Submitted by Lindsay Patterson
After months and months of walking the picket line in Toronto Canada and driving countless miles away from home to protest in Philadelphia, USW Local 9176 members have a voice. Wednesday is labor‘s day in Philadelphia, there are several radio programs and other actions around the city dedicated to labor and our issues.
USW Local 9176 members were given the opportunity to be guest on “A day in Philly labor” a radio show devoted to airing the issues that affect everyday working families. The show is hosted by Pat Eiding, President of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO; Joe Docherty Jr. who comes from a long line of union activist and Joe Krause. USW Local 9176 activists Steve McHugh and Rob DePippo told the listeners about the excessive greed of Crown, Cork and Seal, the unthinkable 15 month strike, not to mention the increased profits that the company experienced due in part to these dedicated union workers.
The support was overwhelming; the call to action by President Eiding echoed our brothers & sisters cry who have been fighting with Crown, Cork and Seal Packaging, aka Crown Holdings, located at 1 Crown Way in Northeast Philadelphia at Roosevelt Blvd. There was a unanimous vote by the AFL-CIO executive council to adopt a resolution in support of the striking crown workers.
Local union members and dignitaries alike are standing with our Canadian brothers and sisters in solidarity in Philadelphia and across the state. USW Local 10-1 President Jim Savage, USW Local 404 President Lindsay Patterson and USW Local 4889 President Bill Coe have pledged their support.
Gas workers local 686 in Philly offered their unwavering support by hosting a luncheon for our Toronto guest and transported us to the rally on their special Solidarity Bus, we were met by Philadelphia police who told us they knew we were coming because Crown executives heard our radio broadcast. That truly is a sign that we are gaining a real presence in the Philadelphia region.
Our union brothers and sisters also had the opportunity to meet with Philadelphia Mayor Michel Nutter and staff, along with Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes (re-elected Appropriation’s chairman) and staff member. We are working on follow-up meetings to ask for support in ending this international heist of “worker’s rights.”
USW Local 10-1 "Women of Steel” committee (Nancy Minor, Andrea Hunn and Sue Campbell) sponsored a gate collection on behalf of our brothers and sisters on strike in Toronto collecting over $4,000 from Steelworkers and contractors from the Philadelphia building trades. (Information submitted by Andrea Hunn)
Remember “an injury to one is an injury to all”, support USW Local 9176.