BY TONY LANE AND HENRY HILLENBRAND
HEATH, Ohio - A locked-out Kaiser Aluminum worker was
roughed up and had his teeth knocked out by two cops while
doing picket duty June 5. After being arrested he was taken
to a hospital for medical treatment.
The company has hired off-duty Heath cops to guard the company side of the picket line at the main gate. In addition, the company has installed security cameras. Members of the United Steelworkers of America here and in Louisiana and Washington struck Kaiser Aluminum in October 1998, and have been locked out since early this year.
The worker, Steve Smyers, told the Militant that one of the cops came up to him and asked him to go to the police car parked on company property. Smyers replied that he was "not crossing the picket line." The cop then arrested him, handcuffed him, and with the other officer started moving him in the direction of the police car, Smyers recounted.
As the cops shoved him toward their car, Smyers said, one of them tripped him up. They pushed him to the asphalt and the two cops landed on Smyers.
Two of Smyers's front teeth were knocked out, a third tooth was broken. He needed nine stitches for cuts on his lip and chin. The cops charged him with resisting arrest and criminal damaging, claiming he kicked a scab's car.
On the picket line June 7 workers had added another sign, "Fight Police Brutality," to their display. Tracy Van Meter told the Militant he "didn't think two police officers should be slamming people to the cement." Referring to the scabs, Van Meter said, "Guys come in and out spitting and fingering us," and the cops don't do anything. But they "treat us as common criminals." The cops, he said, "are there to protect the rich."
Annette Lindsay, another Kaiser worker on the picket line, said, "Maybe this is for intimidation. They want to discourage us from picketing." She said both the company and cops should be held accountable.
Tony Lane and Henry Hillenbrand are members of United Steelworkers of America.