For many years, when employers have sought to undermine workers' rights, they've found it convenient to exploit racial divisions. Striking white railroad and meatpacking workers, for example, were replaced by African-Americans who long were excluded from those jobs ? until it was handy to have them as strikebreakers.
White workers often turned their anger against the black workers ? instead of the employers who were playing them both for maximum profit.
Community and union leaders are hoping to avoid similar racial tensions at Northwest Airlines, where a strike by members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association is entering its second week. To replace striking airplane cleaners, Northwest has hired Globe Aviation Services, a national corporation that provides services to the airline industry. In the Twin Cities, many Globe employees are recent immigrants from Somalia.
Omar Jamal, director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center, is concerned that the Globe workers don't understand the situation at Northwest and would not want to be used to break a strike.
"They have no clue what this is all about," he told Workday Minnesota after speaking at an AMFA support rally Saturday.
Jamal told the crowd that the Somali community supports Northwest Airlines workers. "On behalf of the Somali immigrants in the state of Minnesota, we are with you," he said.
The Somali Justice Advocacy Center is still gathering information about the situation, he said. As of Saturday, he said he did not yet know how many Somali workers are employed by Globe and how many are performing struck work.
However, within a week, the Advocacy Center plans to distribute fliers in Somali to explain the Northwest walkout and hold a meeting with Globe workers, he said. Members of the Somali community also plan to join AMFA members on the picketline and bring them food to show support, he said.
Ted Ludwig, president of AMFA Local 33, said the union is concerned that Northwest will try to exploit divisions between his members and other workers.
"Do not let Northwest manipulate us ? divide us!" he told fellow union members at the support rally.
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For many years, when employers have sought to undermine workers’ rights, they’ve found it convenient to exploit racial divisions. Striking white railroad and meatpacking workers, for example, were replaced by African-Americans who long were excluded from those jobs ? until it was handy to have them as strikebreakers.
White workers often turned their anger against the black workers ? instead of the employers who were playing them both for maximum profit.
Community and union leaders are hoping to avoid similar racial tensions at Northwest Airlines, where a strike by members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association is entering its second week. To replace striking airplane cleaners, Northwest has hired Globe Aviation Services, a national corporation that provides services to the airline industry. In the Twin Cities, many Globe employees are recent immigrants from Somalia.
Omar Jamal, director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center, is concerned that the Globe workers don’t understand the situation at Northwest and would not want to be used to break a strike.
“They have no clue what this is all about,” he told Workday Minnesota after speaking at an AMFA support rally Saturday.
Jamal told the crowd that the Somali community supports Northwest Airlines workers. “On behalf of the Somali immigrants in the state of Minnesota, we are with you,” he said.
The Somali Justice Advocacy Center is still gathering information about the situation, he said. As of Saturday, he said he did not yet know how many Somali workers are employed by Globe and how many are performing struck work.
However, within a week, the Advocacy Center plans to distribute fliers in Somali to explain the Northwest walkout and hold a meeting with Globe workers, he said. Members of the Somali community also plan to join AMFA members on the picketline and bring them food to show support, he said.
Ted Ludwig, president of AMFA Local 33, said the union is concerned that Northwest will try to exploit divisions between his members and other workers.
“Do not let Northwest manipulate us ? divide us!” he told fellow union members at the support rally.