Newsletter of the Baltimore Industrial Workers of the World March 1st, 1999 Edited by Flint Jones

Crown Boycott Rally

THINGS WEREN'T LOOKING TOO good for the Blaustein family last Thursday afternoon (2/11). Over two hundred people turned out in support for the workers at the Crown Central Petroleums refinery plant in Pasadena, Texas. Those workers have been locked out for three years as the CEO Henry Rosenburg trys to bust their union. Crown Central is trying to replace half the workforce with scabs and seeks to eliminate seniority. Further, the union charges that the corporation is sexist, racist and environmentally destructive. The company originally claimed to have locked out the workers fearing sabotage to the equipment.

There is an impressive show of solidarity with the cause of the locked out workers. Over twenty different unions came to picket at Crowns Headquarters, among them some Wobblies. The boycott is supported not just by labor, but by environmental, civil rights, community, student and religous organizations. Some of those present at the rally included Clean Water Action and the National Organization of Women. Some traveled from out of state to attend the rally.

One of the many speakers was Bari-Ellen Roberts, the main plaintiff in the Texaco-Racism case which cost that company $176 million dollars in a 1997 settlement because of their discriminatory practices.

Recently, the Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW) merged with other unions to become the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers (PACE). This rally showed their renewed committment to the struggle of the locked out workers in Pasadena.

For More Information,
Phone: 410-837-7906
Email: erothste@bcpl.net
URL: http://www.crownboycott.org
URL: http://baltimore.iww.org/gmb/crownboycott

Industrial Workers of the World Baltimore General
Membership Branch 
1443 Gorsuch Avenue 
Baltimore, MD 21218 
Phone: 410-467-9388 
Fax: 410-235-5325 
Web: http://baltimore.iww.org/gmb/ 
Email: info@baltimore.iww.org 
Meetings third Monday of every month. 
Office open every Monday night, 7-10PM.