They shut it down! Solidarity sends Ohio scabs packing.

by Rick Nagin

This article was reprinted from the October 7, 1995 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

WARREN, Ohio - As solidarity with locked-out steelworkers continues to grow, including a major rally planned for Sunday, Oct. 8, Warren Consolidated Industries (WCI) announced Sept. 29 that it would remove hundreds of out-of- state scabs and cease all production at the plant.

James V. Stack, the new company president, claimed the decision was due to "violence by the United Steelworkers of America" and was aimed at "restoring peace."

However, Dennis Brubaker, president of USWA Local 1375, said the action had more to do with "internal problems" at WCI. "The plant was falling apart," Brubaker said. "It was cheaper for them to shut it down."

Stack, a veteran steel tycoon who raked in over $7.5 million from WCI in the past two years, became president after the forced resignation of James R. Scheesele on Sept. 20. He preceded Scheesele as WCI president and was vice chairman of the Renco group, the holding company owning WCI.

Brubaker said WCI was paying scabs almost double union wages, but was unable to make steel of a saleable quality. The only sales were coming from stockpiled steel produced by union workers prior to the Aug. 31 lockout.

In addition, the company was under pressure from intense community outrage at its use of scabs, one of whom was exposed as a convicted drug dealer from out of state. Some WCI supervisors were cracking under the heat.

One foreman was charged after driving his car through the picket line and injuring two workers. Just prior to Stack's announcement, a second foreman came out of the plant and started shooting a handgun at pickets and workers repairing a car near the plant. He was arrested and faces five counts of criminal endangerment.

Thousands of trade unionists from Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia are expected here Sunday for a massive rally and march to the mill. USWA International President George Becker and United Auto Workers International President Steve Yokich will speak at the rally along with other labor and community leaders.

"We're getting calls from all over about where to park buses," said Leonard Grbinick, Local 1375 recording secretary. "With 10,000 auto workers at Lordstown and 8,000 electrical workers at Packard Electric, we're hoping for a big crowd that will send a strong message to the company," Brubaker said. "At this point the main focus of the rally is the company's refusal to negotiate. We are more than willing to sit down with them anytime, anywhere."

With a large section of the members age 50 or older, the union is seeking to raise pensions to industry standards and to keep the successorship clause guaranteeing a union contract if the company is sold.

"We do not understand what kind of game they are playing by refusing to negotiate," Brubaker said. "At this point they won't even talk to the news media."

The rally will take place two days before the hearing set by the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services to determine whether the locked-out workers are eligible for unemployment benefits. "We're hoping we can win on that," Brubaker said. "It will be a major blow to the company."

Warren Davis, director of United Auto Workers Region 2, said the word has gone out to auto locals throughout the area urging gate collections for the Local 1375's strike fund and that steps be taken to prevent the use of scab steel in auto plants.

Grbinick said that the 120-member UAW local at Bellevue Manufacturing in Bellevue, Ohio, was refusing to unload WCI steel and has told the company that even if it was unloaded the workers would refuse to use it. The local, he said, had a clause in its contract allowing them to refuse to work with goods from struck plants. In addition, UAW Local 1714 at the GM plant in Lordstown has made a "very generous" donation.