by Doug Collins

Great Strike, Lousy March

The US West strikers with the Communication Workers union held a rally and march in downtown Seattle in mid-August. I went to show support for their efforts against company proposals for long overtime hours with no extra pay. I went also to enjoy a nice march on downtown streets. There was a good crowd there of perhaps 500. The initial rally was energizing, but just before the march got underway, rally organizers bullhorned at supporters, "We have a deal with the police and we must stay on the sidewalks." I was disappointed. What's a march if it's not in the street? To make it even more boring, rally organizers had planned a march route which took us into the most deserted part of the Denny regrade, not near Westlake Center or Pike Place Market where large numbers of people would have actually seen us. A note to budding rally organizers: police always ask demonstrators to stay on sidewalks and to march in out-of-the-way places, but it really isn't any big deal if you use the street instead and march right up to Nordstrom's front door. Street marches are simply a hell of a lot more fun and inspiring. Streets are for people!

Creeping Privatization

The government workforce as a percent of the total civilian US workforce is at its lowest level since 1933. In the last 30 years, more and more formerly government jobs have been contracted out to private firms. Ten years ago, 30 percent of local governments used private firms for garbage pickup, now 54 percent do. The Democratic Party earlier resisted this change, but is now firmly behind further contracting out. Currently, the US spends $120 billion on private contractors, and only $108 billion on federal workers. Business lobby groups have lobbied heavily for such contracting out, with the rationale that private contractors are more efficient. A recent study by the Economic Policy Institute counters this claim. Contractors may pay their employees less, but they have a profit motive and often higher adminstrative costs as well, which drives costs up. Furthermore, government must spend extra money to monitor and track the performance of private contractors. Typically, contractors give initial low bids for projects, and add costs progressively over a period of years. (Labor Party Press)

Anarchy And Sabotage

The movement to repeal Washington state's "Anarchy and Sabotage Statute" (see July 1998 Free Press) is picking up some union and political support. The statute (RCW 9.05) dates from 1919 and was originally used to convict IWW activists. Cowlitz county recently revived the law to use against seven nonviolent logging protestors, and the law could similarly be used against strikers. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 (Metro bus drivers) is considering a resolution to the King County and Washington State Labor Councils asking for the repeal the bill. The labor councils require such a resolution from a member local before they will take action. State senator Adam Kline (37th district) is spearheading legislative efforts to repeal the statute.

Justice For Janitors

In 1987, about one percent of janitors in Washington DC were unionized. Now, about 70 percent are organized and belong to the Service Employees (SEIU). During the past ten years, janitors have participated in widely publicized actions such as blocking traffic on city bridges at rush hour. A newly negotiated contract will raise wages from $6.50 to $8 over three years. (America@work)

Wal-Mart Deception

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, has undertaken an advertising and public relations campaign calling attention to its support for US workers by buying US-made goods for its stores, but undercover investigators from the National Labor Committee have documented that about 90 percent of Wal-Mart's clothes and apparel are produced in third-world countries such as China, Mexico, and Indonesia. In contrast, the average US retailer imports roughly 60 percent of its clothes and apparel. Of 16,245 pairs of shoes examined in Wal-Mart, only 16 were made in the US, and the rest were all made in China. (NW Labor Press)

Nafta Court Challenge

The United Steelworkers of America and the Made in America Campaign have filed suit in the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, challenging the constitutionality of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The plaintiffs assert that NAFTA is null and void because it is in fact a treaty, which constitutionally requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate. NAFTA proponents, such as Bill Clinton, claim that a trade agreement is different from a treaty, and requires a simple majority of Congress. (Works in Progress)

United Goes Union

The Machinists (IAM) won their organizing drive in July of 19,000 reservation agents and passenger service workers at United Airlines. It was the largest private-sector organizing victory in 20 years. United has already been for four years an employee-owned company (via an employee stock ownership plan), but reservation agents were not unionized, which resulted in lower wages compared to the already organized flight attendants, ramp workers, mechanics, and others. (America@work)

Medical Insurance Increases

Insurance companies providing health benefits to state employees are asking for huge premium increases to cover medical costs. Group Health, Qual-Med, and five other providers are asking for as much as a 260 percent increase in out-of-pocket employee premiums. The State Empoyees (WFSE) are asking governor Locke to call a special summer legislative session to address the issue. For info call 1-800-562-6102.