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INDUSTRIAL WORKER

O f f i c i a l n e w s p a p e r oF T h e I n d u s t r i a l Wo r k e r s o f t h e Wo r l d

O c tob e r 2 0 0 9 #1719 Vol . 10 6 N o. 8 $1/ £1/ €1

Full coverage of 100th anniversary South African farm Serbian syndicalists


the annual IWW of McKee’s Rocks workers organize charged with
convention 6-7 strike 9 11 “terrorism” 12

Starbucks Barista Unjustly Fired, Demands Justice


By John O’Reilly made it clear that she did not under-
Starbucks management began yet stand what management was accusing
another losing battle when they fired her of, Gallagher and a representative
Azmera Mehrbatu. What they did not from Human Resources on the phone
know was that Mehrbatu—known to her simply repeated themselves over and
customers and fellow workers as “Aiz- over. Most shockingly, the management
ze,”— would not simply accept losing implied that if Mehrbatu did not sign the
her job for an unjust reason. Mehrbatu note, the police would be called. Fearing
and the IWW StarbucksWorkers Union for her three children, Mehrbatu signed
(SWU) are standing up to management’s the note that she did not understand,
unjust decision and fighting to get her admitting to an offense she maintains
job back. she did not commit.
Mehrbatu was accused of theft from When IWW barista Anja Witek heard
her store in St. Paul, Minn., but man- about the situation, she tried to get in
agement have yet to provide a shred of touch with Mehrbatu and found that her
evidence that the barista—well-known coworker felt ashamed and bewildered
by her coworkers for her accuracy when by the way she had been treated. Witek
counting down her till—stole a penny. contacted other baristas in her store and
Instead, Starbucks district manager in stores around the Twin Cities, who
Clair Gallagher took Mehrbatu into the agreed with her that they would not let
back room after a shift in early July and their friend and coworker be targeted.
kept her confined there for an hour and “We couldn’t just let this go,” Witek
a half until she signed a statement of said. “Clearly something very wrong had
guilt and a promissory note that forced happened here and we weren’t going to
her to pay $1,200 to the company. As an sit back and watch our friend be submit-
immigrant from Ethiopia, Mehrbatu’s ted to this kind of racist discrimination.”
English skills are limited, and when she Continued on 9 Azmera Mehrbatu speaks to supporters at a rally on August 15. Photo: Erik Davis

Philly Cab Drivers Demonstrate Against Parking Authority Ticketing


By J. Pierce The rally in front of the 31st Street a $300 traffic ticket for picking up a Taxi Cab Drivers and Owner-Operators.
Market Street was lined for blocks PPA headquarters filled the sidewalk customer while parked in a handicapped In the last several years, the now-com-
with taxi cabs parked in the turning with cab drivers of every nationality. spot. He could have moved, documented bined UTWA has organized two 24-hour
lane, giving the July 22 rally an air of There were visible numbers of West the situation, or argued with the PPA strikes and 20 to 25 demonstrations,
ominous excitement. Three of us from Africans, South Asians, North Africans ticket writer, but he was not given the while combating every counterattack
the Philadelphia IWW showed up at and Middle Easterners, along with a chance to do any of these things—his from the government.
the midday demonstration. Organizers sprinkling of white and black native- license plate number was simply writ- As we zoomed through Center City
with the Unified Taxi Workers Alliance born drivers. It was a thrilling sight to ten down on the fly and the ticket was surrounded by a sea of honking cabs,
(UTWA), donning their white, collared see taxi workers of every background mailed to him weeks later. Tickets like Abdul told us how every time the UTWA
union shirts, agitated the large crowd of standing together against the PPA and these are difficult to dispute because the advances with a mass action, the City
cab drivers, many of them needing little its corporate cohorts. PPA accuses you of an incident that you and State retaliate with more harass-
instigation to be pissed off. Large neon We witnessed a short string of can’t remember and that maybe never ment, rules and fines. The three of us
posters denounced the Philadelphia speeches and then everybody mobilized even took place. Drive-by ticketing has Wobblies were thrilled with our rank-
Parking Authority (PPA) and its twisted like fighter pilots for a caravan down- become the practice of Philadelphia’s and-file view of the demonstration and
addiction to ticketing vulnerable cab town. A cab driver, Abdul, scooped us hated PPA, an agency so reviled that flew our IWW flags out of the cab win-
drivers. With Mayor Michael Nutter in a up in his cab and we were off to the spite for it has gone national by way of dows. As union drivers filled the streets
bitter fight against the City’s librarians, PPA adjudication building at Ninth and the popular TV show “Parking Wars.” around City Hall, honking and blocking
sanitation workers, and myriad paper Filbert Streets. The fight with the PPA has been traffic, we could see the City’s apparatus
pushers, 5,000 Philadelphia cab drivers Abdul is from Morocco and has a long and bitter one for the recently- swing into action. They dispatched spe-
must look like sitting ducks to City Hall four kids. He has been driving a taxi merged Taxi Workers Alliance of Penn- cial cops in suits to block off roads in
revenue hunters. for seven years and recently received sylvania and the Unified Brotherhood of Continued on 9

Industrial Worker
PO Box 23085
Periodicals Postage
PAID
Sydney Bus Drivers Take Wildcat Action
Cincinnati, OH 45223-3085, USA From libcom.org Months of trade union talks with the
Cincinnati, OH
and additional
A six-hour strike by 130 bus drivers company have failed to halt the onerous
in western Sydney, Australia, on Au- new conditions. Angered by the lack of
ISSN 0019-8870 mailing offices
gust 24—carried out in defiance of their support from the Transport Workers
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED union—has led to furious denunciations Union of Australia (TWU), the drivers
from the media and an industrial court conducted their own stoppage, giving no
judge. The drivers walked out at the warning to the union or management.
Busways Blacktown depot at 3:30 a.m. The TWU opposed the strike and inter-
against the imposition of new timetables vened to end it as quickly as possible.
that would impose shorter times for Drivers said the timetables would
routes. add to Sydney’s public transport sham-
Drivers said that the new timetables, bles, which has seen the state Labor
scheduled to commence in October, government in New South Wales cut the
would be impossible to meet. The frequency of rail services and scrap plans
timetables would force buses to run late, to extend the rail network to new outly-
which would not only inconvenience and ing suburbs. In many outer western and
anger passengers but cut short the driv- southern suburbs, the so-called public
ers’ break periods. The drivers said that transport system depends almost en-
with the new timetables, they would be tirely on heavily government-subsidized
under enormous pressure to drive over private bus companies.
the speed limit. Continued on 11
Page 2 • Industrial Worker • October 2009

Offended By “The Reader” Review Happy


Halloween!
Dear Industrial Worker, Dear Industrial Worker,
I just read Mike Ballard’s film review I am writing regarding Mike Bal-
of “The Reader,” entitled “A Love Story lard’s review of the movie “The Reader.”
In Post-World War II Germany” on page I can certainly agree that there has been
Letters welcome! 8 of the the August/September 2009 more than one holocaust and indeed
Send your letters to: iw@iww.org Industrial Worker. there are occurring today holocausts,
with “Letter” in the subject. I’m shocked by what an uninterest- however as a Jew who has relatives who
ing review this is of a great movie. Boil- died in the Shoah I have to say that I
Mailing address: ing down this movie to a statement about find this review sickening, incoherent
IW, PO Box 7430, JAF Station, New complacency and about how good people and offensive in its insinuations and
York, NY 10116, United States are able to ignore horrible crimes as they omissions. Today’s prison guards and
are occurring is ridiculous. The film is so accomplices to mass murder should be Photo: facebook.com/twincities.iww
In November We Remember many steps beyond that simplification. condemned by all, but former Nazi death IWW graphics make for great
Announcements for the annual This movie is about a conflict between camp guards are sexy and attractive. pumpkin carving designs, and pump-
“In November We Remember” generations, and about how illiteracy Great. Perhaps the question of anti- kins are an inexpensive medium to
Industrial Worker deadline and ignorance are exploited, amonst Semitism, along with racism and sexism spread the word! What better way to
is October 2. Celebrate the lives of those other things. I just think that this review needs to be addressed in the IWW and demonstrate your affection for the
who have struggled for the working class is terrible. It was made even worse by in the Left in general? Or are we forever OBU?
with your message of solidarity. Send the choice of the naked women in the going to endlessly repeat the socialism of Don’t forget to to send in photos
announcements to iw@iww.org. Much bathtub photo. Otherwise, the August/ fools, whose adherents in France, French of your IWW pumpkins, costumes and
appreciated donations for the following September issue looks good. I like this Algeria, Austria, Germany and Eastern other ideas to the Industrial Worker
sizes should be sent to IWW GHQ, PO movie a lot and I think the review of it is Europe were the intellectual forebears of for publication. This IWW Pumpkin
Box 23085, Cincinnati, OH 45223 USA. ridiculous. National Socialism? photo is from the Facebook page of the
$12 for 1” tall, 1 column wide Sincerely, Sincerely, Twin Cities GMB.
$40 for 4” by 2 columns Kenneth Miller X344127 “Readers’ Soapbox” continued on 11
$90 for a quarter page

Industrial Worker
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October 2009 • Industrial Worker • Page 3

Cambodian Government Challenges Independent Garment Union


By Erik W. Davis and-file union movement
More than five years after his elder in Cambodia’s history, or-
brother was murdered for his own union ganizing nearly 80,000 of
efforts, current president of the Free Cambodia’s then-roughly
Trade Union Workers of the Kingdom one million garment work-
of Cambodia (FTUWKC) faces a new ers into the union, with all
threat. The Cambodian government gains won through direct
intends to charge Chey Mony with libel, action and militant strug-
which carries with it the possibility of gle. He never retreated to
prison time. Coming during a challeng- an administrative role, but
ing period for Cambodian unions, this remained at the front lines
prosecution could be devastating to the of the struggle. He had just
Cambodian workers movement (see been fired from a factory
“Independent Unionism In Cambodia: job for organizing work-
Severe Challenges As Garment Industry ers into a union when two
Takes Hit” on page 1 of the February/ men entered the newsstand
March 2009 Industrial Worker). outside a Buddhist temple
The Royal Government of Cambodia where Vichea read the
announced that it would use the notori- newspapers every morn-
ously corrupt Cambodian judiciary to ing and put one bullet in
seek sanctions against FTUWKC presi- his head and another in his
dent Chea Mony for accusing the govern- chest. Vichea died at the
ment of organizing his elder brother’s age of 36, leaving behind
murder in 2004. a pregnant wife and young
After a decade of organizing workers child, who now live as po-
in the nascent garment industry of newly litical refugees in Finland.
Chea Mony leading a large parade of mourners in 2004. Photo: FTUWKC
post-socialist Cambodia, Mony’s brother, Only days later, the
Chea Vichea, had become the most fa- capital city of Phnom Penh was brought Penh, he believes that members of the ted and were apparently released by the
mous and effective organizer in Cambo- to a standstill while a peaceful, unper- government—specifically from within the courts on August 17. Applauding the
dia. He was known for exalting workers: mitted march of mourners occupied the Ministry of the Interior and the Police decision at the time, Mony repeated his
“Dare to express yourselves. Have no streets carrying signs identifying Vichea forces—arranged his brother’s murder accusation against the government to the
fear. Strength lies in unity.” More than as the “Hero of the Workers (Virachun).” and hired the killers. press.
high-minded rhetoric, Vichea presided Vichea’s younger brother, Chea Mony, Responding to international outcry “I maintain my stance from the
over the creation of the first mass rank- took up the mantle of leadership and after Vichea’s murder, the government beginning and acknowledge that [Born
has continued to build and arrested two clearly innocent men—Sok Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun] were fake
defend the union, despite the Sam Oeun and Born Samnang. Ac- killers, and I urge the court to find the
constant threats and economic cording to the men’s alibis, which were real killers...I am ready to take respon-
difficulties of the moment. confirmed by entire villages, they were sibility and dare to be imprisoned for
Mony is slightly shorter than outside of the city at the time of the my conclusion about my brother’s case,
his brother, and speaks with a murder. After a speedy show-trial they which is that the government prepared
soft, high-pitched voice. Like were convicted of the murder. Amnesty a plan to kill my brother,” Mony told the
his brother, Mony appears International, Human Rights Watch and Phnom Penh Post.
fearless. He receives death other organizations condemned the con- Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the
threats every week, and has victions as sham efforts by the govern- Ministry of the Interior, has since made
not abandoned his leadership ment to protect the real murderers. clear that the government will use all
of the union. While the government has done available measures to prosecute Mony
Chea Mony has not feared nothing to catch the real murderers of for libel and slander. These charges, ren-
to point fingers. Like nearly Vichea, the falsely accused killers Oeun dered by the corrupt Cambodian judicia-
The murder of Chea Vichea. Photo: FTUWKC all other residents of Phnom and Samnang have been largely acquit- ry, are used frequently to silence critics
of the regime. Opposition politician Mu
IWW Constitution Preamble Join the IWW Today Sochua was found guilty of similar criti-

T
The working class and the employing
cisms only the previous week and may be
he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the sentenced to prison time.
class have nothing in common. There can job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions
be no peace so long as hunger and want today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and
are found among millions of working distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popu-
people and the few, who make up the em- lation, not merely a handful of exploiters.
ploying class, have all the good things of
We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially ­–
life. Between these two classes a struggle
that is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than dividing
must go on until the workers of the world
organize as a class, take possession of the
workers by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together.
means of production, abolish the wage Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly
system, and live in harmony with the international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses
earth. and in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow
We find that the centering of the man- workers no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on.
agement of industries into fewer and fewer We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have
hands makes the trade unions unable to representation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recog-
cope with the ever-growing power of the nizing that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition
employing class. The trade unions foster but about workers coming together to address our common concerns. Sometimes
a state of affairs which allows one set of this means striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with
workers to be pitted against another set an unsafe machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done.
of workers in the same industry, thereby Sometimes it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific
helping defeat one another in wage wars. workplace, or across an industry.
Moreover, the trade unions aid the employ- Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues
ing class to mislead the workers into the to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved.
belief that the working class have interests
in common with their employers. TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation See what all the purring is about
These conditions can be changed and and your first month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 23085, Cincinnati OH
the interest of the working class upheld
only by an organization formed in such
45223, USA.
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ing class to do away with capitalism. The
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Page 4 • Industrial Worker • October 2009

Education First!
By Jim Crutchfield the U.S., seem to be children of the petty
I’ve been thinking a lot about the bourgeoisie—of school teachers, preach-
three stars of the IWW constellation: ers and small-business owners.
Education, Organization and Emancipa- The early 20th century IWW poured
tion. They don’t represent a time line or massive resources into education and
a hierarchy, really, but I think there’s a propaganda. Every delegate carried a
reason why Education comes first, and I stock of pamphlets for sale, and the
think we need to re-examine our current pamphlets weren’t just about organizing.
priorities in light of it. They were about economics, history and
Capitalism de-educates workers. It the operations of the industries in which
actively works to make us dumber and Wobblies worked. The field in which they
more ignorant. It encourages us to waste labored was much richer than what we’re
our brains on entertainment and pre- faced with today: there was tremendous
digested “news” and other propaganda, pressure among working-class families
so that our natural mental abilities atro- to get educated, especially among im-
phy or never develop. As the Sex Pistols migrant families; there were far fewer
put it, “God save the Queen/ And the distractions; reading was encouraged
fascist regime/ That made you a moron/ and widespread; workers formed study
A potential H-bomb.” groups and self-improvement societies;
The average worker today believes and Socialist propaganda was available
what the state tells her to believe, seeks everywhere. Hundreds of thousands of
protection under dependency, and workers actually read Marx, as well as
spends more mental effort on sports other socialist, anarchist, and otherwise
statistics and celebrity divorces than radical writers. Today, workers are far
on understanding her place in society. more likely to read only the sports pages,
She looks on education as a burden or a or entertainment magazines, if they read
threat, and on educated people as aliens, at all.
often hostile aliens who are going to We latter-day Wobs glorify and
make her speed up at work or give her fetishize organizing above all else, yet
job to a machine. She is no more fit to we have scarcely organized anybody or
run an industry than the average bank anything. For years our organizing ef-
president is to carry a load of bricks up a forts have mostly been complete failures,
ladder. In her present state, the aver- and those efforts that haven’t failed have
age worker can’t be the self-disciplined, generally been either window-dressing
self-directed rebel worker of our dreams. or business union-style service opera-
She’s fit only to be a member of a mob, tions with virtually nothing to distin-
or the pas- guish them as
sive, obedi- IWW shops.
ent stooge of I think that’s
a business because we
union or van- have grossly
guard party. neglected the
I’m not educational as-
talking about pect of our mis-
anything to do sion. We seem
with the mod- to think that
ern worker’s simply encour-
inherent Students focused on socialism and worker edu- aging workers
qualities and cation at the Work People’s College in Duluth, to organize
capabilities: Minn. These photos appeared in Clifford B. our way will
I’m talking Ellis’ piece, “What Life Means to a Worker,” somehow turn
about what from May 1926 Industrial Pioneer. them into free,
workers in thinking men
modern soci- and women,
ety are taught who know how
and trained to make smart
from birth to decisions, de-
be and to do. velop winning
Anybody can strategies, and
be made a mo- stick together
ron. Just look when things
at rich kids— get scary. We
whose parents are kidding
may be bril- ourselves.
liant and accomplished—but they waste I submit that we will never build up a
their school years drinking and doping successful, revolutionary, and fully dem-
and competing for social status, and ocratic industrial union movement un-
never put a minute’s effort into improv- less and until we educate ourselves and
ing themselves mentally. They’ll be taken our fellow workers to understand what
care of, of course, and may even become the problems are that make revolution
President of the United States some necessary, to exercise our mental mus-
day, but they’re still morons. Workers’ cles and to rid ourselves of the bigotry,
kids—who are inundated from day one stupidity and ignorance that capitalist
with pleasing distractions from mental society forces upon us. I don’t mean that
development, and are taught to hate and “we” need to teach “them” proper doc-
fear education—are even more likely to trines and enlightened attitudes—that’s Graphic: Mike Konopacki
turn out ignorant and stupid, because bullshit and mind-control. I mean that around us. More realistically, if we fail to focus on
they aren’t even exposed to educational we need to teach and train ourselves and To that end, I propose that the IWW education, we’re just likely to remain
opportunities beyond the basic schooling the rest of our class to use our brains—to stop focusing single-mindedly on orga- what we are now—an irrelevant bunch of
that’s needed to thresh out the potential think critically, to judge ideologies skep- nizing here and now; not that we give discontented misfits (I include myself in
engineers and actuaries, so that they can tically, to be inventive and audacious in up on organizing, but that for the next this description), full of thrilling words,
be steered towards college. our strategies, to assess and understand several years we devote the majority of but incapable of doing much besides
The average worker today may be the past and the present, and to develop our energies and resources to preparing fighting among ourselves and fool-
angry and dissatisfied with her lot, and realistic and rational plans for building a the ground before we try to build the ing trusting workers into staging little
may instinctively know that something better future. We who have already come great edifice that is to be the One Big revolts that will only lose them their jobs
is badly wrong with our system. She may to some level of intelligence and joined Union of All the Workers. If we fail to and their union.
even seek out learning on her own, and the IWW need to rid ourselves of the educate ourselves and the workers we We can organize all the workers of
develop a certain level of intelligence and New-Left nihilism, egoism, utopianism, want to organize, then the best we can the world into One Big Union. But we
insight into the problems of our society. and naive idealism that characterize so hope for is to become a vanguard—an can’t do it without first preparing the
But the vast majority of workers under much of the discourse within the IWW enlightened elite at the head of a mass workers, including ourselves, for Orga-
capitalism are taught and trained to be today, and learn to think as free indi- of pure and simple, unthinking foot nization and Emancipation. The key to
passive, to fear change, to obey orders viduals within communities, basing our soldiers capable only of destroying the that preparation is Education, and we
and to only look out for themselves. At ideas and actions not on philosophical old society, instead of building a new have a tremendous amount of it to do
this point, few workers are really Wobbly constructs or mental categories, but on and better one within the shell of the old. before we can hope to reach the other
material; which may explain why the a rational observation and deep under- That has happened many times before, two stars of our constellation. It’s time
great majority of Wobblies, at least in standing of the flowing, changing world with disastrous results for humanity. we got to work at it.
October 2009 • Industrial Worker • Page 5

Guards File For Union, Supporters Rally To “Welcome Change”


By James Generic The rally capped a nearly five-year
PHILADELPHIA — On September 6, campaign called POWR (Philadelphia
approximately 100 members of Phila- Officers and Workers Rising) in which
delphia Jobs With Justice, Students for security guards and Philadelphia Jobs
a Democratic Society, faith leaders and with Justice, itself a coalition of labor
other supporters rallied in support of unions, students, progressive clergy and
the Philadelphia Security Officers Union faith leaders, along with other commu-
(PSOU)—the independent grassroots nity members, have fought to reform the
union of the security guards who watch security industry in Philadelphia. Allied-
over the most precious art at the Phila- Barton, which hires nearly 90 percent
delphia Museum of Art—which had filed of the security guards in Philadelphia,
a request for legal recognition of their pays poverty wages of approximately
election of the PSOU as their union by $10 an hour with medical benefits that
the security company Allied-Barton and are too expensive for the guards’ meager
the Philadelphia Museum of Art. They wages. The security guards in Allied-
were joined by the Rude Mechanical Barton in Philadelphia are 95 percent
Orchestra, a radical punk marching band African-American, the majority of whom
from New York City who had come down are women. Historically, security guards
to provide music and to lead the protest. have been excluded from many legal
The theme of “Welcoming Change” tar- protections and must form guard-only The Rude Mechanical Orchestra performing on September 6. Photo: Paul Gottlieb
geted incoming Philadelphia Museum of unions for fear that unionized guards and Fabricio Rodriguez, represents the a promised 25-cent raise, members of
Art president Timothy Rubb in the hopes would join other unions in strikes. (Oth- very basics of a union: workers get- Jobs with Justice took up panhandling
of ushering in a positive new beginning, er low-wage workers excluded include ting together to fight back against the outside the museum to get spare change
to show the support the guards have, and domestic workers and farm workers.) injustices at their jobs and the culture of to make up the difference in a symbolic
to point out that labor law needs to be After targeting Temple University fear within AlliedBarton instead of just protest.
totally changed (showing support for the and the University of Pennsylvania, quitting. The next steps in the campaign will
Employee Free Choice Act, which would POWR won paid sick days and wage The campaign battle at the museum be to support the guards as they fight to
have given guards instant recognition). increases at those locations. This is the is the latest of escalating yet respectful escape poverty through collective action
Several speakers—guards, clergy, orga- first attempt to establish a union at tactics by supporters to put pressure throughout the 45 days until the elec-
nizers, and more—spoke after a long, the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The on the Museum to force AlliedBarton tion. Philadelphia Jobs with Justice and
lively procession around the museum. decision was made by the guards at the to recognize the PSOU. There had been its allies will keep trying to rally support
Several guards remarked afterwards on Museum to form an independent union several rallies outside the museum in to prevent AlliedBarton and its silent
how good it was to see their support- after no big union with resources would the previous year. Members of Jobs with accomplice, the Philadelphia Museum
ers out in force, since the battle on the take up the cause because of previous Justice attended the “Art After 5” event of Art, from crushing the independent
inside of the museum will be heating up truces and agreements with AlliedBar- and handed out DVDs of the documen- worker-led union. Junita Love of the
while the company pushes back against ton. This entirely independent union, tary “Welcoming Change,” detailing the PSOU quoted Frederick Douglass: “Pow-
the union through intimidation and fear formed with the support of organizers Museum’s struggle with the security er concedes nothing without a demand.
mongering. from Jobs with Justice, Eduardo Soriano guards. When AlliedBarton took away It never did and it never will.”

Teed Off At Deutsche Bank: Tenants Disrupt Forecloser's High-End Dinner


Seasons Hotel on “Deutsche Bank is the largest preda- “Financial institutions lie to people
Boylston Street. tory lender in the state,” said Grace Ross who suffer the most,” added Jean Was-
In the early eve- of the Mass Alliance Against Predatory sell, a retired social worker and volun-
ning of September Lending. “Meanwhile, Massachusetts teer with City Life/Vida Urbana. “When
2, Boston-area is losing $59 billion every two years be- the (financial institutions) give out mort-
labor and housing cause of the foreclosure crisis. This crisis gages, they leave out people who can’t
activists—rep- wasn’t made by you and it wasn’t made afford it. Now the shelters are jammed,
resenting such by me. It was made by these large banks and this is creating a rise in homeless-
groups as City who wanted to make a quick buck.” ness.” In providing legal services for
Life/Vida Urbana, At the hotel, Ross joined local labor recently-evicted tenants, she has noticed
Jobs with Justice, and community leaders to present a no- that City Life/Vida Urbana is “certainly
Mass Alliance of tice of eviction for Deutsche Bank to va- assisting a lot of people who are losing
HUD Tenants, cate the state of Massachusetts. Security their jobs.”
Community Labor guards blocked the demonstrators from Wassell said both housing and labor
United, Mass entering, yet the noise and momentum rights have suffered drastically thanks to
Alliance Against of the demonstration remained strong. the economic crisis, but now is a more
Predatory Lend- “Deutsche Bank has refused to work important time than ever to stay moti-
ing and the with us since day one,” commented vated and keep up the fight for economic
SEIU—demon- Melonie Griffiths-Evans, of the Bank justice.
Community protests Deutsche Bank. Photo: Diane Krauthamer
strated at the din- Tenants Association (BTA). The BTA has “Everyday more and more people are
By Diane Krauthamer ner, which kicked off the bank’s annual directly asked Deutsche to renegotiate being laid off and more and more people
BOSTON – Equipped with mega- PGA golf championship. According to mortgages and stop thousands of evic- are being evicted from their homes. We
phones, banners, and golf clubs, nearly organizers, Deutsche Bank forecloses on tions each year, yet the bank continues cannot back down to these financial
100 community members “teed off” at more homes in Massachusetts than any to refuse. “Their only interest is to make institutions, and we certainly will not let
Deutsche Bank’s gala dinner at the Four other financial institution in the state. money off our backs,” she said. them control our lives,” Wassell said.

Gourmet Exploitation? Quad City Die Casting Workers Lose Jobs, Benefits
By UE Local 1174 The laid-off workers are owed earned

Workers Picket Upper East Side Specialty Market MOLINE, Illinois – More than 100
employees of Quad City Die Casting
pay and benefits, but Wells Fargo is tell-
ing Quad City Die Casting that they must
By Stephanie Basile Members of Brandworkers Internation- permanently lost their jobs on Sep- not pay the workers—instead, says Wells
NEW YORK — A group of workers al— a Queens-based workers’ center that tember 4 after Wells Fargo did not Fargo, all the proceeds of the liquidation
and supporters picketed outside Agata works in solidarity with Local 1500— continue to offer financing to the com- must go to the bank. Wells Fargo was a
and Valentina on August 15 as part of an joined the protest. pany, forcing its closure. But they did recipient of $25 billion in federal bailout
ongoing labor dispute with the company. In the summer of 2008, Agata and not go out quietly. Instead they ended funds and is refusing to allow payment
Workers are calling on the grocery store Valentina workers began meeting with their last day of work with a protest of legally owed pay and benefits to the
to respect their right to organize and to UFCW organizers and decided to assert to demand that Wells Fargo cough up Quad City employees.
stop engaging in illegal anti-union activ- their right to join a labor union. The checks for the pay and benefits they are In August, the National Labor Rela-
ity. supermarket responded by using tactics still owed. tions Board (NLRB) announced it will
Agata and Valentina, located on of misinformation and intimidation United Electrical, Radio and issue a complaint against Quad City Die
79th Street and 1st Avenue, is one of to scare the workers from joining the Machine Workers of America (UE) Casting, stating that workers are legally
many upscale gourmet grocery stores in union. In March 2009, Roberto De La representative Tim Curtin said that owed vacation pay and payment of ben-
the Upper East Side. Local 1500 of the Cruz, a counterperson in the produce de- workers were scheduled to come in efits as a result of the illegal cancellation
United Food and Commercial Workers partment, was terminated for his union that morning and work their regular of their health insurance in May. The
(UFCW) has been organizing the largely activity. “I was called into the office and shift, but found the doors locked when NLRB is seeking voluntary settlement of
immigrant workforce in the gourmet fired. They told me it was because I sup- they arrived. Curtin said the third shift the money owed.
supermarket industry. In recent years, ported a union,” said De La Cruz. was asked to leave at 4:15 a.m. and the "We are angry that Wells Fargo is
Local 1500 won union contracts at two UFCW Local 1500 has been holding first shift was cancelled with no notice. refusing to pay us what we have earned
specialty grocery stores in New York— daily picket lines outside the supermar- "I think the company was nervous and and we won't stop fighting for justice.
D’Agostino and Gristedes. ket for more than six months, and will they locked the plant today," Curtin We have the whole community support-
Approximately 15 people were on the continue to do so until the company told local television station WQED. "I ing us, and we won't give up until Wells
picket line. Picketers held signs, handed settles with the workers. don't know what they were anticipat- Fargo pays us what we worked so hard to
out flyers, spoke to customers about the This story originally appeared in ing, but I think people in Quad Cities earn," said Keith Shribner, President of
dispute and chanted pro-worker slogans. Next Left Notes (NLN), August 19, 2009. know the UE workers mean business." UE Local 1174.
Page 6 • Industrial Worker • October 2009

Special Report: 2009 DelCon

September Delegate Convention Ushers in New Era of IWW


By Cristina D. to adopt Rusty’s Rules of Order as well
CHICAGO – Industrial Workers as a process in which the floor would
from Europe, Canada, and the United alternate between speakers who are for
States gathered in Chicago on Labor Day and against motions. They also moved
weekend, Sept. 4-6, for the union’s first to limit each delegate’s speaking time to
Delegate Convention in decades. The one-and-a-half minutes. All attendees
event was hosted by the Chicago General had the right to speak, but only creden-
Membership Branch and held at the tialed delegates could vote. Chicago’s Pat
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Brenner was later voted in as the meet-
Workers of America (UE) hall on Ash- ing’s permanent chair, assisted by John
land Avenue. Convention attendees were Hollingsworth from Ottawa as the meet-
welcomed at the hall Friday evening ing’s permanent secretary. The Planning
before relocating to nearby Union Park— Committee presented an agenda, which
which features a statue of our old Fellow the attendees then agreed to adopt.
Worker James Connolly—for a barbecue Fellow workers listened Saturday
and socializing. Saturday marked the afternoon as branch, shop, and Regional
start of the business weekend, during Organizing Committee (ROC) repre-
which committees presented reports, sentatives reported on a multitude of
officer nominations were made, and organizing campaigns. IWW members
proposals were discussed. from New York City discussed progress
with the Starbucks campaign. Starbucks
The Proceedings Workers Union members recently pro-
General Secretary-Treasurer (GST) tested a rise in their healthcare premi-
Chris Lytle called the meeting to order ums (see “Starbucks Workers Union
at 9:10 a.m. General Executive Board Fights For Health Care,” page 7). They
(GEB) member Bryan Roberts was also reported new members in stores
elected as temporary chair, aided by Angie reports the Chicago Couriers Union’s recent work. Photo: Cristina D.
that are not yet public. Finally, they
Marshall Arnold from Chicago, who updated the convention on the status of Union (CCU) reported on their organiz- Burlington, Vt. and a new educational
was elected as the meeting’s temporary the Food and Allied Workers Union (IU ing victories and the creation of a Build- workers branch in Binghamton, N.Y.;
secretary. Some significant motions 460). Workers from these shops are in ing Issues Committee. The committee the revival of the Central New Jersey
were considered on Saturday morning, the process of fighting for and winning has improved conditions for messengers branch; contact with existing branches;
including a resolution from the Creden- back pay. in several downtown Chicago buildings and the recently-completed U.S. De-
tials Committee to give full voting rights Joseph Sanchez, who was recently by preventing security guards from sexu- partment of Labor audit of the union’s
to all delegates who received credential laid off from Havas Media Planning ally harassing female messengers. This finances.
cards. The motion was approved, and Group (MPG), is trying to recover a is an issue that had been threatening The Organizing Department reported
every delegate present was enfran- severance package in an ongoing battle the workers for some time. The CCU has on the ongoing Starbucks campaign, the
chised. A Rules Committee comprised against his former employer (See “NYC also published a “Rookie Rider’s Guide” IU 460 campaign, and efforts to connect
of Fellow Workers Arnold, Hargis, and Wobblies Storm MPG’s Headquarters,” to the city. The guide grades messenger workers in IUs 530, 540, 560, 460, 330,
Powers also laid the groundwork for below). companies on how well they treat and and 640. This past year, organizer train-
the weekend. The committee moved Angie from the Chicago Couriers pay messengers. Another success for ing sessions have been held in Houston,
CCU is the formation of the Ryan Bour- Washington, D.C., Albuquerque, N.M.,
dreau Memorial Fund. The fund—named Lancaster, Pa., and Raleigh, N.C. The
after late CCU member Ryan Bourdreau, department is working on translating or-
a messenger killed on the job two years ganizing materials into Spanish, French,
ago—distributes money to messengers and German, and are encouraging future
injured on the job. organizer trainings.
Milwaukee Industrial Union 310 The Spanish-language publication
Treasurer Virginio Miranda presented Solidaridad continues to be produced
a report on the General Construction and distributed. Additionally, the Lit-
Workers’ organizing developments. The erature Department, the Finance Com-
branch now has more than 50 members mittee, the Constitution and By-Laws
and anticipates continued growth. IU Maintenance Committee, and the Indus-
310 runs English as a Second Language trial Worker submitted annual reports
(ESL) classes, and is putting together to the convention. The Dues Reform
a workshop on workplace health and Committee continues its efforts to create
safety standards, covered under the dues parity between members in North
Occupational Safety and Health Ad- America and those in Europe.
ministration (OSHA). The class will be A preliminary report is to be submit-
open to both workers and their families. ted in February and a final one by July 1,
Milwaukee workers are also planning on 2010.
participating in the upcoming Milwau- Nominations were submitted for
kee Labor Fest. next year’s General Officers: General
The GEB reported on the chartering Secretary-Treasurer (GST) and the
Delegates cast their votes during the weekend’s proceedings. Photo: Cristina D.
of a new General Membership Branch in Continued on next page

NYC Wobblies Storm MPG’s Headquarters


By Diane Krauthamer Wobblies handed out in New York, Boston and to retain their right to sue me. They also
NEW YORK — When Joseph San- leaflets to his former Chicago. The multi- do not want me to denigrate the compa-
chez walked into the Lower Manhattan coworkers, who were million dollar advertising ny yet are not concerned about denigrat-
headquarters of Havas-owned Media both glad to have the giant only gave these ing me,” Sanchez said. “I refuse to accept
Planning Group (MPG) to demand the support, yet reluctant workers a four-week sev- these one-sided conditions. Now, MPG is
severance pay that the multimillion- to engage with the erance package. In order refusing to pay me any severance.”
dollar advertising company owed him, union out of fear of to receive their sever- Despite the seemingly fruitless
management gave him the cold shoulder losing their jobs. The ance pay, MPG required battles, the IWW has caused quite a
and escorted him out of the office. On IWW’s message was that the laid-off workers stir for MPG’s top executives. Sanchez’s
August 20, Sanchez—accompanied by straightforward—the sign an “Agreement of coworker said that everyone in the office
members of the New York City Industrial union is offering free Separation & Release,” had heard about the IWW’s campaign to
Workers of the World (IWW)—marched legal and advocacy which included the stipu- pressure Kmart to stop advertising with
into the offices of MPG, demanding support to workers lation that the former MPG—through weekly informational
economic justice and restitution for the concerned about the employees would not “in leafleting and rallies at two Kmart loca-
unjust lay-offs of more than 50 former possibility of future any way denigrate any tions in Manhattan—and management is
employees. layoffs. aspect of the company.” not happy about the negative publicity.
“MPG seemed caught off guard with In a sign of its The agreement made no He said that confronting MPG’s manage-
us entering their office to speak to my increasing frustration mention of the company ment in their headquarters is the next
former coworkers,” Sanchez said. When MPG responded to not denigrating any as- step in an escalation campaign to show
Sanchez walked into the office, one of the know-your-rights pect of the employee. MPG that the IWW means business.
his coworkers came downstairs to speak event by filing a crimi- “After the layoffs, I “MPG said that they view our visit
with him. She told him that being called nal complaint with asked MPG to consider ‘as a very serious matter’ while I view the
downstairs made her nervous, and said the New York Police some changes to the sev- disrespectful and unfair severance agree-
that every day she and her coworkers Department. erance agreement they ment that they are peddling to us a very
were worried about getting fired. After In April 2009, offered me,” Sanchez serious matter,” said Sanchez.
moving past the desk and upstairs to MPG cut 11 percent of Photo: Diane Krauthamer said. “MPG doesn't want “Management realizes now that we
the cubicles, Sanchez and his team of its staff, or 50 workers, from its offices me to be able to sue them, but they want are not just going to go away,” he added.
October 2009 • Industrial Worker • Page 7

Special Report: 2009 DelCon

A Report On The Union’s Annual Meeting In Chicago


Continued from previous page
General Executive Board (GEB) mem-
forward as an organization.”
“Being here is not only about making Thoughts on the 2009 Delegate Convention:
bers, the Organizing Department Board
(ODB), International Solidarity Commis-
these delegate decisions and administra-
tive or constitutional matters, but about
Cristina D. interviews Elmar W.
Cristina: So, if you could just tell me who you
sion (ISC), General Defense Committee getting to know people,” said Elmar
are, where you’re from, and what offices you
(GDC) chair, Committee on Industrial Stuhlfauth of Cologne, Germany, who
hold, that would be great.
Classification (CIC) chair, and the Fi- stressed the importance of social connec-
Elmar: My name is Elmar, I am the delegate of
nance Committee. tions made throughout the weekend.
the General Membership Branch in Cologne,
This year’s Convention saw the After decades of work with anarcho-
Germany.
formation of the International Structure syndicalist unions in Germany, in 2006
Committee. Elected members of the Stuhlfauth was drawn by the IWW’s
C: Have you ever been to any General Assem-
committee are charged with bringing a centralized organizational structure.
blies or Delegate Conventions? If so, how do
proposal to next Previous groups
they compare with this one?
year’s convention with which he was
E: I was in London last year for the General
on how to structure involved were au-
Assembly. A lot has changed. This is a different
the IWW on an tonomous to a fault;
style of organization right now because here we
international level. cohesion was lacking
have delegates who represent branches, instead
This is in recogni- between similar
of general membership representation. I think
tion of the fact that groups based in
there’s a division between the delegates and the
we now have two different cities and,
rest of those in attendance. Delegates follow all
highly functioning in some instances,
the things with plenty of concentration and
Regional Organiz- countries. He be- Elmar Stuhlfauth in Chicago
sometimes it’s quite hard to stand..
ing Committees lieves the Internet is
(ROCs) in Europe, a powerful organiza-
C: What do you mean “hard to stand?”
with Canada in tional tool, but that
E: What we do here is not really fun. It’s boring and it gets on your nerves. There are
the early stages of it lacks intimacy for
people who play tricks with the constitutional provisions, and in life you would treat
forming their own comrades, who may
these folks very much different than you would here. In this room, we have to main-
ROC as well. We never have the op-
tain a formal structure and be polite to one another. If somebody were to accuse me
also expect that the portunity to meet in
or treat me negatively in my personal life I would treat them very much different. So
Australian ROC person. “It’s not the
this makes it somehow hard, but I think this is all necessary to maintain the civi-
will undergo a official thing we do
lized organization of a democratic union.
revival. here, but most of the
The final order Casting votes. Photo: Elmar Stuhlfauth
time, getting to know
C: Do you feel like people have overall maintained pretty good diplomacy?
of business was a report from the IWW each other is much more important than
E: Yes, they have. I expected it to get much worse, especially after reading up on all
Women’s Caucus on their efforts to those formalized things” (See sidebar,
the arguments before I came here. There are many people who would not under-
include women’s issues in organizer “Thoughts on the 2009 Delegate Con-
stand why I would come all the way to Chicago for this type of “entertainment.” But
training sessions and the preparation vention: Cristina D. interviews Elmar
of course I don’t think it’s entertainment—it’s an important job to do.
of welcome packets for new women W.”).
members. Long-time IWW member MK from
C: So, why did you join the IWW?
Edmonton, Baltimore, Twin Cities, the San Francisco Bay area compared
E: I have a long history of organizing in social/political activities. Prior to joining
New York City, Dallas, and Los Ange- this year’s Delegate Convention to past
the IWW in November 2006, I was a member of an anarcho-syndicalist union in
les were proposed as sites for the 2010 annual meetings. This year will make his
Germany, but my branch in Cologne dissolved. I joined the IWW because I think
Convention. sixth in attendance. “This one has more
that it has a better concept of organizing workers and social activities than the
proposals than I’ve ever seen by far at
anarcho-syndicalist union in Germany had. In the past I have been a squatter and
Thoughts on the Convention one convention, but it’s pretty similar,”
an antifascist activist, and I have grown to understand that it’s important for us to
“Our branch meetings comparatively said MK. “There’s debate, sometimes
get a foot into the working class and working life. Personally, when I got older I was
have a smaller group of people,” said people yell, sometimes it gets heated, but
faced with issues such as how to find a job, how to survive at the job, and how to
Christi Cogswell of Chicago, “so it’s been really most of the time people are work-
raise my family and so on.
really interesting to watch Rusty’s Rules ing together and trying to solve problems
used consistently throughout the entire in a comradely way.”
C: Do you feel like the IWW is structured better than the syndicalist groups you’ve
meeting and being used productively.” As per tradition at each year’s
been a part of?
This was Cogswell’s first IWW annual general meeting, the weekend drew to
E: Yes, the IWW is more centralized. It sounds strange because centralization to
gathering. For a close on Sun-
many people means more control and dictatorship and such things. I experienced
her and many day evening with
the opposite in the anarcho-syndicalist union; they are so autonomous that they
new leaders Industrial Work-
don’t want to share. They struggle around city against city, country against coun-
in the union ers joining in a
try, and the movement seems very separated on territorial issues. To me they are
the Delegate spirited singing of
quite illogical—they are lacking a common base. I mean this feeling of being a part
Convention Ralph Chaplin’s
of “One Big Union” gets lost very often in the anarcho-syndicalist world, at least in
was an op- “Solidarity Forev-
Europe.
portunity for er,” our longtime
her to witness anthem. Delegates
C: Do you have anything else to add?
diplomacy left the Conven-
Graphic: DJ Alperovitz E: Yes! Of course coming here is not just about making delegate decisions and work-
across branch- tion confident
ing around the administrative and constitutional issues. It is about getting to know
es and regional organizing committees. of our union’s continued growth and
people. This was my main intention. I mean even if I would not have been
“The most important issue for me is influence in the current era of capitalist
regarded as a mandated delegate, which was an option I had, what I could have
meeting members from other branches,” collapse and the ongoing irrelevancy of
done—this was quite nice. I met many interesting people and made good contacts
said Joe Tessone of Chicago. “It’s impor- the business unions.
that will help us in the future. It’s wonderful for us to stretch over the ocean like
tant to understand each other and our Steve Kellerman contributed to this
this. For me, the “unofficial business” of socializing and getting to know each other
differences and figure out ways to move story.

Starbucks Workers Union Fights For Health Care


By Benjamin Ferguson and Joe Agins, Jr.
Signs, chants, leaflets and a large media turnout characterized the Star-
bucks Worker Union’s (SWU) demonstration on August 17 in New York City
against the company’s decision to nearly double the premiums workers pay for
health insurance. The public was very supportive of the SWU’s protest andthe
topic seemed to resonate with everyone who passed by. The cops were not ter-
ribly supportive, as they attempted to keep the sidewalks clear in front of the
Starbucks store, located below the company’s regional headquarters.
In New England, Wobblies went on a 15-store blitz in Boston and Need-
ham, Mass., and in Dover and Portsmouth, N.H. Three IWW members—Steve
Kellerman, Bill Bumpus and Joe Agins, Jr.—comprised the IWW Starbucks
New England organizing team. The team went out in smoldering heat to reach
out to Starbucks workers, propagating for the union and telling them about
the health care hike that Starbucks is imposing. They explained that the fight
is for the workers and to improve health care. One manager warned workers
not to read the union’s leaflets, but Kellerman spoke over the boss, saying “It’s
for your best interests.” Additionally, the store workers in New Hampshire
thanked local organizer Joe Agins, Jr. for dropping by and were pleased to
know that there is a union for them.
“I won’t stop organizing for New Hampshire and Massachusetts until
workers have a voice and the boss learns to respect them,” Agins, Jr. said. Starbucks baristas and supporters protest in New York. Photo: Benjamin Ferguson
Page 8 • Industrial Worker • October 2009

Book Review

A Provocative Assessment of the U.S. Labor Movement


Early, Steve. “Embedded With Orga- Labor’s Unfulfilled Agenda attractive.
nized Labor: Journalistic Reflections This is a book for those who seek to But Early cites a number of SEIU
on the Class War at Home.” Monthly strengthen the labor movement, and are leaders brought in outside the ranks of
Review Press, 2009. 288 pages, paper- interested in past and current critiques workers who seemed to have little un-
back, $17.95. of how unions have often failed to fulfill derstanding of how unions operate. He
their promise. Early shows how crit- suggests that such outsiders often lack
By Randy Shaw ics have long questioned labor unions a real connection to the workers they
Steve Early is known for his strong over internal democracy, ideology, represent, and owe their allegiance less
opinions on the United States labor and organizing prowess, and how this to rank and file workers then to the inter-
movement, and his often biting cri- criticism increased as labor’s power has national officials that appointed them.
tiques of Andy Stern’s leadership of the declined over the past four decades. Early argues:
Service Employees International Union Early discusses many of these trenchant “Too often in labor today, particu-
(SEIU). But Early’s new book offers an critiques, showing a union movement so larly in several high-profile ‘progressive’
amalgamation of essays and diversity of badly out of step with the times that pro- unions led by onetime student activists,
perspectives that include even strongly NAFTA Bill Clinton was elected as the participatory democracy is missing.
pro-SEIU assessments, and even those first Democratic President in 16 years Membership mobilization has a top-
who disagree with Early’s core premises without much labor backing. down, carefully orchestrated character
will benefit from reading his arguments. Early reminds us of how John Swee- that subverts real rank and file initiative,
“Embedded with Organized Labor” sur- ney’s ascension to AFL-CIO President decision-making, and dynamism.” Graphic: beyondchron.org
veys nearly every prominent book writ- in 1995 raised hopes for an invigorated Early’s criticisms of outside lead- publisher’s warning that authors seeking
ten about the U.S. labor movement over labor movement. He analyzes the basis ership deserve debate. But it is worth large audiences should “not write books
the past three decades. Early’s thought- for such optimism, and why it dissipated noting that until its recent demise, the about and for trade unionists,” as the
ful, critical, and, yes, often controversial as the revitalized labor federation was Change to Win (CTW) labor federation movement does not “buy and read books
analysis of the labor movement is likely unable to stop union membership loss, was far more progressive and activist that are written for us.” Savvy strategist
unmatched in any other single volume, particularly in the private sector. By oriented than the AFL-CIO. While Early that he is, Early then goes about trying
and the best part is that he consistently discussing books written when hopes for claims that there is “little evidence” for to convince labor unions to recognize the
uses labor’s past decisions and strategies Sweeney were highest, Early reminds Ruth Milkman’s argument in her “L.A. importance of marketing union-oriented
as a guide for future action. Whether you us of a time that seems far more dis- Story” that “CTW unions, with the excep- books. He provides detailed instructions
share his conclusions or not, Early has tant than fourteen years. Early makes a tion of SEIU and perhaps HERE, have on how unions can benefit from mar-
given book groups and labor activists convincing case that Sweeney was never responded more effectively” to the politi- keting labor books, and I wish him the
a wealth of material to discuss in every capable of being an inspiring turnaround cal and economic transformations of the greatest success in this campaign. The
chapter, contributing to a much needed specialist, and that the dream of ris- past thirty years, Early undermines his self-interest of labor authors aside, Ear-
debate on the best strategies for building ing labor power associated with his critique by essentially eliminating the ly’s passion for a labor movement that
worker power. presidency was never realistic for many two unions that best prove Milkman’s prioritizes union democracy requires the
During Steve Early’s 30-year career reasons, particularly the AFL-CIO Presi- case. And when one considers the always encouragement of rank-and-file read-
with the Communication Workers of dent’s lack of power to require unions to on the defensive and longtime anti-clean ing, and providing workers the skills and
America, he found time to write over increase organizing. air UAW, and recall Tom Buffenbarger, education they need to effectively run in-
300 articles on the labor movement. president of the Machinists’ union, creasingly complex labor organizations.
Those familiar with his writings know he Change to Win ridiculing Obama supporters on the If workers are educated in organizing
has strongly held views, but the essays in The next phase of books reflecting night of the Wisconsin primary in 2008 and political strategies, fully understand
this book show Early preferring intel- rising hopes for labor surrounded the as “latte-drinking, Prius-driving, Birken- their contracts, and know the past his-
lectual and empirical arguments over creation of the Change to Win labor stock-wearing, trust fund babies,” it’s tory of their bargaining unit’s relations
emotional appeals, and eager to stimu- federation in 2005. Early was clearly clear there are strong cultural differences with management, then strong and ef-
late debate rather than insisting upon no advocate of Andy Stern’s decision to between the two federations. fective leadership will likely emerge from
agreement. lead SEIU out of the AFL-CIO, and the Early also questions the SEIU/ the rank and file. But if workers remain
recent SEIU-UNITE HERE split and the Change to Win recruitment of idealis- uninformed, uneducated and unskilled
effective dissolution of Change to Win at tic young college grads as organizers, in labor strategies and the bargain-
least retroactively confirms opponents instead of primarily relying on longtime ing process, then outside leadership
concerns over the move. I found this workers. While many recent college becomes essential for effective union
section of the book the most thought- grads became great organizers—like management.
provoking, as Early raises a number of SEIU Local 11’s Eric Brakken, whose role Although unions should heed Early’s
questions about the route to building a in the successful 2006 University of Mi- call to invest in books promoting the
powerful labor movement that deserve ami janitors campaign is discussed in my labor movement—after all, the business
greater discussion. book, “Beyond the Fields”—many unions community spends enough to ensure
For example, consider the Andy have cut back on college recruitment due books touting corporations become
Stern-Change to Win strategy of bring- to high turnover. Again, one does not bestsellers—this is unlikely to happen.
ing in progressive activists from outside have to agree with Early to appreciate his But Early’s quest speaks to his continued
the labor movement to run locals. Many raising the issue for debate. idealism in the face of 30 years of union
saw this move as essential for unions to decline that could have easily left him
provide the activist and creative leader- Labor’s Future cynical about the prospect for the United
ship they long lacked. We all knew sto- Early ends his book with two previ- States ever achieving a progressive labor
ries of SEIU and UNITE HERE chapters ously unpublished chapters, one on the movement. Early can be a strong critic,
whose local leadership defied interna- SEIU/ National Union of Healthcare but he insists that those seeking union
tional union policies toward diversity, Workers (NUHW) battle in California democracy and greater worker power
Photo: indymedia.us
organizing and progressive change, so and the other whose title reflects the keep hope alive.
NUHW activists protest SEIU trust- the idea of replacing this dead wood author’s clarion call for “Reading, Writ- This review originally appeared in
eeship in St. Louis on May 27. with quality leadership appeared quite ing and Union Building.” Early cites a Beyond Chron, May 28, 2009.

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October 2009 • Industrial Worker • Page 9

We Won! But Did We Do It Right? Reflections of a Union Organizer


By Peter Marin, Linchpin legal process of joining a union and get- supervisors—a confrontational approach they unanimously voted in favor of the
On July 31, the post-doctoral fellows ting a first contract. While Wobblies do was simply not in the cards. To refuse final agreement), getting their active
at McMaster University in Hamilton, not refuse to use these methods no mat- to compromise on my principles would support was more difficult.
Ontario became the first post-docs ter the context, all would agree that they have meant not participating in the Overall, it could be said that we
in Canada to form a union and win a are not empowering. This encourages campaign. This would have gone against attempted to organize in ways that
contract. As a member of the Canadian only passive involvement of workers who another principle: that we should be empowered workers under difficult
Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are asked only to sign a card and later to active in the struggles of our coworkers circumstances and within the restraints
3906, I was involved in this campaign, vote. The campaigners and bargaining and neighbors at whatever level they of a traditional union drive. Some of us
first as an organizer and later, after the team take care of happen to be. were no doubt empowered through the
successful union drive, as a member of the rest, returning We did attempt process, though our numbers were small
the bargaining support team. to the membership to organize in a way compared to the total of all the workers
By the standards of most union or- only once a deal has that allowed the involved. So what lessons can be drawn
ganizers, this union drive was an all-out been hammered maximum involve- from this experience for union organiz-
success. Besides breaking new ground out with manage- ment of post-docs ers?
for unions in a growing sector, the post- ment. A contract and other rank-and- I think this campaign shows that
docs won significant gains, including ties workers’ hands file members. The when there is a low level of struggle, we
higher wages and benefits, more vaca- by taking away organizing com- must be flexible in our approach if we
tion time, paid leaves and professional the right to withdraw labor during the mittee and bargaining team were made are to be active at all. Perhaps we can be
development funds. course of the contract and channel- up entirely of local members, most of guided by the following notion: compro-
But as a Wobbly I measure success in ing disputes into lengthy and legalistic them rank and file. This meant we had a mise only when our weaknesses force us,
any social struggle not only by what was grievance processes that do nothing to rank-and-file-run organizing committee, never miss an opportunity to apply our
won, but also by how it was won. In the empower workers. allowing those involved to pick up a lot principles where we are strong enough,
case of unions, we want to see directly However, using mobilization and of organizing skills and union know- and work really hard to overcome the
democratic unions controlled by their direct action to force the university to how. The entire bargaining process, from areas in which we are weak.
members. As our aim is to empower our voluntarily recognize the union and its determining priorities to deciding which I hope the lesson here is that we
coworkers to run their union, organizers demands without going through the ones to keep and which ones to compro- must pay as much attention to how we
must use methods which empower work- labor board and without a formal con- mise on, was open to all post-docs and organize as to what we are fighting for,
ers to get involved and take matters into tract was never an option. It was clear other rank-and-file members. A great or rather, that the two things are directly
their own hands. Our means of struggle from day one that while the post-docs deal of effort was put in by an over- connected. We cannot overcome the
must be radically democratic, regardless wanted a union, we were not dealing stretched group of organizers and staff crisis of the labor movement simply by
how big or small the struggle. with a militant group of workers with a to encourage post-docs to take control of organizing more workers or by making
So how does our post-docs campaign history of collective action. For the vast the process. more gains. If the labor movement is to
measure up by these standards? First, it majority, this was their first experience Despite these efforts, few post-docs once again become a fighting movement
should be said that from the beginning coming together as workers to improve chose to participate, although those that led by rank-and-file workers and their
this was going to be a traditional union their working conditions. Given that a did had a big impact on the process. communities, we must organize in ways
campaign where workers would be asked post-docs' career depends in a big way While we had their passive support (a that encourage individual and collective
to sign union cards and go through the on keeping friendly relations with their majority voted to join the union, and empowerment.

Starbucks Barista Unjustly


Wobblies Commemorate McKee's Rocks Strike Fired, Demands Justice
Continued from 1

By Kenneth Miller among the strikers, replacement labor- Witek and her coworkers talked with
McKee’s Rocks, Pa. – On August ers, and state police erupted into a riot the SWU and came up with a plan to get
22, 2009, the annual gathering of the on August 22. Eleven men were killed Mehrbatu her job back.
Pennsylvania Labor History Society held near this footbridge. Strikers were aided The SWU held a picket for Mehrbatu
its annual gathering to coincide with the by the Industrial Workers of the World.” on August 15 outside of the store where
Centenary of the McKee’s Rocks Pressed Members of the Pa. Labor History she worked. Hopes were high as several
Steel Car strike and its “Bloody Sunday” Society and the McKee’s Rocks Histori- dozen union members and supporters
massacre. The day’s activities included a cal Society worked closely together to waved signs supporting Mehrbatu and
march and a picnic, along with the erec- involve the community in this Centenary calling out Starbucks for its discrimina-
tion of a second official State of Pennsyl- event. Evan Wolfson of the Pittsburgh tory behavior. According to workers
vania historical marker on the site of the IWW spoke at one of the panel discus- inside, the picket slowed business to a
massacre. sions at the Ryan’s Arts Center. Pitts- crawl inside the store and gave Star-
The Pressed Steel Car Company pro- burgh ’s Mike Stout and his band, the bucks the message that the union was
vided worker housing at substantial cost Human Union, played for the Historical not going to let Mehrbatu fight this
to employees, keeping them in constant Society’s Dinner on August 21, and at the battle alone. After a fruitless call with
debt. During the 1909 strike, immigrant picnic. Mike wrote a song that tells the Starbucks’ Human Resources later that
workers were evicted from their compa- story of this strike–every IWW member day, the SWU remains committed to get-
ny homes. The eviction led to the August should listen to this song and it should ting Mehrbatu her job back and getting
22 “Bloody Sunday Uprising,” in which be considered for the “Little Red Song- Starbucks to throw out the promissory
at least 11 people were killed. The houses book.” note they pressured her to sign.
were sold after the company ceased The IWW is a fighting and singing “District management now won’t
operations in 1949. union, and the tactics that worked in have their meetings in our store because
The original historical marker McKee’s Rocks in 1909 still work today. they know they are wrong and they are
erected in 2000 reads: “1909 MCKEE’S We need a labor union that juxtaposes afraid of that,” said Witek, adding that
ROCKS STRIKE – On July 14, unskilled the nationalism and jurisdictionalism of the union continues to fight and is “not
immigrant workers led a strike against the trade unions, and with the IWW, we going to back down.”
the Pressed Steel Car Company. Strain Photos: Pittsburgh IWW organize the worker, not the job! This article originally appeared in
The Organizer, September 2009.

Philly Cab Drivers Demonstrate Against Parking Authority Ticketing Continued from 1
trians cross the street, and even Worker,” I said to UTWA press secretary After the union’s press conference at
got out of his car to help guide John Hough as he waved our IWW flag Ninth and Filbert Streets, a cab driver,
a person out of the protest traf- in the middle of the street. “PPA has got Sebastian Chuwko, took us back to 31st
fic. When I asked Abdul about to go!” he replied succinctly. “PPA stole Street. He told us that Verifone had
the nationalities of Philly’s cab $75,000 of our money last year. Where recently held his earnings for a week
drivers, he responded, “They did it go? Nobody knows.” before depositing them. In the time
are from everywhere. Many This $75,000 is the UTWA’s aggre- between when he expected them and the
are from here. Many are from gated estimation of the money driv- time the funds were released, Sebastian
other countries. That’s why ers have reported missing from their incurred two overdraft fees from his
they call it the United States. accounts. When a passenger pays with bank, totaling $70. His two debit card
All of us come together to make a credit card, Verifone—the credit card expenses, not surprisingly, were for
one. All from different coun- processor—takes a painful 5 percent gasoline.
tries; all here together.” fee off the top and is then supposed to In addition to his daily airport
Every cab company was deposit the rest of the money into the routes, Sebastian is the UTWA’s trea-
represented in bright colors. driver’s account. Instead, drivers get surer. Back in Nigeria, Sebastian was an
Photo: Diane Krauthamer Activist drivers scouted out mysterious chunk deposits that bear no elected member of his local government.
Center City as chaos surrounded. Some shirking drivers still “open for busi- relation to, and no itemization for, their He said that that experience helps him
pedestrians were shaking their fists, ness” during the demonstration and receipts, hence the missing $75,000. in his work for the UTWA. It’s still very
coming up to the cab windows and ask- harangued them with invitations to join John, or “Chicago” as they call him, is hard to work full time and do his vol-
ing questions—sometimes even uttering the protest. The action amounted to a just as pissed as any other taxi driver unteer union work, he told us. I replied
a rude disapproval about the noise and short protest strike that lasted for only because, in addition to being a union of- that we in the IWW could identify. We
inconvenience. In the middle of all this, two hours, yet it gave the City a sharp ficer he’s also a working cab driver—the too have to build our organization and
Abdul kept his cool and helped people spanking in the process. same holds true for all of the UTWA’s fight the bosses while exhausted from
pull out and change lanes, helped pedes- “Give me a quote for the Industrial staff. overwork.
Page
October Industrial
10 • 2009 Worker •Worker
• Industrial October•2009
Page 10

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AGITATE! EDUCATE! ORGANIZE!: American Labor Posters
by Lincoln Cushing & Timothy W. Drescher Break Their Haughty Power: Joe
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and the jobs at which they labor make up a visually fascinating body of work that Wobblies by Eugene Nelson the Rank and
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to inform. They were also vehicles for working people to present themselves visually, hometown by anti-Catholic bigots, hopped Solidarity
which is rarely as straightforward as it might seem because the labor force itself is not aboard a freight train and headed west for While Staying
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demonstrate that labor issues include both the workplace and the outside community
and often portray families and neighbors, not just fellow workers.” organizer for the IWW. Eugene Nelson, a Law
longtime friend of Joe Murphy, recounts BY STAUGHTON LYND
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events include the 1919 Centralia massacre
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color images, the text contributes to a much deeper understanding of the politics, history,
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October 2009 • Industrial Worker • Page 11

Ladismith Cheese Stinks:


Farm Workers In Rural South Africa Fight For Their Rights
By D.M. Kloker from the stoves used for heat and cook- of South African Trade Unions (CO- pay docked
Behind the veil of a new South Africa ing. The corrugated metal roofs leaked, SATU), whose close associations with for leav-
are the economic remnants of its apart- and plumbing consisted only of outside the ruling ANC have prevented COSATU ing the job.
heid past. Fifteen years after the end of spigots. The workers at Ladismith are from taking bolder stances against the CSAAWU is
political apartheid, economic apartheid geographically isolated, making it very continuing economic inequality in post- currently be-
still exists for far too many of South difficult to leave these company-owned apartheid South Africa. ing sued for
Africa’s citizens. Informal communi- shacks. Their current minimum wage of On July 4, several hundred workers correctly as-
ties where “colored” South Africans (the 2,700 Rand ($337) per month puts most from Ladismith Cheese marched from serting that
South African classification for people workers at or below the local poverty the town center of Ladismith to the Ladismith Graphic: accidentalmommies.com
of mixed ethnic descent, usually the de- line. The workers’ conditions at Ladi- factory gates and demanded the owner is engaging in “apartheid-style manage-
scendants of slaves) live in shacks with- smith are very similar to the conditions publicly accept their list of demands. ment.” The management at Ladismith is
out sanitation or heat have sprung up of the rural California farm workers The size of the rally was particularly even threatening to take the CSAAWU to
around cities like Cape Town. Khayelit- which the IWW organized almost 100 impressive given the transportation dif- the Human Rights Commission in South
sha is one such settlement that is home years ago. ficulties faced by the workers at Ladi- Africa for defamation, which is ironic
to an estimated one million people. There is also a racial component to smith. These workers are geographically considering the Commission was set up
Citizens that were promised homes are the struggle of workers at Ladismith isolated from one another and depen- to counteract the kinds of human rights
finding themselves literally walled off Cheese, where almost all of the workers dent on taxi cabs to take them from their abuses Ladismith is committing. In
from public view as the ruling ANC (Afri- are “colored”, but every single manager homes to the town center. After a long addition, the workers who are participat-
can National Congress) prepares to host is a white Afrikaner. There are very few while of singing and making speeches ing in the campaign are facing indi-
the World Cup in 2010. In our so-called voices within South Africa right now that from a loudspeaker, it became clear the vidual threats of eviction and increasing
globalized economy, the worst economic are willing to state that while political factory owners would not publically charges for electricity. However, the
exploitation often occurs as far from apartheid may have ended, its economic accept the demands. Eventually, a small workers at Ladismith are well organized
public view as possible. Such is the case dimensions are still very much in effect. faction of workers was sent into the and clearly ready for a long struggle.
for the workers at Ladismith Cheese, a International support could encourage factory to deliver the workers’ demands: The outcome of the struggle at
leading producer of cheese and butter for these workers to continue speaking the an increase in the minimum wage paid Ladismith Cheese may yet serve as a
South Africa and internationally. truth about their exploitation. to employees, better living conditions, bellwether for the global economy. If
Ladismith Cheese is 249 miles out- The workers at Ladismith Cheese are and a transformation of the white-only workers under these conditions are able
side of Cape Town in a very rural area. currently organizing against the appall- management structure. to make gains, it will be more difficult for
The workers at Ladismith are dependent ing conditions they live in. The Commer- Retaliations from the management corporations to sidestep labor gains by
on the farm owners for housing, elec- cial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied at Ladismith Cheese have been swift. going overseas. Inspired by the struggle
tricity, and what can barely be referred Workers’ Union (CSAAWU) is represent- Workers who came out of the factory to at Ladismith and elsewhere, workers
to as sanitation. I toured a series of the ing workers at Ladismith. CSAAWU is stand on the other side of the locked, in even the most remote corners of the
homes of Ladismith Cheese workers, a socialist union that represents a left razor-wired gates in solidarity with world will be actively standing up for
where the walls were caked with soot alternative to the much larger Congress the marching workers are having their their rights.

Lost Mountain: A Song By John Martin Holland


Big trucks screechin’, blowin’ down the road Hold the little people hostage at the point of a gun
Jake brakes explodin’, holdin’ back sixty tons an’ more It’s a few jobs got for lottsa lives destroyed
Dust so heavy gotta have a breathin’ tank In just a few short months we’ll all be unemployed
Big King Coal, it’s him we gotta thank! It’s coal, black gold, runs in the veins
Rained hard last night, shacks ‘n’ trailers washed away Plain greed, the devil’s deed, brings both riches and poor pains
Never happened once back then, then they dragged the coal away Generations chained forever, every time it rains
Used to be a mountain, now all that’s left is toxic mud
Chockin’ up the hollers, ‘n’ runnin’ in our blood Why do we treat our people like worms ‘n’ pesky bugs?
Why do we faun ‘n’ grovel at the law of the cold coal thugs?
Gotta have power, from coal fired plants When will we ever learn their kind knows nothing of the truth?
Nothin’ lives on Lost Mountain, not even ants have got a chance Hear the ghost of Lost Mountain, an’ see tons and tons of proof
Grandpa used to hunt, everybody used to fish Towns like graves covered over with rocks
There’s a black cloud hangin’ down Nothin’ ever changes ‘cuz of EPA talks
Livin’ in the dying now, at the flick of a switch Don’t scab for the bosses, they’ll tell the same old lies
Blast away the mountains, ‘til it’s worse than desert sun Graphic: Ned Powell Better make a strong union, help each other organize

Sydney Bus Drivers Take Wildcat Action


The Busways Group is a large private sion of New South Whales, Justice Frank The reaction to a relatively small
Continued from 1
drivers said they would strike again
operator, holding lucrative government Marks accused the drivers of “industrial wildcat strike by Busways drivers reveals unless the company dropped its plans
contracts to run more than 600 buses— thuggery of the worst kind ... in the face just how dependent governments and to implement the new timetables. The
and employ more than 700 drivers—on of opposition from their elected delegate big business are on the unions. The TWU, on the other hand, has worked
approximately 100 routes in the Sydney and without consulting any paid TWU reference to “bolshie” workers—that is, to isolate the Blacktown depot drivers
and New South Wales Central Coast official.” The judge ordered the TWU and drawing a parallel between the Busways from workers at the company’s 15 other
regions, and about 30 more routes in the its members not to take any further in- drivers and the Bolsheviks who took depots, in addition to other bus drivers
state’s mid-North Coast area. dustrial action over the timetable issue. power in Russia in 1917—reveals the and transport workers, all of whom face
Like employers across the board, The response portrays how nervous growing concerns within ruling circles similar attacks.
Busways is utilizing the economic the establishment is that the drivers over the consequences of sharpening “We acted out of frustration after 10
crisis—with the backing of the state might set an example which would en- social tensions produced by worsening years of fighting oppressive and deficient
government—to demand a productivity courage other unemployment timetables. The new timetables will be
speed-up. With unemployment continu- workers to and deteriorating a nightmare. The TWU did not condone
ing to rise throughout Sydney’s western, defy the trade living standards. the strike, and said we could be fined
working-class suburbs, the company is unions and Like other sec- $50,000 (AUD). It’s like a dictatorship,”
actively recruiting drivers willing to ac- take indepen- tions of the said one driver, who has worked for
cept the new conditions. dent action working class, pri- Busways for 10 years.
The mass media launched a scathing to defend vate bus drivers “I am very dubious toward the union
attack on the drivers for halting services their jobs and have been forced and I am disillusioned by all govern-
from the depot during the morning peak conditions. to suffer from ments—like most people. Every time, we
period, claiming that their actions had Over the past decreased pay and vote governments out, rather than vote
seriously disrupted and traumatized three decades, deteriorating con- anyone in. The Liberals screw us one
commuters, as well as school children the unions ditions. Despite way, and Labor does it another way,” he
and parents. As drivers pointed out, this have been the intense pres- added.
was sheer hypocrisy as passengers were the essential sure of driving in Another driver, who has worked for
Photo: libcom.org
frequently left stranded by delays caused instrument in Bus drivers picket Glendenning depot. heavy traffic, and the company for five years, was bit-
by the existing, already over-stretched sabotaging any being responsible ter about the TWU’s role. “The union
timetables. resistance by the working class to the for the safety of thousands of passengers blamed the workers for going on strike.
What really provoked the media’s pro-market agenda imposed by succes- daily, they are paid base rates of a mere We decided that we couldn’t wait for the
wrath was that the drivers had defied sive Coalition and Labor governments on $50,000 (AUD) per year. union. The union is only worried about
the TWU and took matters into their behalf of big business. By contrast, the Rowe family—owner the $60 (AUD) a month we pay in dues.”
own hands. The Daily Telegraph labeled During the past year, as the global of the Busways Group—is thought to A Busways mechanic voiced support
them as “rogue drivers” who had acted recession has deepened, the TWU and be one of the wealthiest in Australia. for the drivers’ action. “Everyone has the
“without consulting any official of the its counterparts throughout the union The extent of its profits and the amount right to express their grievances, or it’s
Transport Workers Union.” An editorial movement have worked hand-in-hand of government subsidies it receives is not a free country. When I get called out
declared that a “bolshie minority” had with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Labor shrouded in secrecy. for bus repairs, I see the pressure the
staged a “wildcat strike” because their Party government to help large and Despite the fact that Busways man- drivers are under. It’s bad enough to be
“tempers led them to ignore even the small companies impose far-reaching agement has agreed to further negotiate under pressure from the public, without
instructions from their own union.” cuts to jobs, working hours and condi- on the proposed timetables, and despite being under pressure from the company
In the Industrial Relations Commis- tions. Justice Frank Marks’ “no-strike” order, as well,” he said.

Page 12 • Industrial Worker • October 2009

The Recall Of A Critical Unionist From The Works Council


By IWW (IU 460/640) job branch Worker Stubbe’s record. In the work
at Eurest Frankurt, Germany place that he is responsible for, general
In the section titled “Knock, knock. staff assemblies are held once a trimes-
Who’s there? Open up, it’s the police!” ter, as the law stipulates. The conditions
from the International Solidarity Com- of the contract are strictly applied. For
mission’s column on page 12 of the instance, every colleague got his or her
August/September Industrial Worker, annual leave application signed by the
The IWW formed the International Solidarity Commission to help the union build the IW reported on illegal overtime at boss in February. The cut in working
the worker-to-worker solidarity that can lead to effective action against the bosses Eurest in Frankfurt, Germany, and time is applied in whole days, as the
of the world. To contact the ISC, email solidarity@iww.org. how the IWW is trying to stop it. Now, contract stipulates, and not in minutes
the yellow unions have taken up the as it is abusively done elsewhere. All
By Michael Ashbrook Serbia Anarchists Arrested
struggle—against us Wobblies, not colleagues have been upgraded. There
6th Annual SweatFree Communities Five members of the Anarcho-Syn-
against the bosses. Here is part two of are three breaks per day and there is no
Conference dicalist Initiative (ASI)—including Inter-
the unfolding Eurest Saga: overtime, thanks to Stubbe’s efforts. He
The 6th Annual SweatFree Communi- national Workers Association (IWA-AIT)
People under contract with the consistently defends the interests of staff
ties Conference will be held in Washing- General Secretary Ratibor Trivunac, along
Eurest Catering Service often found in the works council.
ton, D.C. November 6-8.The International with Tadej Kurepa, Ivan Vulović , Sanja
themselves working up to 16-hour days, Management has already tried to fire
Solidarity Committee (ISC) of the IWW Dojkić and Nikola Mitrovic—were arrested
which is illegal in Germany. The yellow Stubbe. Now yellow unionists are taking
and the Pittsburgh Anti Sweatshop Com- on September 3 under the fabricated
union NGG (Gewerkschaft Nahrung- another shot at him. He has made some
munity Alliance have collaborated with charges of “causing general public danger”
Genuss-Gaststatten , or the Food and enemies in stubbornly defending his
SweatFree Communities for several years. after they were forcefully taken in for in-
Allied Workers Union - Germany) and staff. As the law requires, he keeps his
The ISC has found SweatFree Communi- terrogation by the police. These comrades
the works council turned a blind eye to constituents fully informed of the works
ties to be one of the most accessible groups were arrested, supposedly in connection
these unlawful sweatshop conditions. council’s activity.
within the anti-sweatshop movement, with a direct action at the Greek Embassy
Because the IWW job branch at Eurest If the criteria according to which
and is hopeful that the SweatFree’s board which was carried out on Aug. 25. Accord-
is still getting off the ground, we de- Stubbe is being impeached were applied
will respond thoughtfully to the specific ing to a report from libcom.org, a circle-A
cided to simply call the cops, like good to the other works councilors, there
issues and assertions laid out in the ISC’s graffiti was drawn and two Molotov cock-
citizens. The three officers who came would be no one left in office.
resolution—passed on July 25—which tails were thrown at the embassy. Neither
to inspect the premises of the Deutsche Harald Stubbe resigned from the
commends the important work done by broke through the windows—one cracked
Bank canteen at 9:00 p.m. found sev- yellow NGG because it signed a contract
SweatFree Communities. a window and another burned a bit.
eral of our colleagues on duty who had with Eurest that worsened the work-
The ISC has allocated a $100 scholar- The judge ordered the arrestees to 30
begun their shift at 6:30 a.m. Now the ing conditions. While the NGG bosses
ship for an IWW member to attend the 6th days of detention on the basis that they
boss faces a stiff fine and our colleagues “earned” salaries of which cooks and
Annual SweatFree Communities Confer- represented a flight risk and a risk to wit-
are happy to be free of excessively long other kitchen workers can only dream,
ence. The weekend will feature in-depth nesses. The prosecutor wants to charge
hours. The bosses at other Eurest job they were too timid to defend the rank
strategy sessions and trainings suitable them with “international terrorism.” At
sites are beginning to worry about more and file against the Eurest bosses. Now
for new and seasoned SweatFree campaign the writing of this story, the exact charges
IWW job branches forming because for the NGG is trying to help the bosses to
activists and designed to take local cam- against those arrested remain unknown.
some of the workers this was the first get rid of a rank-and-file militant who
paigns to the next level. We hope that each A group called Crni Ilija supposedly
time they saw resistance paying off. They has asked too many critical questions in
local SweatFree Community campaign claimed responsibility for the action. The
are beginning to demand the 25 percent the works council.
will send at least two representatives to mainstream press interviewed Ratibor
overtime bonus that Eurest has simply What reason could there be for
the conference. Trivunac, who said that he knows noth-
“forgotten” to pay until now. Eurest employees to pay dues to a
If you do anti-sweatshop organizing, ing about the group. He also informed
According to the Works Council “union” like the NGG?
are interested in the status of a global comrades from the IWA-AIT that it looked
Statute of 1952, the Labor Tribunal must Translated by Michael Ashbrook.
apparel union organizing drive, have a like the police wanted to pin this on him.
remove a works council member from This story originally appeared in
background or concerns about union label The media continues to post photos of
office if one quarter of the constituents Berichte und Standpunkte (News and
strategies, are an educator who teaches the comrades arrested, labeling them as
sign a petition to that effect. It seems Viewpoints) -newsletter of the IWW (IU
about globalization, or if you are an orga- “terrorists.”
that yellow unionists are trying to do this 460/640) job branch at Eurest Frank-
nizer that talks to Fellow Workers about The comrades in the ASI—along with
to IWW member Harald Stubbe. furt, September - November 2009, Issue
their interconnectedness with workers in other anarchists from Belgrade—are
Let’s take a close look at Fellow #3.
places like Honduras or Bangladesh, the meeting to discuss a plan. Additionally,
ISC urges you to attend this conference
and take advantage of the $100 scholar-
the IWA-AIT reports that they are in com-
munication with comrades from various Berry-Picking Vietnamese Guest Workers Go On Strike
ship. countries who are planning solidarity By John Kalwaic tween 10 to 30 kilograms per day, which
For more information, or if you would pickets. They are asking for the interna- On August 14, approximately 120 was not sufficient to earn decent money.
like to attend this conference, please call tional community to send letters to local berry-picking Vietnamese guest workers Around 120 North Vietnamese workers
ISC member Justin Vitiello at 267-949- Serbian embassies. People can also sign for the Swedish Rabema Service went went on strike, but the South Vietnam-
6864.For more information, please visit an electronic petition to the government on strike to protest wages and condi- ese workers did not want to join in the
www.sweatfree.org. at www.asi.zsp.net.pl. tions in the small rural town of Branäs in strike. The South Vietnamese workers
Strikers, Supporters Breach Dockyard Gate in Dublin Värmland, Sweden. Workers were hired
from Vietnam by the Vietnamese TTLC
were allegedly attacked by the North
Vietnamese strikers, who also held them
By John Kalwaic ing “Workers recruiter to pick berries for the Rabema hostage. Swedish police units, interpret-
Around 600 workers and supporters in, scabs out.” Service, and were expected to pay up to ers, and Stockholm embassy staff came
took their picket to the dockyard gates of The workers 15,000 kronor ($2,000) to fund their into Branäs in Värmland to “control the
Peel Ports in Dublin, Ireland on August breached the two month stay, and 9,000 kronor for situation.”
24. Dockworkers have gone on strike gates and en- room and board. Many of the south Vietnamese
against the Marine Terminals Ltd. of the tered the ter- Most of the workers paid with loans workers were moved to a secret loca-
U.K.-based firm Peel Ports, demanding minal. Under on their houses and borrowed from fam- tion to hide them from the strikers. In
compulsory redundancies–or financial the eye of se- ily and friends, but then were paid only the end, the company gave the workers
compensation for work lost due to com- curity cameras 14 kronor per kilogram. The workers an ultimatum: “Work hard, and we will
pany restructuring—and new pay and con- and guards, were striking over what they said were help find enough berries, or go home. ”
ditions at the cargo handling facility. Joe the organizers the impossible demands of the employ- Five of the strikers decided to go back to
O’Flynn, general secretary of the Services, Photo: irishtimes.com of the march ers, who wanted them to pick 60 to 120 Vietnam, while the other 115 decided to
Industrial, Professional and Technical urged the crowd not to do any damage”and kilograms of berries per day. The work- go back to work. Hopefully, this will not
Union (SIPTU), accused the company of to respect the security guards. Messages of ers said they were only able to pick be- be the end of this struggle.
steamrolling through with redundancies support and solidarity for the Irish dockers
and layoffs and bringing in strikebreakers were brought in from Australia, Belgium,
from Scotland and Northern Ireland. Peter and the Netherlands, where members of
Bunting, president of the Irish Congress of the Dutch Trade Union Federation (FNV)
Trade Unions (ICTU), said that “workers occupied Peel Ports’ company headquar-
would name and shame scabs that came ters in solidarity with the Irish dockers.
from their own community.” The FNV threatened industrial action
Strikers and supporters, including the against ports owned by Marine Terminals
dock workers and supportive members of in the Netherlands if the Irish dispute was
the community, rallied at the gate, chant- not resolved.

Support international solidarity!


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$6 are available from
your delegate or IWW
headquarters PO Box
23085, Cincinnati, OH
45223-3085, USA.
“Direct Action Gets The Goods” Graphic: Robin Thompson & DJ Alperovitz

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