Sterling locked out the union after the membership overwhelmingly rejected a contract that would have cut union jobs and increased insurance premiums for retirees by more than $500 a month.

Chanting, "Be fair, unlock!" the marchers gathered at the local football stadium and proceeded on a noisy but disciplined two-mile march. At the plant entrance, they held a rally and demanded of the plant manager, "[Walter] Treybig, come out!"

Cyndi DiSalvo, the wife of a locked-out worker, told the Militant that "Sterling is too chicken to come out and talk to us wives. We demand to know why they’ve locked out the union!"

Retired union member Barney Boudreaux said, "Many of us won’t be able to afford health insurance if the company gets away with this. After seeing what Sterling is doing, I’m afraid that one day I’ll wake up and find out I don’t have any coverage at all."

The previous day, Sterling spokespeople had announced that negotiations would resume next week. However, they continued to insist that, in Treybig’s words, "our total package...is the best it can be when compared to any chemical company in the Gulf Coast region." The company rejected the union offer of continuing negotiations while union workers remain on the job.

Marching in solidarity with the locked-out workers were union members from nearby Dow Chemical, who are also fighting for a contract. Dow is attempting to impose a ten-year agreement including cutbacks in union jobs and binding arbitration to settle disputes.  
 
 
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