Alcoa strikers fight forced overtime

Necessity is the mother of invention. Ancient human beings invented the wheel; the modern working class invented the tool that keeps the wheel from turning. The strike at 16 Goodyear tire plants in the U.S. and Canada has entered its sixth week. On Nov. 7, UAW Local 1050 struck the Cleveland works of Alcoa, interrupting production of aluminum wheels for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and planes.

Alcoa workers fight for health care. At left, Martha Grevatt. WW photo

“The thing is, don’t mess with the pensioners.”

“They want us to work 19 days straight, then only two days off.”

“And the point system is ridiculous.”

These were the thoughts those on the picket line shared with this reporter. Alcoa bosses want retirees to pay $3,000 per year towards health-care expenses, according to the union. Mandatory overtime is another central issue. In some departments, workers are putting in 12-hour days and six- or seven-day weeks, with no right of refusal of the overtime.

The “point system” refers to a barbaric attendance policy, under which five unexcused absences in a one-year period would result in an automatic firing. Virtually all absences are unexcused, including illness, car trouble, and obligatory court appearances. “If your house burns down, too bad,” a worker explained. In justifying this harsh policy, the company generated statistics that implied a high rate of absenteeism. The figures were skewed, however, by including everything from being sent home by the plant physician to pre-excused paid vacations.

Strikers are unwilling to make concessions to a company that last year made $1.9 billion in profit. In the first three quarters of this year the Cleveland works made more profit for Alcoa than in any previous one-year period in company history. Alcoa is paying top dollar to nonunion employees from other plants to work during the strike. “It’s corporate greed,” said the strikers, one after another.

Production is way down. The strikers explained that if the forge hammer was running “you would hear it and feel it out here.” No such vibrations were felt, only the good vibrations of strong union solidarity.