Chicago, IL – “Ganamos” mensajes de texto con estas palabras se distribuyeron la noche del 3 de noviembre entre huelguistas de SK Hand Tool a miembros de familia y apoyadores.   Los reportes directos al hecho de los trabajadores de SK Hand Tool tendrían seguro de salud. Había mucho más que celebrar al marcharse a la calle 47 y tirar la casa de campaña los trabajadores dejaron su voto final para el acuerdo la tarde del 3 de noviembre. Habían estado en huelga por diez semanas – desde el 25 de agosto.

En cada categoría se podía apuntar hacia una verdadera lección que cuando luchas ganas victorias.  No solamente ganaron la cobertura de su seguro de salud, sino que los trabajadores tendrán segura su pensión y la posibilidad de pagar cobertura familiar dentro del plan de salud y bienestar del Comité de los Teamsters 743 de Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

La oferta salarial aumento comparada a la ofrecida antes de la huelga.  El presidente del Local 743, Richard Berg, quien era el negociador líder, dijo, “ellos estaban luchando no solamente por su cobertura de seguro de salud sino también por todos los trabajadores de Chicago y EU.

El huelguista John McHale señalo que uno de los factores clave cuando dijo que desde un principio, “nosotros votamos unánimemente para ir a huelga.”  El apoyo grande que esta huelga recibió del movimiento laboral también ayudo a lanzarlos como una fuerza nacional.

Una y otra vez se podían ver ejemplos de la solidaridad en el movimiento laboral, como cuando la huelga encabezó el desfile del Día del trabajo.  La Red para la Lucha por la Justicia Económica se comprometió a apoyar la huelga es uno de los primeros ejemplos de acciones colectivas.  Como lo explico Armando Robles del Local 1110 de UE, “yo espere nueve meses para ver cuál sería la próxima lucha como la de Republic Windows and Doors, y acabó sucediendo solo a unas cuantas calles de mi propia casa.”

Otra de las razones mencionadas por los trabajadores por la victoria es que gente como el presidente Richard Berg y la secretaria-tesorera quienes están dispuestos para una lucha verdadera.  Los trabajadores estaban enfurecidos porque el patrón no les aviso que su seguro de salud había sido cancelada. McHale y otros  han explicado que otra razón fue que ellos comenzaron la huelga al momento en que comenzaba el debate nacional por la cobertura del seguro de salud. Ellos se convirtieron en la imagen nacional de lo que realmente sucedería con los trabajadores cuando se pierde el seguro de salud.

Como ejemplo, la huelga se convirtió en una fuerza tan ponderosa que políticos como el gobernador Quinn del estado de Illinois, el congresista Luis Gutiérrez y la Secretaria de asuntos laborales, Hilda Solís tuvieron que apreciar tal fuerza y apoyar la huelga.

Otras decisiones estratégicas tales como el distribuir folletos informativos frente a la tienda Sears y la campaña de llamadas,  tuvieron mucho éxito para convencer a Sears, uno de los más grandes compradores de los productos SK, para presionar al dueño de la compañía Claude Fuger a regresar a la mesa de negociaciones.

La huelga cambio la vida de muchos trabajadores.  Norma Trinidad, quien llevaba trabajando 23 anos, dijo en cada discurso que dio, “siempre recordaremos como nos apoyaron otros  trabajadores y activistas comunitarios.” Ellos comenzaron la huelga con la experiencia en huelgas de uno solo de los 70 trabajadores hasta convertirse en un grupo solidario que regresaba camiones con acero una y otra vez.

La camiseta de los Teamsters del 743 famosa por su frase, “el dañar a uno es dañar a todos” en varios idiomas.  Estos huelguistas vieron como ese lema cobraba vida día con día.

En los próximos días los huelguistas resumirán y compartirán sus experiencias sobre cómo, en medio de la peor crisis económica desde los años 1930, ellos se convirtieron en héroes y en una inspiración de la clase trabajadora de toda la nación. En esta semana cuando entren a su trabajo en la calle 47 caminando juntos llevando su camiseta de los Teamsters, ellos dirán, ¡Lo logramos!

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters743 #Healthcare #strike #SKHandTools

Chicago, IL – “We won!” Text messages with those words went out the night of Nov. 3 from the SK Hand Tool strikers to family members and supporters. Reports went right to the fact that the SK Hand Tool workers will have health insurance. There was more than that to celebrate as the workers left the final agreement vote late Nov. 3 to go back to tear down the strike tent on 47th Street. They have been on strike for ten weeks – since Aug. 25.

In category after category, they could point to the truth in the lesson that when you fight back, you win victories. Not only did they win their health insurance coverage, but the workers will have their pensions protected and the ability to buy into family health coverage with the Teamster 743 Health and Welfare Committee’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans.

The salary component was more than what was offered to them before the strike. Richard Berg, the Teamster Local 743 president who was the chief negotiator, said, “What they were fighting for was health coverage for themselves but also for all Chicago and all U.S. workers.”

Striker John McHale pointed to one of the key factors they had going for them right from the start when he said, “We had a unanimous vote among the workers to go for the strike.” The overwhelming support this strike got from the labor movement also helped to make them into a national force. Over and over there were examples of labor solidarity, like when their strike was put front and center at this years Chicago Labor Day parade. The Network to Fight for Economic Justice made a commitment to support the strike as one of its first examples of collective actions. As Armando Robles from UE Local 1110 put it, “I waited nine months to see what the next Republic Windows and Doors struggle would be, and it wound up happening just down the street from my own house.”

Other factors always mentioned by workers were that they had Teamsters Local 743 President Richard Berg and folks like Treasurer Gina Alvarez who were down for the true fight. The workers were outraged that the boss failed to give the workers notice that their health insurance was canceled. Another factor that McHale and others have often explained is that they began the strike in the very moments of the national debate on health care. They were able to become the national face of what a loss of health coverage really looks like for workers. As an example of this, the strike became such a powerful force that the politicians like Illinois’ Governor Quinn, Congressman Luis Gutierrez and even the U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis felt the need to weigh in with support for the strike.

Other strategic decisions, such as the informational leafleting in front of Sears stores and the call-in campaign, were successful in getting Sears, a major buyer of SK hand tool products, to pressure company owner Claude Fuger back to the table.

The 24-hour, seven day a week strike changed the lives of many workers. Norma Trinidad, an SK worker for 23 years, said in every speech she gave, “We will always remember how workers and other community activists supported us.” They began the strike with only one of the 70 workers ever having experienced a strike before to becoming a tight crew of people who literally turned steel delivery trucks away with their picket lines, again and again.

The famous navy blue Teamster 743 t-shirt says on the back, “An injury to one is an injury to all,” in many languages. These strikers saw that slogan come to life each day. In the next days and weeks the strikers will begin to sum up and share their stories about how, in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, they became working-class heroes and an inspiration to the whole nation. This week, when they march back together into work at the 47th Street site wearing their Teamster 743 gear, they will say, “Yes we did!”

#ChicagoIl #ChicagoIL #Teamsters743 #Healthcare #strike #SKHandTools

Norma Trinidad and 20 of her co-workers stood in front of the Sears store on Dearborn Street in Chicago’s Loop, Sept. 18, handing fliers to people as they walked past. These members of Teamsters Local 743 are on strike against SK Hand Tools. They came to ask Sears customers not to buy the tools made by the SK workers.

“They took away our health care,” Norma told people as they entered the store. On Aug. 25, the workers struck because the wealthy French businessman, Claude Fuger, who owns their company had stopped paying their health insurance premiums as required by their contract. To put additional pressure on Fuger, they are asking for support from shoppers at Sears. Sears is the largest purchaser of the SK and Craftsman brands made at the factory on 47th Street.

The workers and 30 supporters were in front of every door of the giant Sears store, which covers half a city block. After leafleting the lunch hour crowd, the workers rallied across the street. Richard Berg, President of Local 743, got cheers from the crowd when he said, “We will fight until victory!”

The workers plan to go to the Oak Brook Mall on Saturday. The Sears store there is having a sale on hand tools.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters743 #Healthcare #SKHandTools #Sears

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters743 #Healthcare #SKHandTools

Chicago, IL – When the owner of SK Hand Tools in Chicago unilaterally cut off health care benefits for his employees, he provoked a strike. As a result, the picket line of striking workers on Tuesday, Aug. 25, was also a health care rally.

50 Teamsters hit the sidewalk in front of the plant at 6:00 a.m., as passing truckers blasted air horns in support. With arthritis in both knees, Sam Pope was having a hard time marching. “The concrete really hurts, but I’ll do my part,” he winced. For 15 years he had set up mills to make the inner bodies of the sockets for Craftsmen and SK brand tools. “All the union people are out,” he said, turning to join the line, which was true, as the members of Teamsters Local 743 had voted unanimously to strike.

The chant that rose up loudest and longest was, “What do we want? Health care! When do we want it? Now!” Most in the U.S. who have health insurance get it from their employers, and for Sam with his chronic condition, there was no question that he’d fight to get it back.

The company is demanding major wage concessions on top of stopping health care coverage without notice.

David Biedrzycki, a union steward at the plant and employed as a welder/grinder/polisher for 25 years, only earned $8,000 this past year. He has not worked in six months and noted the irony that Claude Fuger, the wealthy French owner, returned to France recently for treatment when he became ill. France has national health care. “Claude makes $280,000 a year. He wants us to pay for health insurance, but says he can’t afford it himself.”

Biedrzycki said “We’re not going in until Claude comes back with a fair offer.”

#ChicagoIL #Healthcare #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #SKHandTools

Chicago, IL – On Friday morning, July 31, 30 workers walked the picket line at S-K Hand Tools on Chicago’s southwest side. The picket included several retirees and laid-off workers. The four hour strike by Teamsters Local 743 was provoked by unresolved grievances. Norma Trinidad, a 23-year employee stated, “Everyone is here, current workers, people laid off, people who retired years ago – we are all here fighting for respect!”

Emilio Luna, 12-year employee, stated, “We are united and we are not going to settle for anything else less than the respect we deserve. We want to send a strong message to the company that we will not accept abuse.”

The strikers turned away one Teamster-driven truck delivering oil to the company. Another driver stated he would make his delivery after the strike was over.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #strike #TeamstersLocal743 #SKHandTools