United States Steelworkers, auto and unemployed workers braved snow Saturday morning, encouraging people to buy American-made products.
Approximately 50 demonstrators marched with signs around the Kosciusko County Courthouse. The demonstrators were part of a "Rebuild America: Main Street Revolution Revolution" rally.
There also were rallies Saturday in Lafayette, Logansport, Fort Wayne and South Bend. The rallies were part of a national effort the Steelworkers led in conjunction with AFL-CIO.
The signs they carried read statements such as "Keep Jobs In America", "Rebuild America", and "Support The Working Class."
There also are rallies scheduled at the Kosciusko County Courthouse Feb. 28 and March 14 and 28 from 10 to 11 a.m.The demonstrators encouraged people to show support for spending U.S. tax dollars on U.S. products; investing tax dollars in U.S. manufacturing and infrastructure jobs; developing incentives to create and retain U.S. jobs; and making it easier to unionize.
Michael O'Brien, Plymouth, said he was proud to march with the other demonstrators.
"If America's working people's voice is to be heard it has to be heard on Main Street in America because we certainly don't have the money to have all of the lobbyists that big international companies have," O'Brien said.
He said the purpose of the rally was to make the public aware that there needs to be legislative changes.
"If working people are to share in the recovery, they have to have a way to bargain with their employer and the answer to that is the Employee-Free Choice Act," he said.
He said the act would make it easier to unionize and not do away with secret ballot elections, but would force companies to bargain in good faith with their employees.
Rodney Smythe, Warsaw, who has been employed at Spartech Plastics as a lab technician for 25 years, attended the rally with his 4-year-old daughter Alison.
"With the economy the way it is, we just want some change because we've dealt with eight years of corporate greed and we are tired of it," Smythe said.
Kara Lemler, Warsaw, a DePuy United Steel Worker, held a sign that said "Rebuild America."
"I am here to support the American worker and keep jobs here," Lemler said.
Dan Roehl, Fort Wayne, 2209 United Auto Workers, has been employed at Fort Wayne Truck and Bus General Motors for 30 years. Roehl was originally from Janesville, Wis., where an auto plant he worked for closed last year. He transferred to Fort Wayne after being laid off in 1986.
"I can relate to the people in Elkhart because my family and friends in Wisconsin are going through the same type of layoff situation, and fortunately I had time to transfer to another company," Roehl said.
He said it is a tough time whether a person is in the steel, plastics or manufacturing business.
"We need to start taking care of the mom-and-pop shops in small-town America," Roehl said.
Kathy Surface, United Auto Workers 2049, Columbia City, was laid off Friday from Coupled Products LLC, Columbia City, where she has been employed for 18 years. She said Friday was her third time for being laid off from the business where she worked in the automotive department. She said when she started working for the company, there were more than 800 employees and now there are 100 employees.
Alan Vilvo, 6805 United Steelworkers, Warsaw, said he has been employed at Dalton Corp. for five years and was laid off Friday. He said Friday was his first time for being laid off from the company.
"It's scary. I have house payments and utilities to pay, and I am here to show support for the union and United Auto Workers," Vilvo said. "It's important to support the American workers because if we don't support them, no one will."
