, and more opportunity for training and advancement.

As Randy handed Belchambers a petition signed by every single member of the shop, the boss began to argue that the workers were paid enough. The wobblies, like Suzi Castrejon and Jose Padilla, gave him a standing ovation.

Unfortunately, the ovation made it impossible for the workers to hear what the boss had to say.

The workers filed out of the office and held another meeting in the parking lot before going back to work. The paper line began to move, and the glass and plastic began to move as well. The forklifts and trucks began to haul loads again.

Shortly afterwards, contract negotiations began between management, two workers and two IWW organizers.