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Union president United Electrical speaks at the Bernie Sanders rally as local unions add numbers to the Wabtec picket lines.
Striking workers at the Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp. plant Lawrence Park had a national platform Saturday at a rally of Bernie Sanders at Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York.
"We are fighting for all workers to have the right to a living wage, a decent wage, decent social benefits and strong working protections for all, and it is time for men and women to take a stand. the help of our community, our politicians like Bernie Sanders and the great people of today, we take a stand, "said Scott Slawson to the crowd.
Slawson is president of Local 506 United Workers of Electricity, Radio and Machine America. Its 1,700 members and members of the small local 618 EU have been on strike at Wabtec's Lawrence Park plant since Tuesday. Sanders invited Slawson to speak at Saturday's rally, which marked the launch of the Vermont Senator's presidential campaign in 2020.
"We earn our living, and for that we do not apologize," said Slawson, sometimes to songs of "Strike, Strike, Strike" from the crowd. "Generations of families in Erie have fought hard to create a high standard of living for us – we will not throw it away for our children and future generations."
Slawson spoke to the crowd for about seven minutes.
"We will take the unions back to America," said Slawson. "We will bring justice back to America, we will restore pride to American workers."
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Sanders is seeking the Democratic presidential candidacy in 2020 and has tweeted his support for unionized workers at the Erie Locomotive Factory. Sanders also wrote an open letter to Wabtec's Executive Director, Raymond Betler, asking him to maintain existing wages and benefits for the workers at the plant.
Brian Welch, a member of the executive board of the EU Local 506, scheduled a reminder on his cell phone so that he could follow the rally while he was on the picket lines at Wabtec earlier Saturday.
"I want to see that," said Welch about the Sanders rally. "It's a good platform for us."
The rally was broadcast live by several media including the Washington Post and C-Span.
Members of several local unions, including the Erie Education Association, the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the International Association of Machinists and the Lord Corporation Aerospace Workers' Association, have Joined Welch and other EU members Saturday at Wabtec.
"We are here to support the members of our community and the children of our schools and to defend the rights of United Electrical members who undermine their dignity and fair wages," said PSEA President Northwestern Pennsylvania , PSEA. "What is happening here concerns us all, our economy and our students."
"These guys have long been setting the standard for family maintenance wages in this area and have generated billions of dollars in profits for this company.They deserve a fair deal," said Zack Burrows of IAMAW Lodge 1211 .
"We are here to support our union brothers and sisters who supported us when the state threatened to take back our schools," said EEA President Bill Kuhar.
Families of striking Wabtec union members also picketed Saturday. Trisha Will, Cindy Pasierb and Jessica Hammill were among Wabtec's brides on the picket lines.
"I'm here to support my husband, our economy and our communities," said Will.
The EU strike is a protest against a Wabtec contract offer that includes lower wages for new employees and recalled employees after layoffs. Wabtec's proposal would also give the company the right to schedule mandatory overtime and force workers to use vacations during planned shutdown periods.
Wabtec took control of the old GE Transportation facility through a merger on Monday.
Greg Sbrocco, vice president of global operations at Wabtec, called on striking workers Friday to return to the negotiating table. Sbrocco said the work is being transferred to Wabtec's Boise union plant in Idaho. Wabtec also owns the former GE Transportation locomotive plant in Fort Worth, Texas.
A negotiating session with a federal mediator is scheduled for Wednesday.
Valerie Myers can be reached at 878-1913 or by email. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNmyers.
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