Community Rallies for Janesville GM Strikers

Striking Janesville General Motors workers have been overwhelmed by the community's support for their walkout, Mike Sheridan, president of United Auto Workers Local 905, said Tuesday.

"It's amazing," Sheridan said.

Local Pizza Hut restaurants have supplied picketers with pizzas, a nearby pub brought breakfast omelettes and a group of Chrysler employees in Belvidere, Ill., was on its way up Tuesday with a stack of Burger King sandwiches, Sheridan said.

Members of United Steelworkers Local 904 in Sun Prairie have been stopping by their union office and talking about going down to Janesville to join auto workers on the picket line, steelworkers vice president Greg Lueptow said.

When steelworkers were on strike against Goodyear in late 2006, "they came up and donated money toward our fund," Lueptow said.

Sheridan, who is also a state representative, said he's pleased that Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, is trying to organize a group of legislators to head to Janesville and show their support for the strikers.

— Judy Newman