Leader of Republic sitdown: ‘We couldn’t sleep when this happened’

Following is an interview with Electrical Workers union (UE) Local 1110 President Armando Robles, conducted in Cleveland by Martha Grevatt. Robles was a leader of the successful worker occupation of Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago in December. He and other Republic workers are currently on a 15-city speaking tour organized by Jobs With Justice.

Martha Grevatt: What kind of preparation went into the occupation of the plant?

Bryan Pfeifer, UE Local 1110 President Armando Robles and Martha Grevatt. WW photo: Alan Pollock

Armando Robles: Well to start, we found out where they put the trailers [after we noticed that the company was moving equipment out of the plant], southwest of Chicago around 25, 30 minutes away from the company. I phoned Mark Meister, my union representative, because our contract says if they move under a 40-mile radius, they got to respect our contract and give us back our jobs. He said, “You know what Armando? What do you think about the people staying in the plant?” I think it was a great idea!

When Mark told me about it, I didn’t know about sit-ins. He sent a video to my cell phone. It’s about the steelworkers in Canada, how they broke [open] the doors and entered the company, [breaking the] chains and locks. The company was firing people with no reason, they don’t receive any benefits, so that’s the reason [they sat in].

So we proposed to the executive board, and then to the workers, and then it was preparation for, like, three weeks, explaining day-by-day how it would be.

When we [received] the last day notice, everybody said, “We don’t go, we’re going to stay in here ‘til we got what we’re [entitled to].”

The company works two shifts, but we created a third shift group. That way everybody worked eight hours, go home and sleep and come back. But in reality, we couldn’t sleep when this happened.

Grevatt: There are workers of different nationalities and different languages. How did you maintain unity?

Robles: One of the things, we have a democratic union. We run elections every single year. And we have always tried to [have] Afro-American representatives, Latin American representatives. Always we try to [represent] everybody.

Grevatt: How did your union deal with the risk of deportation?

Robles: Well, we explained that if they got a problem with the law, or if they got problems with immigration, don’t run the risk. But we find out that [the closing] was affecting everyone. We decided to stay all together, all united. We don’t think about what could happen.

Grevatt: Can you tell more about all of the support that you got?

Robles: We received a lot of support from all the unions around the city, around the state. We received letters from other countries, a French delegation. It was on the first page of Japanese newspapers. We received a letter from Venezuela and we heard that the guys from the Autonomous University of Mexico City, [if] we occupied one more week, were planning to come to Chicago and give us their support. We received support from Rev. [Jesse] Jackson, from the governor of Illinois, a lot of churches and from President Obama. On Sunday, the second day, we received a lot of letters of support and donations, food, turkeys, toys for our kids. It was amazing.

Grevatt: Why do you think the banks and the company finally agreed to your demands?

Robles: I think they accepted what we demanded, not out of sympathy—it was pressure of the workers, when we sat in. We had a lot of power and a lot of support. And then Obama said we have the right.

I want to tell you something. The bankers, the second day or third day, they said they don’t like this m-f guy [Robles]. They say he create all this. It’s our fault. But we have to eat. They want to throw us on the street, but we fight for our rights. They make money for years. So we know, some way or another, they should pay us. I think that’s why we got the support from all over the country.

Grevatt: Are other groups of workers asking you for guidance?

Robles: Yes, in a couple of places. One was Providence, Rhode Island. These people came to work, 22, 23 days ago, and found a lock and a paper on the door saying “no more work.” The workers told us they went to the company and made a big protest, and it was intensely cold so the company opened the doors and [they] made their protest inside. I told those guys it was a good opportunity to [stay] in there, call the media, and put pressure on the company.

Colibri was the name of the company, they make jewelry. They have two [facilities] in New York City, huge, they got money. So it is not fair that [the workers were] not even given one day notice. We talk to these people and they received a lot of cooperation from us.

Grevatt: What are you hoping to accomplish with this 15-city speaking tour?

Robles: I would like to explain the situation, how we did it. I hope the bankers understand that we did this because we feel mistreated and we feel like they violated our dignity.

I’m learning a lot of things from all over and I feel real good from this tour.

We should keep going all over the country, give our history, search [out] people that need help, and give them real hope. Not just UE, all unions—we should be united, avoid our difference to try to work together for workers’ rights.

Grevatt: What was it like for you to meet the original sit-downers from 1937?

Robles: Well, for me it was great. I never thought something like that was going to happen to me. I feel real proud.

Grevatt: Do you have a final message to the working class?

Robles: My message is, stay united, fight back to the company, fight back to the government, and don’t let the industries and the government stop us. Keep fighting ‘til we get justice. It’s for our families.