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Pending Arbitration Ends Nilsson's Hunger Strike
Hunger striker Gary Nilsson, president of Local 1365 in North Andover, Mass., is back on solid foods as the issue involving laid-off Lucent workers that led him to stop eating July 1 heads to arbitration.
Before ending the hunger strike Aug. 16, Nilsson allowed himself only fruit juice and a vitamin drink - losing about 20 pounds - to bring attention to the cause of 34 maintenance technicians who lost their jobs due to outsourcing. Lucent refused to give them an enhanced severance package provided to other workers who lost jobs due to trade.
Nilsson also took on the larger cause of outsourcing at Lucent, which he said has sent thousands of jobs overseas. His own local was once 3,000-strong but has been cut to fewer than 300 members in four years.
"Though the hunger strike is concluded and was a great success toward our effort, our battle is still being fought and we must persevere to keep the public aware of the greed that drives Lucent's actions against our members and retirees," Nilsson said.
Nilsson said media and website coverage brought him support from around the world. "I must thank everyone for all their sincere and kind support, the response was simply overwhelming," he said. "I've received hundreds of emails and phone calls from people sympathetic to our issue."
Before ending the hunger strike Aug. 16, Nilsson allowed himself only fruit juice and a vitamin drink - losing about 20 pounds - to bring attention to the cause of 34 maintenance technicians who lost their jobs due to outsourcing. Lucent refused to give them an enhanced severance package provided to other workers who lost jobs due to trade.
Nilsson also took on the larger cause of outsourcing at Lucent, which he said has sent thousands of jobs overseas. His own local was once 3,000-strong but has been cut to fewer than 300 members in four years.
"Though the hunger strike is concluded and was a great success toward our effort, our battle is still being fought and we must persevere to keep the public aware of the greed that drives Lucent's actions against our members and retirees," Nilsson said.
Nilsson said media and website coverage brought him support from around the world. "I must thank everyone for all their sincere and kind support, the response was simply overwhelming," he said. "I've received hundreds of emails and phone calls from people sympathetic to our issue."