Burmese Refugees Battle Oppression in U.S. Plant

Updated 2 months, 3 weeks ago

Aung Oo, foreground, and Tim Hand, far right, are on strike in support of their co-workers at W&K Steel.

Aung Oo fled his native Burma with his family to escape the brutality, ethnic violence and repression of that country’s military dictatorship.

After being allowed to legally migrate to the United States under the refugee resettlement program, he faces another kind of oppression―working for an employer ...

that pays him half what he should make and that forces him and his co-workers, both native and foreign, to work in unsafe conditions.

So on Sept. 8, Aung Oo and a U.S.-born employee, Tim Hand, went on strike against W&K Steel on behalf of all the other 35 workers in the plant, located in Rankin, Pa., just outside Pittsburgh. They are still on strike.

In a letter to W&K, they demanded that management correct such egregious safety violations as water running down into electrical panels, frayed extension cords with exposed wires in standing water, lack of ventilation, exposure to extreme cold weather and lack of safety training. They also demanded an end to discrimination and equal pay for equal work.

(You can help gain a fair deal for the W&K workers by writing to the company’s owner, Ed Wilhelm, and demanding that he immediately stop exploiting the refugees and meet with the Three Rivers Coalition for Justice to resolve these issues. Write to: Ed Wilhelm, W&K Steel, 98 Antisbury Place, Rankin, PA 15104.)

Several W&K workers described their experiences to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and spoke to a group of international labor leaders at the AFL-CIO Convention in Pittsburgh. The workers also will testify Nov. 13 at a National Workers’ Rights Hearing sponsored by the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA). The hearing will be at the AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Talking with Trumka, one refugee told how he and his family of five live in a small two-bedroom apartment supplied by the company. He works an average of 50 hours a week and grosses approximately $25,000 annually, with overtime. Other workers say they are expected to run large presses and shears that cut steel beams, but have no guards to protect against severing fingers and hands.

The American-born workers at W&K don’t fare much better. They say they must endure unsafe working conditions, with workloads increasing and time to safely perform the tasks decreasing. They also say the company’s health plan is unaffordable and the pay is low.

Hand said he is on strike because the way workers, native and foreign, are treated is dangerous.

Exploitation, verbal abuse and disrespect toward the refugees is a major issue. The refugees are paid half of what I make, even though they perform the same work as me. This is wage discrimination in my eyes, and it is not right. Just because they do not speak English very well does not give anybody the right to exploit them or pay them less.

The Burmese refugees came to the United States to escape oppression, only to find themselves working in unjust conditions here, says Chad Rankin, an organizer with the Ironworkers and a member of the Three Rivers Coalition for Justice, which is assisting the workers.

“The refugees feared challenging the unsafe working environment, shoddy housing and substandard wages because they are afraid they will lose their jobs and be forced back to Burma,” Rankin says.

Aung Oo says he is on strike because America is supposed to be a land of opportunity and equality.

I stood up and went on strike not only for myself but for all the refugee workers in the shop because our community is suffering. I know that we are exploited.

16 comments on this story

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Minnesotan 2 months, 4 weeks ago on Wordpress

For my job, I help legal refugees, including Burmese refugees, find and keep employment and get off of welfare, which changes them from recipients of government assistance to taxpayers who contribute to your Social Security and other benefits.

The refugees and immigrants of today are the American citizens of tomorrow. I am descended from refugees and voluntary immigrants.

Refugees ... See all content Hide content

Dr 3 months ago on Wordpress

IllegalsGoHome,I know the only thing that will let him see how wrong he is is when some illegal has his job or his childrens job.By then it will be to late for him to understand that they are not just poor folks looking for a better life,they certainly aren’t refugees from some war torn 3rd world country.Their country is wealthy just more corrupt than ours,they should be trying to change their ... See all content Hide content

IllegalsGoHome 3 months ago on Wordpress

Dr we’re just wasting our time on people like Frisco Worker. He obviously is pro-illegal and sees no wrong in ‘unlawful occupation’ of our country.

Frisco Worker 3 months ago on Wordpress

How many immigrants do you think get here because they are anti-working class and/or have plenty of money in their pocket ie: Cuban gusano’s, Zionists supporters, rich capitalists willing to spend their money in U.S., etc.. Instead of fighting the poor and working class immigrants about they being “illegal” it is our responsibilty to reach out to them and try to organize the unorganized . ... See all content Hide content

Dr 3 months ago on Wordpress

Frisco worker I have said this before I am not anti-immigrant I am anti-illegal immigrant.These people if the story is true and I have no reason to doubt it are here legally.They came the way all should come through the proper channels and no one has the right to treat them this way.I don’t want illegals treated this way either but i most certainly do not believe they should be shoved ahead of ... See all content Hide content

IllegalsGoHome 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

I have been posting to this site for quite a long time now and I don’t recall any ‘anti-immigrant’ posts. Unless, of course, you happen to be referring to people just like me who DO post as anti-illegal. There are immigrants and there are illegals. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING! If you immigrate to this country by obeying the law and coming here legally you are an immigrant. If, on ... See all content Hide content

Frisco Worker 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

A true example of cooperation between native and foreign born workers struggling together to right wrongs. For all the anti-immigrant bigots who post on this site it probably won’t make any difference because they would side with the bosses when push comes to shove since it is in the bosses interest to pit native against foreign born workers and has been since the beginning of time.

KevinAlcena 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

RT @wfpman: [googlereader] Burmese Refugees Battle Oppression in U.S. Plant: Aung Oo, foregroun.. http://bit.ly/2igB1r

uberVU - social comments 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

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wfpman 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

[googlereader] Burmese Refugees Battle Oppression in U.S. Plant:

Aung Oo, foregroun.. http://bit.ly/2igB1r

tandmark 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

Burmese refugees on strike at Pittsburgh steel plant: http://bit.ly/3NTI9T

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[via Google] Burmese Refugees Battle Oppression in US Plant - AFL-CIO: AFL-CIOBurmese Refugees Batt.. http://bit.ly/47NViB

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