Dec 8, 2008 5:56 pm US/Central
Sit-In Wearing On Republic Workers' Families
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Apolina Cabrera and his wife, Margarita, are expecting another child on Christmas Day. But the stress of his sudden layoff has the family worried about how they'll make ends meet.
CBS
The sit-in on the floor of the Republic Windows and Doors factory has been especially hard on families of the workers. The company shut down abruptly on Friday after Bank of America canceled its line of credit due to a sharp downturn in Republic's business.
Apolinar Cabrera worked at Republic Windows for 17 years. Last Tuesday he, like 300 others, was laid off – without vacation pay or severance.
"I feel worried because like these people right here, I got kids to support, a house to pay, bills," Apolinar Cabrera said.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports the Archer Heights resident had planned to take four weeks off soon to be his wife, Margarita, who's pregnant with their third child, due Christmas Day.
"Now, he's going to be off but we're not going to have any money," Margarita Cabrera said. "We don't have insurance and we don't have money to pay the house."
As the fourth day of the sit-in rolled on there were high spirits on the front line as workers chanted "yes, we can" in Spanish. But on the home front, Margarita Cabrera worried about Christmas. Her older son, Brandon, poignantly offered to shovel more snow for neighbors to help make ends meet. And what should be a joyous wait for the baby was made more anxious.
"I was so happy and I try to be because my baby's going to be a Christmas baby," she said. "I hope the blessing is going to come with him, but as you see my house doesn't have a Christmas tree, 'cause it's going to be tough."
"Now, my family, my wife, they are suffering right now," Apolinar Cabrera said. "So I'm here to fight for my rights. That's what I'm going to do."
Apolinar Cabrera came to Chicago 20 years ago from Mexico City, hoping to achieve his piece of the American Dream. He became an American citizen two years ago.
Now, he says, he's touched by the way Americans far beyond Chicago are supporting the Republic workers, who only want what they're due under law.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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