In a real-life case of David battling Goliath, the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers (UE) Local 204 is going up against Aerospace giant Esterline Technologies to try and save dozens of jobs that Esterline -- which reported nearly $120 million in profits last year -- plans to eliminate in the name of cushioning its bottom line.

Esterline is planning to do away with about 100 jobs, including 85 union positions, at its Taunton, Massachusetts, subsidiary (known as Haskon) by moving them to a low-wage plant in Mexico and a non-union location in California. With the national unemployment rate hovering around 9%, and the real unemployment rate soaring over 20%, the UE is trying everything it can to save its workers' jobs, including trying to buy Esterline's equipment and continuing to run the plant themselves. But the union has met with serious resistance from Esterline.

This is a clear case of a giant company caring more about money than about the people it employs, as it's willing to destroy the livelihoods of 100 individuals so it can save cash with non-union jobs and jobs in Mexico (where it will only have to pay workers 10% of what U.S. workers are paid).

Esterline has scheduled a January 19 (previously December 14) auction to sell off its equipment, which would dash the UE's hopes of being able to keep the plant open. The union is asking Esterline to delay the auction until February so it will have a chance to make its case to the State Legislature, which reconvenes in late January -- but the company isn't even willing to do that. Tell Esterline not to steamroll the union's chances to save workers' jobs.