WORKING CARPENTERS FOR A STRONGER UNION, Bay Area, California
by John Riemann
June 9, 1999
Brothers and Sisters:
Our five day "wildcat" was a tremendous success. It shook the contractors, the political establishment and our own union leaders. Most important of all, it has woken many of our own members up, and attendance at union meetings is way up. Local after local is getting from one to two hundred attending.
While there are many more that have yet to get involved, this is a great first step. As a result, Locals 22, 34 & 713 have voted $5,000 to hire a lawyer to challenge this illegal contract vote in court. Other locals will be considering this same step.
Also, Local 713 voted to send out a resolution to every local in the UBC calling for the right for membership ratification of contracts – "One-Member, One-Vote".
When we voted to return to work, we also voted to go back out again on July 1 if our demands were not met. We will be discussing this action as well as any other future actions. Keep in mind that we have been in discussion with some other unions and are looking for a joint action in the near future. We are also enclosing a proposal for a program. This proposal is for discussion purposes and we look forward to the input of all.
"Working Carpenters for a Stronger Union", who kicked this off in our union, wants to keep the ball rolling. We want to be better organized for July 1 and for the overall struggle to take out union back. We are holding a one day conference on Saturday, June 26. The purpose of this conference will first of all be to discuss and vote on an overall program for our group – to establish our goals and our strategy for getting there, in other words. Secondly, we will discuss the July 1 walk-off and lay clear plans for it. Finally, we need to elect a Steering Committee for Working Carpenters for a Stronger Union.
We urge you to attend. Family members are welcome, as are supporters from other unions. (UBC members only will have the right to vote, of course.)
date of meeting: Saturday, June 26 time: 9:00 a.m. Place: St. Jarlath Church 2643 Pleasant St. (corner of Fruitvale Ave., near 580 freeeway) in Oakland parish hall, downstairs
Agenda: 9:00 - 11:30 – discussion and vote on program 11:30 -12:30- financial report & election of steering committee 12:30 - 1:30 - lunch break 1:30- 3:00 - organize for July 1 and other actions Brothers and sisters, we have entered the struggle to take back our union for ourselves, our families, and for the future generations of working people. Very little could be more important. We greatly need the time, energy and most of all the input of all. We urge you to attend.
Fraternally yours, John Reimann Recording Secretary* and member, Local 713 Chairman, Working Carpenters for a Stronger Union (*-listed for identification purposes only) For more information, call Working Carpenters for a Stronger Union (510) 496-3458 (labor donated)
Proposed program for Working Carpenters for a Stronger Union:
ORGANIZE TO CHANGE THE CARPENTERS UNION
Our Union is the only tool we have to stop the contractors from cutting our wages and conditions down to rock bottom. Yet our Union leaders believe that the only way to stop the non-union is to keep the unionized contractors happy. They think that we cannot fight for better wages and conditions because this will scare off the contractors. In reality, this means that the Union won’t really fight for its members, which is the only force that can successfully overcome the union busting of the contractors. The simple fact is that if the Union doesn’t fight for its members, most of the members won’t fight for the Union.
We need to fight inside our Union for:
· One member, one vote. Direct election of all officials by the members they represent and membership ratification of contracts at general membership meetings where the pros and cons can be discussed. All full time officials on the same pay and conditions as the members they represent. Translations into Spanish at all Union meetings where needed and all literature sent out to the members to be both Spanish and English.
· Oppose the view that the union should help the union contractors compete with the non-union. Better contracts with an immediate $5.00 per hour pay increase, coffee breaks, a return of the black Fridays, a stronger hiring hall provision, and job protection through a one-site seniority system.
· A real organizing program. Joint action by the union and non-union carpenters together to shut down the industry. Mobilize the membership to overcome the anti-labor injunctions, and court orders rather than just bowing down before them. The labor movement was not first built by meekly observing every union-busting judge or politician.
· End discrimination against residential carpenters; fight for equal rights for all members. Return the residential carpenters to the same rate and conditions as commercial. End "work preservation."
· Unity! Unite the building trades. Generalize the demand for an immediate $5 per hour increase and union rights for all working people.
· Take on some of the other political issues that our members and other working class people face. Fight for decent, low-cost housing for all. Stop pollution of our air, land and water – which often starts on the job-site where we are the ones first exposed to it.
· Take the Union out of bed with the employers at work and in politics. No more support for the corporate politicians. The Carpenters Union should start a campaign for Labor to run independent candidates that represent all working class people, instead of simply supporting any Democrat that runs. This is a first step towards a real labor/working peoples party in America. We have taken up the struggle for a Union that really represents us. We will campaign in the Union meetings, run people for office, campaign for resolutions on the steps we need, etc. But we are not going to just wait for years until real representatives of the working members are elected. The "wildcat strike" was just one example of our membership acting to take our union back. We will not hesitate to take similar steps in the right time and place in the future.
Working Carpenters for a Stronger Union (510) 496-3458
email Gangbox at gangbox@excite.com