The Strike At Cambion

THE STRIKE is over at Cambion, but the struggle between union workers and management continues. Faced with the stubborn refusal of Cambion to negotiate, the leadership of C.U.E. Local 262 realized its position was hopeless and so recommended that the rank and file vote to end the seven-month-old strike. The move was designed to preserve the union at the plant, at a time when about 100 of the original 250 workers who went on strike last April had been forced to find other jobs and another 35 former strikers had crossed picket lines to report to work.

When the strike ended last week, the National Labor Relations Board was scheduled to begin prosecuting Cambion on November 17 for refusing to bargain in good faith. The union was hopeful that a ruling would be issued against the company before April 14, when the second year of the present two-year contract with the company ends. Possible sanctions against the company would provide the union with some bargaining leverage in the new contract talks.

But last Friday the union's hopes received a major setback. The NLRB granted a postponement of the trial to January 5. Cambion has asked for a settlement of the charges and is now assuring the union and the NLRB that it is willing to bargain.

The trial postponement is more than just another delay in the long overdue prosecution of Cambion for refusing to bargain. Cambion's request to settle with the NLRB fits well with the company's overall strategy of destroying the union.

As long as NLRB charges are pending, the company cannot call for a union decertification election at the plant, something the company undoubtedly is looking toward. The company executives hope to capitalize on the union's weak position: Local 262 has just lost an agonizingly long strike, nearly half its membership, and its top leadership, fired from their jobs last week.

On Monday Local 262 filed charges at the NLRB protesting the firing of its leaders. Fortunately, even if the NLRB believes Cambion is now going to bargain and grants a settlement of the bad-faith bargaining charges, as long as the new charges remain unresolved a decertification election cannot take place.

But the pattern of Cambion's attempt to destroy the union is clear. The NLRB's postponement of the trial date, coming over half a year after union charges were first filed, and the NLRB's consideration of granting a settlement to Cambion, is no less than outrageous.

Without claiming economic hardship, Cambion provoked the strike and has refused to bargain. Cambion tried illegally to withhold vacation wages earned by workers before the strike began. And two years ago the NLRB ruled Cambion had illegally fired two workers for their support of the union organizing drive at the plant.

The NLRB is clearly inadequate in protecting the rights of workers to organize. The National Labor Relations Act--with its light sanctions against offending companies and its allowances for endless delays--is inherently favorable to management in situations like this. And this has been clear in many labor disputes other than the one between Local 262 and Cambion.

The workers of Cambion continue to need support; their strike is over but their struggle continues.