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Militant March on Labor Day

By VVAW

Over 200 people marched on Labor Day in Milwaukee demanding VICTORY TO THE MEATCUTTERS and JOBS OR INCOME, NOW! The spirited march was led by unemployed workers and striking meatcutters. Following them were workers from plants around the city, veterans and students. VVAW/WSO had a contingent as did the Unemployed Workers Organization Committee and the Committee to Fight Police Repression.

Because the march was held as 80,000 miners were out on strike in the east and Mid-west there were many signs and banners calling for VICTORY TO THE COAL MINERS, and chants of MEATCUTTERS, MINERS-SAME STRUGGLE, SAME FIGHT! rang out along the parade route.

Some people who watched the parade joined in the march. One family, kids and all, joined as the march went by their home. Many others came out on their porches and from taverns to voice support and solidarity. Everyone was really enthusiastic, including 17 kids from the Kassner housing project who had their own contingent and carried a banner they made themselves reading, "Find our Parents Jobs."

After the march there was a rally and a picnic held in Reservoir Park. At the rally speakers talked about the meatcutters strike and why it was an important battle of working people in Milwaukee. About 750 meatcutters have been on strike since January fighting against wage cuts, rate cuts, inflation and a new job classification. A meatcutter spoke about the long strike and about the way the workers are standing fast in their demands, in spite of the fact that the meat packing companies are using scabs to try and break the strike. He thanked everyone for their support and called for continued help. He said, "When we go back in, the scabs got to go. We've all been on strike this long together. We all go back together--or nobody goes."

Recently a Meatcutters Solidarity Committee was formed made up of workers from around the city who see this as a key battle. This worker's committee marched in the parade and called on the people at the rally to join with them.

Other speakers talked about the fight of unemployed workers for jobs or income, the coal miners' strike and the fight of transportation workers against discrimination. A VVAW/WSO speaker talked about the struggle that veterans are waging in Milwaukee around the VA disability cutback of Ted Streit.

The speaker from the Revolutionary Union gave a short history of Labor Day and told how it was originally set up by the ruling class in opposition to May Day, the international holiday of the working class. He quoted from the Milwaukee Sentinel that "labor and capital could work together to build a better world." And then he went on to explain that labor and capital don't work together on anything; that big business owners and the top labor officials work hand-in-hand to try and keep workers down. Citing the meatcutters, the coal miners and the thousands of people fighting for jobs, he told how the real fights are being waged by working people themselves.

After the rally everyone enjoyed a barbecued chicken dinner with beer and soda. One of the reasons for the success of Labor Day was the fact that prior to it, people went all over the city building for the march. Posters were put up on vacant buildings around Milwaukee. Many small shopkeepers put posters in their store windows. In addition, several days before the march people went door-to-door through the community surrounding Holton Street and talked to their neighbors about the march and why it was being held. Almost everyone thought it was a good way to celebrate Labor Day.

Three days before the march a car with a bullhorn went around the city explaining the demands and inviting people to join in the march and rally. Once, people came out of a tavern and talked about the demands. Another time, a striking meatcutter pulled up to the car and showed the driver petitions that he had been gathering, and stated that he would be at the march with his family.

Even though Labor Day was meant to have one meaning, it was obvious by the militancy and unity of the march, rally and picnic, that working people see Labor Day as a day to continue the daily struggle for decent lives.