Heroes of 2008 occupation reoccupy same plant & win again

On Dec. 5, 2008, workers at a Chicago factory made history. When the Republic Windows and Doors management told them, with no advance notice, that they were out of a job and had lost their health benefits, 260 members of United Electrical Workers Local 1110 occupied the plant.

Six days later the union, whose mainly Latino/a and African-American membership includes many undocumented workers, announced victory. The $1.75 million settlement allowed workers to be paid 60 days’ pay and benefits. Republic was legally obligated to pay that under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, but it had been refusing to pay that because Bank of America would not loan them the money.

On Feb. 23 of this year, history repeated itself, but with a variation. When Serious Energy, the current owner, told workers the plant would close without notice, once again they occupied — and won. This time, however, Local 1110 won more than 60 days’ pay and benefits. After an occupation lasting only 11 hours, Serious’ management — which this time voluntarily offered to pay workers what they were due under WARN — agreed instead to keep the plant open and running for 90 days.

When Serious Energy first bought the former Republic plant in February 2009, it was big news. The California-based manufacturer of environmentally sustainable construction products stated that all the workers would be rehired. The sale was announced the same month that Local 1110 leaders completed a cross-country victory tour where widespread sympathy and admiration were expressed for the sit-downers.

Local 1110 President Armando Robles told Workers World on Feb. 24 of this year that Serious was capitalizing on Republic workers’ popularity to bolster its image as a progressive, green company.

Local 1110 Vice President Melvin “Ricky” MacLin told WW, “But in the end, a boss is still a boss.” In fact, only 75 of the workers were ever rehired. At the time of this year’s takeover, the workforce was down to just 38 employees due to two prior layoffs.

When Robles and the Local 1110 leadership were summoned to a Feb. 23 meeting at the office of the anti-union law firm Seyfarth Shaw, which represented Serious, the company refused to tell them the purpose of the meeting. Given how slow business was, the workers knew they could be facing another plant closing. The day before the meeting, the union called all the workers in the plant together to prepare for a possible showdown.

It wasn’t until the morning of Feb. 23, when the union negotiating committee sat down with management and Serious’ lawyers, that the plant closing was announced. Production was to cease that very day at 2 p.m. when the shift ended. Equipment was scheduled to leave the plant immediately for other Serious facilities in Pennsylvania and Colorado.

Unanimous vote to occupy plant

“We told them they had a moral obligation to keep the plant open,” said Robles. “We argued for hours.” This time the union was not going to settle for 60 days’ pay, benefits, and no future. They wanted to keep the plant open, with nothing moving out, for 60 days plus another 30. This would give them time to look for a new owner — possibly themselves.

Around 12:30 p.m., some of the union leadership went back to the plant and conducted a vote. The workers voted unanimously to stay in the plant when the shift ended. Immediately the word went out to laid-off plant workers, some of whom joined the occupation inside. Supporters were called upon, via phone, email and Facebook, to stand outside in solidarity. Hundreds showed up at a moment’s notice.

MacLin stressed, “The Occupy Chicago people were diligent. They were out there in the rain and the cold the whole time.” Police tried to prevent pizza — which Occupy Chicago bought for the workers — from getting inside the plant. When the crowd chanted, “Let the workers eat,” the police gave in. Supporters also bought tacos for the workers. When there was more food than the sit-downers could eat, they sent tacos back outside for the Occupy Chicago supporters.

Police threatened to evict the sit-downers, but the workers refused to budge. They announced that anyone who wanted to leave was free to do so. “We told them no one was being forced to stay in there against their will,” said Robles.

Around 10 p.m., the police ordered Occupy Chicago to take down a “tent” — really a canopy protecting protesters from the heavy rain — and they refused. Reinforcements came back with actual tents, which they set up for a possible encampment, and sleeping bags, which they gave to the workers inside.

Finally, at around 1 a.m. on Feb. 24, Serious agreed to the workers’ core demand to keep the workers and the equipment in the plant for 90 days.

“This gives us time to look for a new buyer or look into running the factory under workers’ control,” Robles explained. “We don’t need a boss. In fact, we tried to argue with the supervisors when the new company took over, when we saw they were making mistakes. We know how to do our jobs.”

When asked why the occupation tactic is effective, Robles said, “When you occupy, you send a message that a company cannot abuse the workers.” MacLin added, “When you occupy they know you are serious. If we have an argument and you take off your coat, I know to get ready for a fight. When we occupy we are saying we are willing to fight. And we are known to occupy.”