Wheeling Pitt strikers honor their war dead

by Denise Winebrenner

This article was reprinted from the May 31, 1997 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

ALLENPORT, Pa. - On May 23, striking members of Local 1187 of the Steelworkers union defied the Wheeling- Pittsburgh Steel Corporation to honor the 38 employees of Wheeling- Pitt's Allenport facility killed during World War II. The men died on the battlefields of Europe, Africa and or the South Pacific. Some were still lying beneath the ocean waters when World War II ended.

In the days before the Friday demonstration Wheeling-Pitt denied repeated requests from the union to lay a wreath on a monument inside the mill gate commemorating those killed fighting for democracy more than 50 years ago. Company officials said "no" to a wreath-laying ceremony and "no" to entry to Gate 50. But that didn't deter the 150 steelworkers, their families, and elected representatives who massed at the mill's North Gate and then, under the nose of plant guards, walked onto company property for the first time since their strike began, seven months ago. Mickey Forte, president of Local 1187, laid a wreath at the monument and an honor guard fired the traditional three volleys.

After the ceremony workers returned to Reid Park to continue their Memorial Day Observance and Union Solidarity rally. Steelworker retirees from LTV, Aliquippa and USX works in Clairton, Pittsburgh and McKeesport, union members from as far away as Latrobe, together with coal miners from Washington County joined to express their solidarity with Local 1187 members. Several presidents of steel union locals in Ohio and a representative of Congressman Frank Mascara (D-Pa.) also participated.

"Ron LaBow is Tokyo Rose," Forte said. "There's no let up in his brainwashing campaign to break this strike, break this union."

Forte said that only the day before Wheeling Pitt announced they will liquidate "if we don't crawl back through those gates on our knees." Then, his hand pointing to the crowd he said, "Look out here - there are three guys from the Miners union who were part of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee 55 years ago."

If Wheeling-Pitt doesn't want to make steel, fine, Forte said. "We do. We're the ones who fought for democratic rights in World War II and 38 from the Allenport plant didn't come home. Now we have to fight for our democratic rights right here, right now."

He added, "We're the ones who brought this company back from bankruptcy. We're the ones who live in this valley, built homes, raise our kids, pay the taxes, work everyday. Maybe we should run the mills!"

He said it might be necessary to form an Employee Stock Ownership Plan in order to do that.

Members of Local 1187 and members of the other striking local unions in the Ohio Monongahela valleys have shut down 80 percent of Wheeling-Pitt production since last October and have been on the road picketing company operations from Canfield, Ohio to Follansbee, West Virginia.

Although they stayed home to campaign in the recent Pennsylvania primaries, steelworkers are planning "trips" throughout the spring. That's the best time of year to see the mountains and valleys in West Virginia and the farm country in Ohio.

As we go to press, a busload of Wheeling-Pitt strikers and local union members were scheduled to rally May 29 in Boston in front of the offices of Dewey Square Investors, a major institutional investor in the steel company.