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Striketober Sweeps the Nation
For the first time in recent memory, tens of thousands of workers across the nation are flexing their power by going on strike. According to the Washington Post, strikes against 178 employers have been recorded this year, a significant increase from 2020. Labor unions and their allies have dubbed this phenomenon “Striketober” due to the spike in strikes that have broken out in this month alone. This includes the 2,000 CWA members currently on strike at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York, and 1,400 BCTGM International Union members currently on strike at Kellog’s cereal company.
The increase in strike activity is tied to frustrated workers who were deemed essential at the start of the pandemic but have not received better wages and benefits. Workers who risked their lives to keep businesses running are now realizing their own power to demand more. Essential workers are now turning to unions to empower them and their colleagues to bargain for better conditions. Local 73 members at the University of Illinois-Chicago and Cook County have also walked the picket line and successfully won pandemic pay and access to proper protective equipment, among other victories.
Nabisco workers won increases to their pay and retirement packages after walking out on strike for 39 days. Nearly 60,000 IATSE workers authorized a strike but reached an agreement that addresses members’ core issues just days before the strike deadline. The 2019 Chicago Public Schools strike, led by Local 73 and the Chicago Teachers Union, won a reduction in class size and wrap-around services like nurses and counselors. Successful strikes have inspired other workers to realize their ability to create change and win.
Striketober in the Midwest
On October 26, Local 73 members and staff supported two strikes across Illinois.
McDonald’s workers across 10 cities withheld their work and took to the streets to fight for better wages and support and fight against the pervasive pattern of sexual harassment seen in restaurants. In Chicago, workers gathered at Union Park and marched in silence honoring the victims of sexual assault. They then stood in front of McDonald’s Global Headquarters in the city’s West Loop neighborhood supported by Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Illinois Congressional Candidate Kina Collins.
Workers have asked McDonald’s to sit down and work together toward solutions but management has refused. By walking out of the job, workers have made their intentions clear: they will continue to disrupt operations until they are heard.
“We have to speak the truth. Because, though some of us may not be the ones being [sexually] harassed, if we silence ourselves, nothing will change,” says McDonald’s worker Teresa Cervantes. “For me, unions exist to fight in the shared struggle we face every day.”
Local 73 also traveled to Moline, Illinois to support John Deere workers on day 12 of their strike. Across the Midwest, 10,000 workers represented by UAW have been on strike demanding improved standards of living, retirement benefits, and a better work environment. Two dozen Local 73 members and staff arrived at the UAW Hall to meet some of the striking workers and joined them for their march to John Deere facilities.
UAW members were fired up, marching miles along the Mississippi River while chanting for a fair contract and worker rights. These dedicated workers sent a message to John Deere that they will not back down until the company meets their demands.
“Local 73 is proud to stand in solidarity with our UAW sisters and brothers who are on strike demanding better conditions in their workplace. These brave workers are fighting for not just their families and colleagues, but for future generations of workers. We call on John Deere to do the right thing and give these workers the contract they deserve,” said Local 73 President Dian Palmer.