Steelworkers fight bosses on two fronts
1987 1987-01Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 6 →
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6 SOCIALIST ACTION JANUARY 1987 Top level USX and USWA negotiators met Oct. 21 for the first time since USX locked out over 22,000 steelworkers on Aug. 1. After the meeting, USX spokes -persons pledged that as a show of good faith the company would stop trying to move steel from its closed facilities.
But on Nov. 25, steelworkers found out that, like other company promises, this one wasn't worth the paper it was written on.
On that day USX attempted to utilize a court order granting it permission to move steel produced prior to Aug. 1 from its Lorain, Ohio, facility. Debris on the railroad tracks and a determined picket line prevented a train loaded with steel pipe from leaving the mill.
On Nov. 26, government authorities came to the company's aid. Five local communities supplied 168 cops in full riot gear with attack dogs.
When 150 steelworkers attempted to persuade a train loaded with steel pipe not to leave the plant, cops jumped USWA Local Union 1104 President Al Peña. As several cops beat Peña to the ground, District 28 Director Frank Valenta moved to assist him. Five cops then jumped Valenta as the rest of the armed police mob began charging the unarmed steelworker pickets.
Following this police riot, the company succeeded in shipping the steel. Fourteen steelworkers were charged with mis - demeanor rioting. Five steelworkers, including Valenta and Peña, were charged with inciting to violence, a felony. Four steelworkers, including Valenta and Peña, were treated for injuries at a local hospital.
On Dec. 1, a judge granted the USWA's request for a 30-day cooling off period during which the company is prohibited from moving any steel from its Lorain mill. The judge granted this request after hearing testimony from local police and sheriff's departments that failure to do so would cause blood to flow in the streets of Lorain.
against LTV On Dec. 2, over 2000 steelworkers and their supporters marched and rallied in downtown Cleveland to protest LTV's use of the federal bankruptcy laws to attack pension rights. Busloads of steelworkers came from Pittsburgh and Aliquippa, Pa., and from Canton, Warren, Youngstown, and Lorain, Ohio.
Protestors gathered outside LTV Steel's corporate headquarters for a brief rally. The speakers who addressed the enthusiastic crowd included USWA District 28 Director Frank Valenta, U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaum, Delores Hyrcyk of Solidarity USA, Cleveland Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Sebastian Lupica, and Acting President Richard Acton and Jim Benn of the Tri-State Conference on Steel.
Chanting, "Justice: We fought for it; we struck for it; we earned it; we won't take anything less," the protestors marched to the headquarters of Blue Cross of Northeast Ohio. There they protested Blue Cross' recent announcement of a rate increase for senior citizens and their inhuman attitude toward LTV retirees. On July 17, Blue Cross declared it would no longer pay hospitalization premiums for pensioners.
Blue Cross employees distributed a flier welcoming the marchers and offering free coffee and doughnuts. Valenta thanked Blue Cross for the coffee and doughnuts, adding that it'd be much more appreciated if they lowered the outrageous health insur -ance premiums they charge.
SEIU Business Representative Mike Murphy stated, "If they close our plants, we need eminent domain. If they take away our health care coverage, we need nationalized medicine.
"We're not here to beg"
The demonstrators then marched to City Hall where they packed the Council chambers to voice their support for a resolution which demands, "That the Council of the City of Cleveland hereby supports the LTV retirees in their demands that the Federal Bankruptcy Court in New York City not reduce or eliminate their medical coverage, life insurance, supple -mental pension benefits or any other pension benefits.
Following welcoming remarks from various government officials, an indoor rally was held. Linda Watkins, President of the Cleveland Council of Unemployed Workers, stated that every day she witnesses first hand the casualties of the war against workers. She said it's the
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