by Marcos Medeiros
Approximately 100 production and maintenance workers at Mauser Packaging Solutions’ Chicago facility ceased operations, initiating a strike on June 9. The workers, members of Teamsters Local 705, organized picket lines and demonstrated outside the plant.
The strike was framed as necessary by the union to achieve “higher wages, better benefits and safer working conditions,” according to a statement by the Teamsters.
“They are taking action to hold this greedy company accountable,” said Juan Campos, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 705 and Teamsters International Vice President At-Large.
Mauser Packaging Solutions is a multinational corporation specializing in industrial packaging, including drums, cans, and industrial containers. According to corporate reports, Mauser brings in an annual revenue of $4 billion dollars with over 170 sites globally.
The momentum seems to be in favor of the workers as strikes have also extended into Mauser locations in Los Angeles and Minnesota, according to the Teamsters. Prior to the recent events in Chicago, Mauser’s subsidiary, Industrial Container Services (ICS), locked out Teamsters Local 117 members in Seattle back in April in a move the union describes as part of the “anti-union playbook” and meant to hinder contract negotiation efforts.
“Mauser tried to push us out instead of bargaining fairly. Now they’re trying the same thing in Chicago — but they’re not just fighting one group of Teamsters. They’re up against the entire Teamsters Union,” said Brian Perfitt in a Teamsters press release, a locked-out Teamster at ICS and member of Local 117.
The Teamsters strikes reflect a surge in recent labor activity in response to the deepening economic crisis. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that 458,900 workers were involved in “major work stoppages” in 2023, an increase of 280% from the previous year.
U.S. workers have expressed a 70% approval of unions despite the steady decline in union membership, which attests to the ineffectiveness and internal contradictions of business unionism in meeting the needs and demands of U.S. workers.
Photo: Teamsters on strike outside a Mauser facility. Photo retrieved from Teamsters press release.
The Worker is an entirely volunteer-run revolutionary newspaper free from and radically antagonistic to corporate influence. We rely on the support of our readers to sustain our editorial line in service of the working class and the reconstitution of its party, the Communist Party. Make a one-time or recurring donation to our newspaper today:
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
