Union Members & Others Join Cummins Workers on the Picket Line

Union members and other supporters continue to show up on the picket line to support Cummins Inc. (IAM 447) workers in Scarborough. On Friday members of the Maine State Nurses Association/NNU joined the picket line. This week members of the Portland Professional Firefighters (IAFF 740) and Machinists Local S7 from Bath Iron Workers stood in solidarity with the IAM 447 members who have been on strike for nearly month to demand the company halt its attempt force to replace the current wage system with inconsistent and subjective pay for performance policies.

Strike leader Tom Campobasso says that the workers have received “overwhelming”support from other workers and the community. To date, IAM 447 members have been joined on the picket line by members of Maine State Nurses Association, Machinists Local S6, S7 and District 4, Stagehands (IATSE) 114; IBEW 1837, Teamsters 340, Maine AFL-CIO, Southern Maine Labor Council, Portland Firefighters (IAFF 740), Bowdoin Labor Alliance and many others.

"We believe solidarity is an important component of our actions, and we need to exercise it in our community," said Bowdoin student Radu Stochita, a member of the Bowdoin Labor Alliance. " We felt a sense of duty after people from the Maine AFL-CIO came to speak with us in the past about supporting worker struggles, so we  felt like we had to help them the Cummins workers as much as we could."

Can YOUR union come out to the picket and support Cummins workers? They are currently on the picket line Monday - Friday from 6am – 3:30 pm at 10 Gibson Road in Scarborough. Will your local “adopt” a picket day?   “Adopting a picket day” means you pick a date (Monday- Friday) and commit to:  

• Recruit members to pledge to visit the strike line that day 
• Bring a sign that has your local’s name on it (ie “IBEW 1234 in solidarity with Cummins Workers”) and 
• Get a photo of your members there
• If you want, you can bring food to share with the workers, but that is optional.  

Contact Sarah at sarah@maineaflcio.org to claim a date for your local.