On The Lock-Out Line

I have been spending some time with my husband out on the "Line". This is not a picket line since the workers are not on strike. They are out they yelling at the buses as they pull in with replacement workers (known as Scabs) saying they just want to work! They also take pictures of the workers that have replaced them, pictures of any trucks with containers and the numbers so that they can be tracked to the docks. They keep tabs on who is crossing the line. So almost all of the Unions worldwide are supporting our cause and not crossing the line. The companies that are will be remembered.

Here is a typical night at the "Gauntlet" which is what the shift change is called. That is when the most amount of people are out to show support and when the most workers...ehm scabs are in and out of the gate.


Waiting for the first cars/buses to arrive.


Donna and Renee are so patriotic!


How many sheriffs does it take to get to center of a tootsie pop?


Here are the buses. They are busing them in from Mojave, 32 miles away and housing them as well. Now how much money is that costing????


Trying to shame the shameless, the management in that van. A tough job.


I could only look at them with tears streaming down my face. I hope I gave them nightmares that night.


Many of them tried to ignore us. Some of them even laughed. Those that saw me cry stopped laughing though. I don't think the scabs truly understand what is going on.

So now you can see how I have been spending a lot of my time. I have also been baking to bring food out to the people who are out there every night. I may not have much, but we all have to stick together in this. An injury to one, is an injury to all!

Locked Out

For those of you who may not know. My husband and his fellow mine workers were walked to the gate and their work keys, time cards, work phones, etc. were taken from them Jan 31. My husband was not even allowed to get his work tools. They were locked out because management and the union had not been able to reach an agreeable contract. So instead of continuing talks the mine just locked the workers out.



So now my husband is out of work and the mine has brought replacement workers in. Probably from their borax mine in Argentina. I am sure they think minimum wage is great!

My husband is at the mine right now attempting to retrieve his tools. He bought them himself and he has about $15,000 invested in them along with a large rolling toolbox. I hope they are not giving him any hassles.