Greetings from Bainport, Illinois

SIX ARRESTED AT #SENSATA SIT-IN

SIX ARRESTED AT SENSATA SIT-IN Former Sensata worker and community supporters take arrests in protest of Bain’s decision to outsource 170 American jobs to China Freeport, IL – This morning six community supporters were arrested during a sit-in at Sensata’s facility in Freeport, IL. The community members were occupying the plant’s lobby in protest of Bain’s decision to outsource 170 American jobs from its profitable Sensata plant in Freeport to China. WATCH VIDEO OF THE ARRESTS HERE: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/testbain . (Police arrive at 21:00 mark) Those arrested include JoAnn Matthews, the mother of Sensata worker Mary Jo Kerr; 82-year-old community supporter Paul Holz; and Kathy Hoyer, who worked at Sensata for two decades before being laid off earlier this year, and her son. Last week, three community members—including the daughter of a Sensata worker—were arrested for blocking trucks removing equipment from the plant. “With so many hardworking Americans facing the loss of their jobs to outsourcing, we felt it was time to take a stand,” said Kathy Hoyer, a former Sensata employee who was arrested during today’s sit-in. “We can’t afford to let companies like Bain turn our communities into ghost towns. So our message is clear: Freeport isn’t going down without a fight.” Sensata has emerged as a flashpoint in the controversy over Romney’s ties to China this fall, with the candidates’ alluding to Romney’s investment in Sensata in last night’s debate. Sensata workers have pleaded publicly with Romney to help save their jobs from being outsourced to China. Not only does Romney stand to profit from the outsourcing of these jobs through the stock he still owns in the company, his 2011 tax returns show that he got a huge tax break by moving Sensata stock to a charity organization he controls—and that he continues to profit from Bain’s offshore holdings and tax avoidance strategies. The Sensata workers tried to deliver a petition to the plant manager as part of their effort to win a full and fair severance. Workers who have been at the plant for 20, 30 and even 40-plus years are only getting 26 weeks’ pay as a severance from Bain-owned Sensata. For minute-to-minute updates on the situation at Sensata, visit www.bainport.com. ###