BRONX, NY, October 2 — Over 200 bakers, mechanics, electricians, teachers, professors, city workers, day care workers, teamsters, and transit workers chanted together, “The workers, united, will never be defeated!”; “Keep Stella in the Bronx”; and “Whose factory? Our Factory!” in front of the Stella D’Oro factory.
The Stella workers and their supporters are still fighting to keep their jobs and to obtain compensation if the plant is sold. Brynwood Partners (owners of the factory) is in the process of selling the company and equipment to a non-union factory owned by Lance Co. in Ashland, Ohio.
One Stella worker who spoke explaining that the fight continues, and that whatever happens the workers are holding their heads high; the bosses are the losers. Another worker said they never believed that we would last three months on strike. “But they were wrong. They never thought that all of us would stay out. But they were wrong. Not a single one of us went back until we all went back together after eleven months. They think that we will give up now. But they are wrong.” The multi-racial, men-women unity of the workers defeated the racism and sexism of the Stella bosses.
At one point, the manager of the plant was seen in his car. One of the shop stewards leapt toward the speakers’ platform. Grabbing the microphone from a speaker he screamed, “Dan Meyer, you a------, the factory belongs to us!” The crowd roared, “Whose factory, our factory” and surged forward. Only metal barriers backed up by a solid line of cops prevented this hated boss from getting what he deserves.
A spokesman from IBEW Local 3 (electrical workers) explained how Brynwood Co. is stealing from the workers and the taxpayers of NYC because the city bosses had given tax breaks to Brynwood to help them pay for some of the plant equipment. His suggestion was concrete. When the bosses start to move out the machinery we must be there to stop the trucks.
More and more workers in NYC are reading CHALLENGE and coming closer to PLP due to the heroism of the Stella workers. We ALL need to redouble our efforts to build the revolutionary communist movement that will dump the Brynwood bosses and all the bosses in the ashcan of history. Join us!