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CHICAGO—As Congress debates
health-care reform in Washington, members of Teamsters Local
743 here are taking the fight for health care to the picket line. On
Aug. 25, some 75 members walked off the job at SK Hand Tools, which
supplies for Sears’ Craftsman brand, in response to the companies’
suspension of health-care coverage for the SK workers.
The
company and the union have been involved in contentious negotiations
for months. The union contract expired on Feb. 28. Management has asked
the workers, who make on average $14 per hour, to take a 40 percent pay
cut and severe cuts in health-care and pension benefits.
Management
was used to getting its way with Local 743. However, that changed in
2007 when the corrupt old guard that ran the union was thrown out by
the members in favor of the rank-and-file New Leadership slate, headed
by Richard Berg. Since then, the old guard president has been convicted
of election fraud and cocaine smuggling.
Teamsters
Local 743 made it clear that workers wouldn’t accept the draconian
concessions demanded by SK management. In retaliation, SK unilaterally
suspended health-care coverage for the workers in May without notifying
workers or the union. Instead, workers found out with a trip to the
doctor or pharmacy. The loss of their health-care coverage has caused
great hardship for the workers, with some owing thousands of dollars to
doctors and hospitals.
The
workers walked off the job on Aug. 25, declaring an unfair labor
practices strike. The union has filed charges against SK with the
National Labor Relations Board. Workers have maintained 24-hour picket
lines at SK’s two locations.
The
strike has received support from across the labor movement, including
The Chicago Federation of Labor, Teamsters Joint Council 25, AFSCME
District Council 31, United Electrical Workers, and many others.
Rank-and file workers and activists are visiting the picket lines to
show their solidarity with SK workers, whose struggle has highlighted
both the broad assault on workers’ wages and benefits and the
health-care crisis.
Local
743 is taking this fight to Sears, the primary outlet for SK Hand
Tools. The union has held pickets at Sears’s
flagship downtown store and plans to launch a national campaign to pressure
Sears to stop doing business with this union-busting company. The SK
workers will need broad support from the labor movement to win this
fight.
For
more information on how to support the SK workers, visit
www.743teamsters.org.
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