Thursday, December 18th, 7 PM
Workers in Chicago Take Over and Win!
Third Thursday discussion about the six-day worker occupation of Republic Windows & Doors and its implications for labor organizing in the U.S. in a time of economic crisis
On Friday, December 5th over 240 primarily Latino and Black workers at the Chicago Republic of Windows & Doors factory were told that the plant would close in 3 days. Many of them had worked there for decades. In response, the union members occupied the factory and last Wednesday, they came to a settlement with the company that would put 1.75 million dollars in a fund for the workers.
Join us for a discussion, led by labor activist, writer, and photographer, David Bacon and hear first-hand accounts from the workers in Chicago.
• What does the victory tell us about labor struggles today?
• Can we expect more actions like this at a time when unemployment is rising and more and more companies are shutting their doors?
• What can we learn from similar situations in history (factory take overs during the 30s, and other militant worker actions)?
Read David Bacon’s timely and insightful Chicago Workers to Rest of Country: “Don’t Let it Die!”, a great preview to Thursday’s discussion and check out David Bacon’s other articles and photographs and Jobs With Justice writing on Wednesday’s victory…