Union officials pledge support for P-9 strikers

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Wynn's endorse loted by minal d in the Ity that th. The idership • victory he time 'e made s in an its part relying rts, and 1g and aised in aged an nst the sic case AUSTIN, Minn.—The events of Feb. 15 here showed that support for the Hormel strikers is widespread in the labor They called it "P-9 Day." Over 4000 strikers and their supporters, including some 500 people who came from other states, marched from the Local P-9 union hall to Austin High School. They carried their union banners. There were banners and signs from New York, Detroit, Cleveland, as well as Fremont, Neb., and Ottumwa, Lowa, where other Hormel Co. workers are facing the wrath of the nation's most profitable meatpacking company.

The parade was led by a horse-drawn buggy. Jake Cooper, a leader of the P-9 strike support committee in the Twin Cities, rode the wagon as the parade's grand marshal. As the march proceeded down Main Street, townspeople emerged from stores and homes to cheer the strikers. Only two company supporters along the way yelled, "We love Hormel." But the marchers ignored them.

The parade overflowed the school facilities. When some 75 workers from Ottumwa, Iowa UFCW Local 431 entered the auditorium, a solidarity cry "431, 431" arose from the crowd. Hormel has fired 500 workers for honoring the picket line set up by P-9 at the Ottumwa plant.

Throughout the rally, the crowd's most enthusiastic cheers came for those speakers who voiced their defiance of the Hormel company's use of the politicians and the courts to attempt to break the strike.

Henry Nichols, president of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFL-CIO, of New York City, told the crowd, "If there must be givebacks in this country let's start with the Pentagon...! urge you, as I know you will, to stand up and resist. And if you have to go to jail, I will be back to go with you."

This statement started the crowd chanting, "They give Nichols ended his talk quoting turn-ofthe-century labor leader Mother Jones, "Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living," to renewed cheers and chants from the audience.

The speeches of the afternoon were in line with P-9 President Jim Guyette's challenge-"It's time for the labor movement to start to growl instead of clucking like a chicken."

Jan Pierce, national vice president of the Communications Workers of America District 1 in New York City, said the P-9 supporters not only had a right, but an "obligation to be here."

Pierce related the story of another injunction whose intent was to bust the New York Transport Workers Union. "It was 20 years ago when a gutsy Irish labor leader by the name of Mike Quill, [who] when he was served with an injunction, raised his fist, his voice choked with emotion, 'You tell that judge to drop dead in his black robe."" This statement hit a raw nerve in Austin and was answered with a thunderous ovation.

Pierce gave the crowd a report of the solidarity efforts on their behalf. "We had a leadership meeting in New York City made up of labor leaders, students, and elected officials. We got pledges to adopt 100 [P9] families. By the end of February we will adopt 200 families. You will soon see the same program in Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, and many other cities."

Shirley Quill, the widow of Mike Quill, gave encouragement to the audience by describing her husband's militant action in defiance of the injunction.

Bob Brown, international vice president of the United Electrical Workers union and district president in Philadelphia and Baltimore, extended the solidarity beyond Austin. "When we say P-9 we also say 431. We are here to make a statement. And if necessary we will be back again to make Name.

Address. City Telephone a stronger statement. If we have to come back six times, we'll all go to jail.

Brown also criticized the media for describing the strike as already over. "It isn't gonna be defeat until P-9 and 431 say it's defeat," Brown said. "Hell will freeze over before that ever happens."

Dan Barner, chief steward of UFCW Local 431 in Ottumwa reported that "500 members have been discharged for honoring P-9's picket line. We have filed 497 grievances so that our members can go back to work when the picket line is withdrawn. The company's position is that we went out on a sympathy strike. Our position is that we honored a picket line. Our contract states that this is a legitimate picket line and the company shall not discipline pickets that honor that picket line. The company agreed to this part of the contract in 1977. The company has Subscribe Socialist Action is a monthl the fight against concessio supplement, we urge you to offer to the newspaper. You for six months or $5 for one ACTION Mass 268øta 20216822. abor must beat taca i Guard scabs, 66** Action, St. Rm. 308, breached the contract—not our members.

Flo Stern of New York City's AFSCME District Council 1707 presented checks to P-9 from workers at the Metropolitan Art Museum and from the city's hospital, postal, and welfare workers. She read a telegram from British miners which promised that a collection would be taken up for them.

Neil Beasley, manager of the Chicago Joint Labor Board of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, brought greetings from the striking Chicago Tribune workers.

P-9 members won't soon forget the outpouring of support from their fellow workers around the country. The message was clear-what happens in the little town of Austin, Minn., affects all workers who strive for a decent standard of living. P-9, we won't let you down!

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HORMEL P-9 STRIKE -