Today, hundreds are gathering in Superman Square in Metropolis, Ill., as United Steelworkers Local 7-669 marks one year since being locked out of the Honeywell uranium conversion facility with a rally coined "Justice At Honeywell/One Day Longer.
"The last year has been a trying one for our members, but has also proven the resilience and determination of a group of workers fighting for what is right." said Darrell Lillie, USW 7-669 President.
Honeywell locked out it's 228 hourly workers when they would not agree to massive concessions across the board June 28, 2010, despite the union's offer to continue working while negotiating. Click here to sign our online petition calling on Honeywell to end the lockout and bring back our experienced USW members.
There have been several incidents since the company resumed operations with temporary replacement workers including getting cited by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and most recently 17 serious safety violations from the Occupation Safety and Health Administration.
"We have said since the beginning that our workforce are the guardians of safety in that plant, and still believe that today," Lillie added.
USW International Vice President Fred Redmond was among those from across the country and Canada who showed support for our sisters and brothers at Local 7-669.
Redmond said the local is standing up for all workers as it hangs tough against Honeywell, a multinational corporation that paid its CEO $20 million in salary last year - a 54 percent raise.
"in our union the phrase 'One Day Longer' isn't just a slogan. It's a battle-tested vow, a way of life that's embedded in each and every one of us, a passionate calling that gives us strength, keeps us going, offers us hope," Redmond said.
"We know that what we're fighting for isn't just about the members of 7-669. It's about a safer community. It's about our neighbors, our friends and our families. What we're fighting for is about the rights and dignity of workers everywhere and for the future of our kids and grandkids," he said.
For more information on Local 7-669 and how you can support their fight, click here. And stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter feeds for updates from today's events.
