The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.62/No.38           October 26, 1998 
 
 
`It's Not Just Low Pay,' But How Boss Treats People, Say Strikers At Detroit Sewing Plant  

BY CHARLES HANLON
DETROIT - "The insult that made us want to strike for the first time ever was when the owner initially offered us 39 cents over three years, after getting only 50 cents the previous three years," said Rebecca Burton, who has worked as a sewer for 22 years at John Johnson Textile Fabricators. "We make less than $9 and it's not right. The supervisors get the bonuses and we don't get anything, and we do all the work. My husband works at Ford, but most of the people here are single mothers and we have to feed our kids. We have to stick together."

By a vote of 65 to 5, the members of UAW Local 417 voted September 25 to go on strike. The workers are demanding a $1.70 pay increase over three years. Negotiations have stalled, with the owner offering only $1 increase. Workers here cut and sew tarpaulins for semitrailers and canvas tops for Chrysler Jeeps. The strikers, most of whom are Black and Chicana women, get $150 a week strike pay.

"It's not just the low pay, it's how he treats people," said Sandra Keller, a sewer with 16 years at the plant. She introduced Fred Cox, who was seriously injured on the job from lifting heavy rolls of cloth onto the cutting table manually when there was no jack available. "I have had three hernia operations and have no feeling below my hip on my left side, and I'm now on permanent work restrictions because of what I had to do," he said.

"After the injury they demoted me from a supervisor in the cutting room, cut my pay, cut my hours, and tried to dog me out. But I said I won't quit. How can I get a job anyplace else like this," said Cox, pointing to his limp leg. Cox added, "The owner spent a lot of money to refurbish the whole office and hired five new secretaries, but they say they have no money for our pay. All this is why we're on strike."

The workers said that locked out newspaper workers have already walked the line with them and truckers have stopped at their picket line. Several strikers said they're trying to figure what can be done about struck work from being done at another plant run by the same owner called Canvas Products that is around the corner. The strikers welcome anyone to join their picket line at 1481 14th Street near downtown Detroit from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

 
 
 
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