Support the Freightliner Five

Five executive committee members of UAW Local 3520 have been fired from the Freightliner plant in Cleveland, N.C., for leading a strike when their contract expired. The media cried “wildcat strike,” but that wasn't the case. The strike wasn't authorized by the International UAW, but it wasn't illegal, nor was it a wildcat strike. In much that followed the UAW assisted Freightliner in obtaining the false statements and testified against the five members in a National Labor Relations Board hearing on charges they filed over their discharges. The UAW then used the bogus statements to put the five members on trial, defying a vote of the membership not to do so.

The five committee members, Robert Whiteside, Allen Bradley, Franklin Torrence, Glenna Swinford and David Crisco, have vowed to continue the fight for justice. In spite of Freightliner's efforts to deny them unemployment, a savvy hearing officer awarded them unemployment payments, which have run out.

Get the whole story here    and an update here

The finances of these courageous rank-and-file trade unionists, some of whom helped the UAW organize Freightliner, have been exhausted. There are a number of legal battles ahead with the company, and no doubt the UAW as well. They have launched a national solidarity campaign to raise funds to allow them to keep organizing.

Call UAW President Ron Gettlefinger at 313-926-5000 and share your concerns.

Send a personal contribution today, or ask your union local or organization to donate. Make checks payable to: Justice 4 Five Solidarity Fund, P.O. Box 5144, Statesville, N.C. 28687. For more information, visit the Justice 4 Five Web site.