Press Releases

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. to Attend Court Appearance in Freeport IL After Sensata Arrest

Chicago, IL (Tuesday, November27, 2012) —Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. and the

Sensata Plant workers will be in attendance for a court appearance on Wednesday,

November 28, 012 at the Stephenson County Courthouse in Freeport Il at 1pm.

Rev. Jesse Jackson and 13 Sensata Technologies employees were arrested last month

after protesting at the Sensata plant in Freeport, IL. The group was arrested on plant

property in an attempt to meet with management to make the case for keeping the plant

open and saving the workers’ jobs.

“Now, you’re looking at an economic terrorism,” said Jackson. “If you use your most

basic right, your right to fight back, if you use that right, they’ll threaten to fire you. How

do you fire someone from a plant that’s closing? The plant has moved the workers jobs

from Freeport to China. You vote in a democracy to be protected from terrorism.” This is

the essence of the American struggle,” said Jackson. “The fight to keep our jobs! This is

not a fight for severance pay; it’s a fight for the salvation of our jobs in this country.

Having already shuttered two of its three manufacturing sites in the USA, the company

is in the process of outsourcing 170 well-paying jobs to China from the remaining plant

in Freeport despite record profits. Sensata began the terminations and they will continue

through the end of the year. The job loss at the plant will result in the loss of $7.7 million

in wages that feed the local economy according to Stephenson County Chairman John

Blum.

Sensata Technologies, which was created by Bain Capital in 2006, develops

manufactures and sells sensors and controls for major auto manufacturers such as

Ford and General Motors. While at Bain, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt

Romney pioneered the business model that today is costing Sensata workers their jobs.

And he is still financially tied to Sensata.

Thanks to his retirement agreement with Bain, Romney owns close to $8 million in Bain

funds that together hold 51 percent of the company’s shares--a controlling financial

stake. As a result, Romney not only profits directly from Sensata but also stands to

profit from the outsourcing of the Sensata workers’ jobs. Adding insult to injury, Romney

secured a major tax deduction by transferring $170,000 worth of Sensata stock to one

of the charities he runs.

Schedule

WHO:

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., the Sensata plant workers and

Members of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition staff

WHAT: Press Conference

WHEN: 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 28, 2012

WHERE: Stephenson County Courthouse

15 N. Galena Freeport Il 61032

Immediately following the press conference, the participants will attend the court

appearance at 1pm at the Stephenson Courthouse.

Rainbow PUSH Coalition–Keeping Hope Alive

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The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization protecting, defending and

expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity. The organization is

headquartered at 930 E. 50th St. in Chicago. For more information about the Rainbow PUSH

Coalition, please visit http://www.rainbowpush.org or call (773) 373-3366.

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