Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. Visits Bainport

By aaroncynic in News on Oct 23, 2012 7:10PM

Rev. Jesse Jackson

Rev. Jesse Jackson paid a visit to Bainport Monday, the encampment workers from the Sensata Technologies plant in Freeport established to protest the outsourcing of their jobs. More than two months ago, plant workers began protesting to call attention to the closure of the plant, owned by Bain Capital. By the end of the year, Sensata workers’ jobs will have been outsourced to China.

According to the Journal Standard, Jackson told the workers on Monday “We must draw the line here in Freeport. The Chinese are not taking jobs from us; we are taking jobs to them. We all look the same in the dark; it’s time to turn the lights on.” He then led protesters across the street into the lobby of the plant, where they demanded a severance package.

Last week, six protesters were arrested and charged with criminal trespass at the plant after staging a sit-in. Kathy Hoyer, who previously worked at Sensata told the Journal Standard the arrests were “well worth it.” My Stateline reports her son Wes, who was arrested alongside her, said “I’ve been involved in politics for a long time now, just watching the news and following that sort of thing, and I just wanted to put my money where my mouth was.”