Appellees,


          and


ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS; DIANE BROWN,
Chairman of the Orange County Board of
Elections; MELVIN BEASLEY; JUNE HASS, duly
appointed officials of the Orange County Board
of Elections,

                                                             Defendants.


Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle
District of North Carolina, at Durham. N. Carlton Tilley, Jr.,
Chief District Judge. (CA-96-517-1)


Submitted:   August 13, 2004      Canada and Mexico have laid off some 9,000 workers amid the U.S. shutdown. Some suppliers from whom the company buys parts have also begun downsizing. Striking workers say they are cutting their expenses, putting pressure on restaurants and other local businesses that rely on their spending. The longer this lasts, the more severe the impact will be.

Hockman said she had made her car payments in advance. But, she said, you’re “certainly not going out and doing a lot of extras.”

Most of the workers said, though, that they were prepared for the strike to continue. They felt that the cause was worth it, and that they were slowly gaining ground. The health insurance turnaround had been a modest victory. Are others on the horizon?