On Strike at UAW Local 364

The 230 people in our plant who are on strike need America's support.

We work for a company named Steinway. We make musical instruments. Our plant

alone makes brass horns, and a few saxaphones.

On March 31, 2006. We found out our two top Executives named Messina and Stoner

sold their stock. We went on strike April 1, 2006.

This corporation does not care about their people, individuals are losing their

homes, their cars, and in some cases are having to turn their own children over

to their parents to care for because they can not provide for them any longer.

This company paid some strikers that crossed our picket lines their average

earnings from when they left. A VIOLATION. As soon as they were called on it,

Steinway called them into a meeting and told them they had to drop their pay to

that of scabs hired off the street.

We have better insurance now that we are on strike than we did when we were

working. How sad is that? Our Company Steinway complains of an elderly work

force, and they can not find good insurance anymore. In 2002 and 2003 Steinway

laid off 200 workers, mainly lower senority and younger individuals. Now they

want us to take it in the rear for what they did years ago. Last offer we turned

down had a $ 4,000. deductible with a maximun yearly deductible of $ 12,000.

deductible. Who can afford that kind of insurance in today's world?

Stoner has made the comment to us that any monkey can do the job. We use to put

out 200 horns per week. The scabs from what we have heard are putting out 30 a

week.

I am writing this letter to let everyone know that this company posted a profit

of 111.5 million for 2005. Unlike other companies that have posted a loss.

When we went on strike we had over 200 greivances that the company would not

work with our union on.

We have been on strike 6 months now, We love our Jobs at Steinway. We are

wondering if our fellow Americans can help us pass the word as far as you can. 

God bless you. and thankyou.

Steinway is trying to take our horns to China, and eventually will. Where will

the American population work to earn money if company's keep doing this?

Our company will not negotiate financially at all. It is okay for our floor

people to take cuts, but the corporate levels keep getting raises. Our two big

guys mentioned in the letter Messina and Stoner got $20,000. and $30,000. dollar

raises. I and my fellow workers know that they are not suffering. Anyone can go

to the Steinway website.

Thankyou so much everyone for your help. Your union sister at UAW Local 364 in Elkhart,

Indiana.

Deneen Seigler