BRONX, NY, SEPTEMBER 27 — "All these factory bosses, big or small, have been trying to eliminate the unions all together," explained one of the 136 striking Stella D’Oro Biscuit workers here, out since August 13. Not one worker has crossed the united picket line. Support has come from other locals, transit workers, truckers and the community said one machinist. Strikers said that although lost wages are starting to hurt, they’re all determined to win this struggle.

The Stella D’oro strikers are in Local 50, within the much larger Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM). When asked why the other locals haven’t walked out in solidarity, one worker said, "That would be great but many are afraid to lose what they have." This integrated local has shown the rest of the international that withdrawing their labor power from the bosses is a key way of both turning fear into its opposite and making a real stand for workers’ power.

This strike represents many of the same dynamics attacking workers nation-wide. One worker declared, "We know that this strike is an outcome of the economy. They say there’s no money but they want to squeeze profits out of our wages while they spend $2.3 trillion on the war in Iraq!" This worker is absolutely right!

This particular attack began when Stella D’Oro was sold to Brynwood Partners in January 2006 for about $17 million. The crashing economy has reduced sales and profits. A union official said Stella D’oro bosses want to steal an additional $1.5 million annually from these workers.

Preceding the strike the bosses pushed the workers to the hilt. "They sped up production to sub-human standards," said one worker, adding, "It’s not just the contract that drove us over the edge… it’s the working conditions as well!"

The bosses want to eliminate four holidays, 12 sick days, one week of vacation and viciously attack workers‘ wages. Now they want every worker to pay approximately $400 a month for their health benefits and to contribute a dollar of their hourly wage towards their pensions. However, over a five-year period these combined cuts (plus union dues and other expenses) would slash take-home pay nearly 50%, dropping from $18 to as little as $10 an hour, not counting inflation, by 2013!

This bosses’ attack is also racist. Given the composition of the workforce — Latin, Asian, black and white (European immigrant) — the bosses figure they can get away with super-exploiting these workers, and net super-profits.

Although production has slowed down, it hasn’t been stopped. Scabs have been hired. "Nobody wants to get into trouble" physically stopping scabs, explained one worker. We told another worker that, "Stopping scabs from crossing a picket line has always been an important part of maintaining an effective strike." But this worker said this would need the backing of the entire BCTGM union.

We brought coffee and donuts and gave all 25 afternoon-shift pickets a copy of CHALLENGE. They were impressed with the front-page Boeing strike article. "We’re small and it’s good to see so many workers fighting like this," commented one worker.

The Boeing strikers’ militancy and the role that communist leadership plays should help embolden this small but spirited strike here. We will bring our co-workers and students to discuss such lessons with the workers on future visits. They were also excited to hear we would try to raise strike support at the next teachers union Delegate Assembly. We will also invite some strikers to speak at our October 18 PLP forum on the elections.

"While so many people are talking about the illusion of "change they can believe in" declared one PL’er, "you guys are showing workers and students the real direction of change!"

We have much to learn from the striking Stella D’oro workers because they’ve done what so many of us need to do. Ultimately, it’s the entire capitalist system that needs to be shut down. Only then will workers see the true potential of their power.