Some 300 GCIU local officers and members came to the rally bearing petitions signed by thousands of members in Quebecor's unionized plants in the United States and Canada to demonstrate their support for their Effingham sisters and brothers.

The Rally for Fairness, Dignity, and Respect for Quebecor Workers was aimed at letting company officials know the Effingham workers are not alone in their contract struggle, Effingham 39B Pres. Don Brown told the Effingham Daily News.

"We're here with the support of other locals to get the company back to the bargaining table and show them we've got the support of other Quebecor workers," Brown said. "We just want a fair contract."

Joan Gouchenover of Effingham 39B carries a sign at the Effingham Quebecor World rally.

GCIU Rep. Phillip Roberts, who is assisting local 39B and 391C in negotiations, said the major issue in the Effingham plant, as at most of Quebecor's other 31 union plants, is health insurance.

Noting that the company claims that health insurance concessions are necessary to keep the plant in operation, Roberts said: "It's the same story at every plant. If workers don't cave in to Quebecor's demands, everybody is threatened with a plant closure. It's a big shell game to try to scare people into getting less and less for their employment."

GCIU Contracts and Research Director Alan M. Tate said Quebecor management is demanding complete control over health insurance so the company can arbitrarily cut benefits and raise premium costs without negotiating with employees.

Tate said Quebecor World Effingham management also would like workers to believe that the health insurance issue is particular to their local area. "That's simply not true," he said. "They're the same issues we face at every other Quebecor plant in the United States."

Another issue in negotiations is the company's demand for increases in 15-month increments instead of annual increases, Tate said.

"We hope Quebecor will get the message and sit down and negotiate a fair contract," Tate said.

Omaha 543M Pres. Richard Conn noted that Quebecor is the world's largest commercial printing company and the most profitable. "It really is strictly greed," Conn said. "They're making money hand over fist," he told the Effingham Daily News.

In addition to the rally, the GCIU activists attended a solidarity-building training session in Effingham that was facilitated by the AFL-CIO, Tate said.

Showing support for Effingham Quebecor World GCIU members are from left: Lincoln 543M Pres. Richard Conn, Steve Ryan of Lincoln 221M, Dan Mitchell of Local 543M, and Ray Woodward of Local 221M.

Meanwhile, solidarity among union members at Quebecor plants is gaining momentum around the world. The company has some 39,000 employees in more than 160 facilities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and India.

At a July meeting focusing on multinationals in the graphical industry that was coordinated by the Union Network International (UNI) and held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, more than 40 union leaders from eight nations issued a statement in support of the Effingham workers:

"...[We] stand strong and in solidarity with our GCIU brothers and sisters in Effingham, Ill. We applaud you for standing up to Quebecor. We applaud you for standing up for what is right.

"We may not share common borders or even a common language, but we all share the common goal of dignity, respect, a fair wage, and fair benefits. Quebecor was built and earns billions of dollars on the backs of working people. We are united in your cause. We demand that Quebecor return to the bargaining table with fair proposals and settle these contracts immediately," the graphical union activists said.

Attending the rally were activists from Atlanta 8M; Atlanta 527S; Buffalo 17B; Buffalo 26H; Buffalo 76SE; Chicago 458-3M; Jonesboro 527M; Lincoln 221M; Memphis 223M; Memphis 231M; Mt. Morris 65B; Mt. Morris 91P; Nashville-Clarksville 290M; and Omaha 543M.

GCIU members from throughout the United States rally to support Effingham Quebecor World GCIU members seeking a decent contract. From far left are Barry Bryant of Jonesboro 527M, Buffalo 17B Pres. Ken Owen, Joseph Ziewicki of Buffalo 76SE, and John Marino of Buffalo 26H.

Supporters of GCIU Effingham Quebecor World workers congregate in Effingham for a rally. From left are: Barry Bryant of Jonesboro 527M, Buffalo 17B Pres. Ken Owen, Donald Martin of Buffalo 76SE, John Marino and Charles Coniglio of Buffalo 26H, GCIU Organizer Mike Huggins, Steven Allen and Ronald Ghetti of Memphis 231M, Ray Woodward of Lincoln 221M, and Louis Politsch of Mt. Morris 65B.