Class Struggle

``The new management eliminated their bonuses, the summer picnic and the year-end holiday party for employees’ children, several workers complained.''

``“Corporate America is making tons of money — this company is a good example of that,” said Mike LeBerth, president of the union local representing the strikers. “So why do they want to drive down our wages and hurt our community? This whole economy is driven by consumer spending, so how are we supposed to keep the economy going when they take away money from the people who are doing the spending?”''

``Tim Budd, a 24-year employee who belongs to the union’s bargaining team, said he was shocked by one thing the plant manager said during negotiations.

“He said we’re a commodity like soybeans and oil, and the price of commodities go up and down,” Mr. Budd recalled. “He said there are thousands of people in this area out of jobs, and they could hire any one of them for $14 an hour. It made me sick to have someone sit across the table and say I’m not worth the money I make.”

Mr. Barnes, the company spokesman, said the union took the plant manager’s words out of context.

“We’d prefer that our employees return to work, and the door is open for them to come back,” he said. “But we’re prepared to continue operating without them.”''

Taken from NYT.

Hey, that guy in the picture is not blonde?

Fight, fight for your rights!