Republic Workers Call For "Resistance And Recovery"

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

DC Jobs with Justice is hosting a community forum this Thursday on “Resistance and Recovery,” featuring workers who staged and won a six-day sit-in strike at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago. The forum will tell the story of how the action by United Electrical members, combined with nationwide support and mobilization, led to victory for workers, including benefits and a plan to reopen the plant. The workers will encourage others to resist corporate greed and call for an economic recovery that works for everyone, including collective bargaining, health care for all and investment for good green jobs. “We took this action because we really had no choice for our families,” said Armando Robles, president of UE local 1110. “We won this struggle with popular support, but we are not stopping until we win good jobs for everyone across the country,” added President Robles. “This is a historic victory for our labor movement, a new wave of worker organizing emerging from the depths of the economic crisis.” said Joslyn Williams, President of the Metropolitan AFL-CIO and DC Jobs with Justice board member. “Working people are uniting behind an economic recovery that puts Main Street before Wall Street, that restores workers’ right to organize, ensures health care for all, creates good green jobs and holds bailed-out banks accountable to the people.” The event will take place Thursday, April 16th, 6:30-8:30pm at First Rising Mt. Zion Church in Northwest DC. For more information contact rcastel@dclaborarchives.org or 202.974.8281. - report by Ruth Castel-Branco; photo: DC workers rally in solidarity for Republic Windows and Doors sit-down strikers, by Andy Richards