The Spark

the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist

“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx

Corporate Thug Sics Cops on Victims

Mar 17, 2008

Chrysler Corp. demanded police protection when it eliminated the jobs of a third shift at its Belvidere, Illinois assembly plant.

Chrysler claimed it feared possible violence. But its biggest fear was keeping its production safe from angry, cheated workers.

Chrysler lied to the workers they hired in July 2006 for the third shift. The workers were led to believe they were applying for jobs that would become permanent. Then Chrysler cheated those workers and kept them on temporary ETE status for nearly 2 years before laying them off.

The ETEs were kept without recall rights or any other benefits (such as SUB pay and job bank rights) that would normally belong to workers with over one year seniority.

Chrysler swindled the workers into a deal where the workers got nothing they had implicitly–or explicitly–been promised, but Chrysler got all the production it wanted–at cut rates! Then Chrysler had the gall to accuse the workers of plotting criminal behavior! As Chrysler booted them out the door!

Thugs and criminals deserve whatever payback they get. Chrysler is no exception.