FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 09, 2005
Contact: Richard Berg or Tony Caldera, 773-550-1467

Frederick Cooper Lamp Workers Strike

Friday June 10, 2005
7:00 AM.
2545 W. Diversey

After months of negotiations the Frederick Cooper Lamp Company has refused to budge off its insulting last offer. Therefore the workers and their union, Teamsters Local 743, announced that they will strike if a settlement is not reached by 7:00 A.M. this Friday June 10, 2005.

On Wednesday June 8, over 100 workers rallied with community leaders and Alderman Manuel Flores (1st Ward.) to demand a just settlement. They chanted, “Si se puede.” (We can do it.) Almost all the workers have been at the plant for 25 to 35 years.

The owners of Frederick Cooper have a contract to sell the building and the name for many millions of dollars. The owners offer involves getting rid of all its workers; leaving them with no pension, sell than $1000 in severance and only two months of health insurance.

Union steward and negotiating committee member Tony Caldera said, “The lamps we make have made millions of dollars for the owners. Now they want to leave us in poverty. We say no. We are fighting for our dignity and we will fight until we have received justice.”

Frederick Cooper has manufactured lamps in Logan Square for generations now. They have announced the sale of the building and intentions to close by August 31st. Community groups are fighting on the side of Cooper workers for a decent severance package and to keep the lot zoned as manufacturing, which Alderman Manny Flores (1st Ward) supported at a public meeting on June 1st.