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Roquette Lockout Continues: Workers Need Solidarity!

Following on AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka's declaration of labors political independence from the Democratic Party, the Workers International League believes that the Keokuk Labor Temple should cut off all funding for Democratic Party representatives and candidates, who claim to be friends of labor but who in reality have done precious little to support the struggle. To safeguard and expand the rights and living conditions of working people, the unions should instead direct their resources towards bold organizing and solidarity efforts as well as the construction of a Labor Party to fight in the workers interests on the political front. The WIL extends its solidarity to the workers of BCTGM 48G and pledges to help build support for their struggle.
Mobilize labor's power to defend our brothers and sisters! For a Keokuk Defense Committee to build and coordinate picket support, solidarity rallies and material aid. Stop the picket crossing! Fraternize with and organize the scab workers to win them away from Roquette's bribery. Build a political solution! Break with the Democrats and build a Labor Party to sweep away anti-union laws and adopt measures that benefit all working people. No to concessions! The locked out workers have suffered enough and deserve to return to the job with an even stronger contract than before.

or nine months more than two hundred workers organized in BCTGM Local 48G in Keokuk, Iowa have been locked out by their employer, Roquette, for the crime of seeking further negotiation on a collective bargaining agreement rather than meekly submitting to a concessionary contract. Despite the fact that it is the workers of the plant who create its productive wealth, the company is trying to lower the living standards of their employees and break the power of the union. Roquette demands that new hires at the company be paid $4 less per hour than their counterparts with seniority, violating both the principle of equal pay for equal work and creating a two-tier division in the union itself. In addition, Roquette is demanding the introduction of open-ended insurance premiums and the right to bring in subcontracted workers in order to circumvent paying for labor at the prevailing union wage. Locked out workers have bravely picketed outside the plant gates since the struggle began, standing up to employer intimidation, scabs crossing the picket lines, and even physical violence. Our brothers and sisters can't win this battle alone. The Hawkeye Labor Council, representing unions in seven Eastern Iowa counties including Linn County, took an important step forward in building a presence at a BCTGM 48G solidarity rally in March. This effort must be repeated and intensified across Iowa. Should Roquette break the resistance of its employees it would set a dangerous precedent for workers' rights statewide. But just as an injury to one is an injury to all, so too is a victory for one a victory for all. The success of the Keokuk workers would provide a powerful impulse for the whole of Iowa labor. Their struggle is our struggle!

This statement is being distributed by the Workers International League and Socialist Appeal magazine. We believe that the working class is the only force in society that can bring about fundamental change. We believe that the crisis of the capitalist system should be paid for by the capitalists, not the workers and youth. We believe that both the Republicans and Democrats are bought and paid for by the billionaires and therefore cannot serve the interests of the working class majority. We believe the unions need to break with these parties and build a party of the working class - a mass party of labor based on the unions. We believe that everyone living in the U.S. has a right to quality jobs, health care, education and housing. We believe we need a society that is truly democratic, with leaders that are directly elected and directly accountable to their constituents. But it is clear that this is not possible under capitalism. This is why we fight for socialism, and we invite you to join us in this struggle! For more information visit www.socialistappeal.org or contact us at wil.easterniowa@gmail.com