Scared by Republic sit-in, banks pay up

Workers streamed out of the Republic Windows and Doors factory on Dec. 10 chanting “¡Sí se puede!” (Yes we can!) After a six-day-long occupation, they were able to force the world’s largest private bank, Bank of America, to fully fund 60-days severance pay, health insurance and earned vacation pay for workers.

UE Local 1110 President Armando Robles: 'It is a victory for every worker.' WW photo: Sharon Black

Armando Robles, president of the United Electrical Workers Local 1110, who worked the night shift, remarked, “You can do anything when you have the support of every one of your co-workers.” He added, “This is not a victory for us. It is a victory for every worker in this country.”

United Electrical Workers representatives announced that Bank of America and JPMorganChase have agreed to a $1.75 million loan which will go into a separate fund that will be used to pay the eight weeks of pay due to the workers by the WARN act, two months health insurance and earned vacation pay. In addition the union is setting up a separate fund from all of the donations that have flowed in called the “Windows of Opportunity” to explore keeping the factory open.

Their struggle gained national and international attention. Close to 1,000 protesters gathered at the Bank of America’s downtown headquarters earlier in the day on Dec. 10. Rev. Gregory Livingston of Rainbow/PUSH declared, “Bank of America got $25 billion. Republic workers got how much? Zero.”

Jill White, an organizer with the Illinois Moratorium Committee who attended the march with a group of community supporters, stated, “The Republic workers have showed the way for all of us. If the banks go to evict us from our homes, then we should stay in and refuse to leave. We should call on our neighbors to picket and protest.”