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NEWS & LETTERS, June-July 2006Boilermakers battle Celanese lockoutMeredosia, Ill.--Boilermakers Local 484 members need your support. Locked out since June 5, 2005, this group has been in a battle with a greedy multinational corporation named Celanese, affiliated with National Starch, turning the small river community of Meredosia, (population 1,100) into a war zone. Instead of negotiating in good faith, which is the subject of NLRB charges, Celanese sent in Special Response Corp. (SRC), who specialize in union busting. On July 6, 2005, Celanese offered a regressive package--reducing wages by 33%, eliminating the maintenance department, reducing vacation time and reneging on issues already tentatively agreed on--no union could accept. Meanwhile SRC thugs have harassed families of Local 484 with their "anything goes" reputation. Their campaign of terror includes videotaping members’ homes and children playing in their yards. These illegal activities are enforced by the local Sheriff’s office, and the local judge signed an injunction against the union, limiting even more activity by the union and supporters. With the support of the international union strike fund, Local 484 is valiantly fighting back. Rank-and-file members, empowered by President Kelly Street and the Executive Board, have organized a "Road Warriors" team. Road warriors travel the U.S. to raise much-needed funds to support the fight and help support locked out families. Road warriors carry their message to unions and organizations to raise solidarity by speaking, showing videos and distributing literature. This group has developed the Adopt-a-Family program, where groups or individuals can help the members stay in the fight, and that family is required to personally contact their sponsor to thank them for the much needed support. Write IBB Local 484, P.O. Box 258, Meredosia, IL 62665, call 217 584 1916 or 217 248 8453, fax 217 584 1856, or email tenab@boilermakers484.org. Or visit our website at www.boilermakers484.org --Tena Battefeld, Chairman of Road Warriors |
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