Republic Windows Workers Rally on Lasalle St.

On December 10, 2008 a rally was held on Lasalle St., in the financial district of Chicago. The rally was to support the employees of Republic Windows who had occupied their factory to protest it's closing, and to demand their rightful back wages and benefits. There were close to a thousand supporters there, including the Republic windows workers (who were members of United Electrical Workers or UE, a union), members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Hotel and Restraunt Employees Local 1 (HERE), Teamster local 743, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and others.

The rally was held outside of the Bank of America building on Lasalle St., since it was this bank that refused a line of credit to the window factory, forcing it to close without paying its workers. Bank of America was one of the banks that received money from the bailout Congress passed. People were chanting, "They got bailed out, we got sold out!"

Henry Tamarin President of HERE Local 1 and members of local 1 representing.

American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees members.

A representative of Rainbo/Push speaking to the crowd.

This speaker discussed the housing crisies and how it was impacting Chicago residents.

This woman was from the Interfaith Committee on Workers Issues.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

One of the Republic Windows workers speaks out.

The IWW

There were so many people we had to march around the block.

Food Not Bombs provided food for the protestors.