A Different Story from Chicago

India
December 27, 2008 1:14pm CST
The Republic Windows and Doors factory was closed and over 200 workers lost their jobs.The workers and their families occupied the factory and demanded severance and vacation pay.Their banner said,"You got bailed out. We got sold out." "The action drew national attention. In a sign of changed times, politicians, celebrities and public figures turned up at the factory to declare support.Even Mr. Obama said he agreed with their demands.The media which, pre-meltdown, woud have savaged the strike, were less hostile."Prior to the economic crisis", says analyst and columnist Carl Bloice who writes in the BLACK COMMENTATOR, "the police might have gone into the factory and evicted the workers as tresspassers."Postmeltdown, it was a differnt story.Bloice says the U.S. has not seen such a labour action in decades.Impressively, ordinary citizens went up food hampers to help out the strokers." (The Hindu,27 Dec.'08) The workers were successful in their fight. This is unique in the US in many ways.What does it indicate ?
4 responses
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
28 Dec 08
It indicates that the capitalist honeymoon is over. Greed is not good anymore. Greed = Financial crisis. What you have to remember... Is that while the top one per cent hold the money and the power... It is the remaining 99% which work their guts out to make the top one percent rich and powerful. When the 99% have enough and go on strike... the top one per cent crash and burn.
• Australia
28 Dec 08
You do make a good point. In Australia I get charge $20.00 a quarter for having a check account. But I get no fees if I keep $500 into the account full time. However... if I keep $400 in the account... I pay $20.00 and they keep the interests on the $400. Then we have the transactions charges. I am allowed at 40 free transactions per quarter. But this year I got caught twice at making 42 transactions. They don't charge me for the two extra transactions. They charge me for the 42 transactions... which come at about $10.00 Banks are the scum of the earth. But without a bank account... it would probably cost you more to pay your bills via other means... even if it is only time to go and pay in person. It is a no win situation. It is like trying to operate without a credit card these days. You miss out on half of the services which only accept credit cards. The real story is... that the banks have put a system in place to rule the world. The banks own the world. And there is no president which can do anything about it.
@vellibiz (297)
• United States
28 Dec 08
if you guys really want to do something thatll hurt the banking industry and make them lower interest rates, get rid of your bank accounts, youd be surprised how much money you save just doing that. unless your a habitual spender. if you think storming a bank will do anything, well it wont, all it would do is hire more security guards. if everyone starts leaving their banks you may get a call from one telling you about their new managament and lower interest rates. then you may say go f..k urself, cause you realize picking up ur check emliminates any type of bank fee and service charge and those costly "mistakes". the banks made 7 billion in over draft fee's for the year of 07, we all know the fee's are going up so expect to here 10 billion at the end of 09. i find it hard to justify, charging fee's to people with no money. unless its a written check. they say banks are allowed to charge over draft fee's because techinically if you request money you dont have, thats fraud, just requesting money you dont have, is fraud, they dont even have to give it too you, it's just automatically fraud and a 35 dollar fee for me. I have a credit card, if i reach my limit, it just says credit denied. they dont charge me a fee. but its up to you.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
27 Dec 08
These rip off artist are starting to fear the people. If all these banks that were bailed out don't start doing their thing the people will march on them also. These people don't fear the government. They know the government must follow certain rules but that doesn't apply to the general public. A bunch of mad p3eople may do anything and they know it. I am amazed they haven't already gone after the banks that robed them.
• United States
27 Dec 08
Yeah I think we should all go after the banks. They are mess'n with peoples interest rates so they can't pay their minimums, from banks that have been bailed out!?!? How are they going to stay afloat if they are punsishing their loyal customers????????
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
27 Dec 08
You know what happened to all the money the investment banks got from the bailout don't you? It isn't even in those banks now. You won't here this on the new right now but you will when Obama takes office. The big investors that put all that money in the banks to start with got a chance to get their money back and they grabbed it and ran. If you had a bunch of money in some bank and they lost it and then the government covered their losses what would you do when your money was back in that bank? I sure wouldn't give them a chance to loose it all again. Neither will they. That money or at least most of it is already gone back where it came from.
• United States
27 Dec 08
I"ve heard of this and I think it's fair that they did get their severance & vacation pay! Too many places are closing up shop and fast leaving people to scratch their heads as to where their next meal is comming from.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
27 Dec 08
One of these days people like this bunch and a lot of others will figure out what caused all this and they will go after the people that caused it. A lot of good honest working people have already been hurt by these greedy jerks and a lot more are going to be. A lot of them have lost their jobs and a lot have lost every cent they had saved. They are mad and they are wanting to take it out on some body. All they need is to know who to go after.
• United States
27 Dec 08
This was a victory for the common man, but a lose for the country in general. It is sad to see a company like this to go out of business, but they are just another example of the finacial crisis we are in. This action will force a change in regulations for companies to give workers ample warner of when a company is closing. This very well could hurt companies wanting to open up in the state, and possible in the country.
• United States
28 Dec 08
there r laws bout having to give 60-90 days notice here atleast or the company will get even bigger penalties. The GM plant a few hrs away has been on layoff & shut down scares for yrs so these people knew it was enevitable just where they will be employed @ even half their wages is what I want to know?!?!
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