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| Striking Belshaw employees held a rally Tuesday to raise awareness of their struggle for better wages and benefits. |
IAM District Lodge 751 of Seattle showed their solidarity to striking IAM members at Belshaw Adamatic Bakery Group by donating $1,000 to the IAM strike fund. The 63 Belshaw employees, who are members of Local Lodge 79, have been walking the picket line at the Auburn, WA plant since March 24.
“We’re here to support you whatever way we can,” said IAM District Lodge 751 President Tom Wroblewski at a recent solidarity rally. “There are 30,000 members (at Boeing) standing right here behind you, and there are 10,000 retirees we’ll mobilize if we have to.
“You guys are doing the right thing,” Wroblewski continued. “You’re standing up for your middle-class livelihoods. You’re standing up for your future. You’re standing up for your children.”
IAM members are encouraged to help their Local 79 Brothers and Sisters in three simple ways:
– “Like” the “IAM Local 79 on Strike at Belshaw Adamatic Bakery Group” Facebook page.
– Click here to send a letter of support to Belshaw workers who have been off the job for almost three months.
– Click here to send a message to Belshaw management demanding that they bargain in good faith with IAM representatives.
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| Family and friends of striking Local Lodge 79 members showed their support for employees who have been picketing for almost three months. |
Belshaw management has agreed to a medical plan proposed by IAM representatives that would save the company over $20,000 per month, but won’t up wages in return. The members of Local 79, who manufacture high-quality bakery equipment around the world, have unanimously agreed to not accept a proposal that allows Belshaw to keep permanent replacement workers.
IAM District Lodge 160 Directing Business Representative Dan Morgan said he has faith the two sides can come together.
“I hope at the end of the day we can find common ground,” Morgan said. “This is not solely an economic strike. It contains a lot of work issues that, in my opinion, can be worked out if the employer would see some common sense and some common ground. I think we can find it.”
“I commend the acts of solidarity amongst the leadership of District Lodges 160 and 751,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary Allen. “Now is the time for all IAM members to stand in solidarity with our Sisters and Brothers on strike at Belshaw, as they hold the line united and determined to see common sense prevail.”
