[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 27 (Friday, March 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     A VICTORY FOR LABOR IN VERMONT

                                 ______


                          HON. BERNARD SANDERS

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 11, 1994

  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, at a time when working people all over the 
country are seeing a decline in their standard of living, when 
multinational corporations are using the threat of moving to Mexico to 
force concessions from workers and communities, when corporate 
downsizing, with massive layoffs of workers despite decades of service, 
is the order of the day, and when unions are under fierce attack 
everywhere, it's gratifying to see an example of workers successfully 
organizing and fighting back.
  I'm proud to tell my colleagues that this example comes from my own 
State of Vermont, where the workers of the Fellows Corp. in 
Springfield, organized by the United Electrical Workers union, have 
just successfully won a new contract after a long and difficult strike.
  The UE members at Fellows, by organizing and fighting back, have 
shown how working people can successfully resist the attacks of 
corporate big money. I congratulate them for their victory.
  I'm pleased to submit for the Record a letter which I recently wrote 
to the workers at Fellows.


                                     House of Representatives,

                                Washington, DC, February 10, 1994.
     UE Local 218,
     Seavers Brook Road,
     Springfield, VT.
       Dear Members of UE Local 218: I wish to extend my heartfelt 
     congratulations to all of the members of United Electrical 
     Workers Union Local 218 on your successful strike to obtain a 
     fair contract at Fellows Corporation. For seven weeks you 
     have braved the bitter cold, maintained a spirited around the 
     clock picket line, and have prevailed against great odds. For 
     this we all owe you a debt of gratitude.
       You, like workers across our country, faced an employer who 
     was determined to force severe cutbacks in your wages, health 
     benefits, and pension. You should stand proud today knowing 
     that by fighting back against an attempt to undermine your 
     standard of living, you have won a very significant victory, 
     not only for yourselves, but for all Vermonters.
       All over America workers are being laid off and wages and 
     benefits are being cut. Too often, workers have no choice but 
     to accept this lowering of their standard of living. You have 
     shown that when working people stand together, when their 
     cause is just, they can prevail against the greed which is so 
     widespread in corporate America.
       If working people in America are going to turn around the 
     trend toward lower wages and lower benefits, they are going 
     to have to organize and fight back like you have.
       Once again congratulations to you on your tremendous 
     effort. I look forward to working with you in the future.
           In solidarity,
                                                  Bernard Sanders,
     Member of Congress.

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