Chrysler workers on strike! Their fight is our fight!

45,000 members of the United Auto Workers are now on strike against Chrysler. The new private equity fund owners of Chrysler may well take an even harder stance than General Motors did in negotiations. Chrysler is demanding much bigger cuts. These kinds of equity fund bandits are known for “flipping and stripping” the companies they buy to turn a quick profit. This is a struggle for the whole working class and all progressives.

Some ideas:

Get the word out as far and wide as possible and urge support for the strikers in your unions, churches, and community organizations etc. The autoworkers are fighting for us all. Write a quick letter to the editor of your local paper explaining why Chrysler’s demands to cut wages, retiree benefits and health care will hurt all workers. Ask for support for the autoworkers union in their fight to save their jobs and the communities that depend on them.

Go out to the picket lines. The key states that have significant plants on strike are Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. In these states we need to contact other unions, Jobs w/ Justice, and community organizations to organize visits and caravans to these critical picketlines. A list of the key production plants in these states is listed here.

Send message of support to the UAW, or by e-mail: uawsolidarity@uaw.net.

And of course read the Peoples Weekly World for more coverage of the strike. For an in-depth analysis of the GM contract, see “Auto Pact: the good, the bad and the ugly” below.

Three big cheers for the Teamsters, as with the GM strike last month, they again very quickly promised to honor the picket lines. You can find the complete press release here.