Hundreds of petrochemical workers
picket the Dow Chemical Co.

POTS, PANS AND MORE-Hundreds of petrochemical workers and their families
picketed the Dow Chemical Co. plant in Texas City, Texas, June 20 to
show solidarity for two besieged units of the Texas City Metal Trades
Council, whose 400 workers-members of nine unions-have been working
without a contract at Dow since April 1. Two hundred fifteen union
members were locked out by Sterling Chemical June 7 just minutes after
they voted down the company's "best and final offer." On June 14, more
than 200 spouses and children marched to the Sterling plant, banging
pots and pans and seeking a meeting with the plant manager, who refused
to come out. At the Dow rally, state AFL-CIO President Joe Gunn called
Sterling and Dow "corporate terrorists" and pledged the federation's
full support. Meanwhile, the unions are deciding whether to appeal a
June 27 ruling by the regional director of the National Labor Relations
Board that charges of unfair labor practices against the company were
unfounded.