Starbucks charged Chicago Couriers: doing Boycott Molson beer, IWW meets Bangladeshi again for firing IWW solidarity unionism support Alberta strike garment workers 5 6-7 9 11 INDUSTRIAL WORKER Official newspaper o f t h e i N d u s t r i a l w o r k e r s o f t h e w o r l d August 2007 #1698 Vol. 104 No. 8 $1 / £1 / €1 Unions talk tough at US Social Forum

By Jerry Mead-Lucero Big Labor’s involvement in the social nizers were forced to compromise with the ILO (International Labour Organi- “What is happening in America forum process, since the first few World police on a much less confrontational zation). In April, the ILO declared the to workers today is the result of a Social Forums in Porto Alegre, Brazil, route due to the opposition of much North Carolina ban on public sector thirty year sustained, intentional, has served as a way for the AFL-CIO and of Atlanta ’s business community. A collective bargaining a violation of strategic, assault on workers, unions, many of the union internationals to mix destination in the original plan was international labor standards and called our quality of life and our standard of and mingle with activists from a broad Grady Hospital, where the green-shirted for repeal of North Carolina General living. It has been a class war against range of social struggles. The same can members of Local 1644 had planned Statute 95-98, the basis of the ban. workers and it is time we engage that be said of the relatively impressive sup- to express their opposition to a recent Traditionally, social forum planners class war and fought back.” port given to the first USSF by organized decision by the Chamber of Commerce and participants will engage in a num- These words were met by a labor. to privatize this public hospital. Still, the ber of public protests to provide some standing ovation from the crowd and The role of the labor movement in march did pass nearby and the AFSCME level of direct action to the content of loud applause. But it is not an IWW the planning and organizing of the fo- contingent encouraged rally participants the forum. In the case of the USSF, a speaking. It might surprise you to rum was apparent at the opening march to join them in chants of “We are the key number of these actions focused on hear that Stewart Acuff, Organizing and rally on June 27. Though clearly out- to saving Grady” and “the community union or labor campaigns. Director for the AFL-CIO, said this numbered by anti-war, racial justice and has got the key to saving Grady.” United Food and Commercial at the Workers’ Rights in the Global environmental activists, union members Struggles of public sector workers Workers (UFCW) organized a picket Economy plenary of the first United were abundant among the thousand were a major theme of labor-focused outside of a nearby Publix grocery store States Social Forum (USSF). I don’t marchers who made their way through workshops at the conference. to demand the removal of union-bust- expect that Acuff’s speech was meant the streets of downtown Atlanta. The A number of panels featured public ing Smithfield Foods’ products from to announce the Federation’s deci- original march route was meant to take employees from North Carolina, one of store shelves. Supporters of trade sion to call for the abolition of the participants past a number of sites in only two states (Virginia being the other) unionists in Colombia took part in an wage system or that it will lead to the city at which workers are engaged in where collective bargaining for public action at Coca-Cola headquarters. any plans for a nationwide general struggles with their employers or local sector workers is explicitly outlawed. The National Day Laborer Organiz- strike. But his words are symbolic of government. The United Electrical, Radio & Machine ing Network held a rally protesting the mainstream labor’s continued and According to the Local 1644 Deputy Workers of America (UE) Local 150 re- political position of Republican Senator deepening interest in connecting Director Nancy Lenk of the American cently partnered with unions in Canada Johnny Isakson. The senator is advocat- with other social movements and less Federation of State, County and Munici- and Mexico to encourage an investiga- traditional forms of organizing. pal Employees (AFSCME), march orga- tion of the situation in North Carolina by Continued on 9 Colombia still a union death trap New York City IWW launches Colombian trade unionists con- From 1991 to 2006, 2,245 unionists tinue to be threatened and killed with were murdered, 138 disappeared, and impunity, said an Amnesty Interna- 3,500 had reported receiving threats. In ‘9 in 90’ organizing drive tional report released on July 3. 2006 alone, 77 unionists were killed. The The report, “Killings, Arbitrary guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed By Stephanie Basile Detentions, and Death Threats: The Forces of Colombia (FARC) are accused In New York City, Reality of Trade Unionism in Co- of killing six trade unionists, while wobblies recently marched lombia”, denounced the use of terror the other 92 per cent are attributed to on HWH Trading Corp to tactics by the Colombian military, paramilitaries and the military. So far in demand fair pay and better pro-government paramilitaries, guer- 2007, 18 union members have died. working conditions for the rillas and criminals to intimidate, A high proportion of human rights company’s 15 warehouse hurt and kill union members in the abuses against trade unionists take place employees. last decade. during labor disputes which, according The July 1 march was the The report detailed the stark to the report, indicates they are targetted first public action of an am- reality of fighting for workers’ rights for supporting socio-economic rights. bitious organizing drive that in Colombia. In one example, union The violence affects workers in every the NYC IWW is undertak- leaders in the coastal city of Bucara- sector: education, health, public services, ing this summer. Dubbed “9 manga received paramilitary “death agriculture, and food processing, among in 90,” the IWW is hoping to certificates” that called for “a Colom- others. organize nine new shops in bia free of trade unionists and guer- Esteban Beltrán, director of Spain’s the next 90 days. The drive rillas.” Shortly afterward, gunmen Amnesty International in Madrid said kicked off in mid-June, and killed a union adviser as he drove his that being a union activist in Colombia is organizers have already had motorcycle through the streets of a one of the “most dangerous professions talks with workers from four city in the interior, Barranquilla. The in the world.” shops. HWH, a produce dis- Photo by Benjamin Ferguson incident demonstrated the deadly IWWs picket EZ Supply warehouse in New York. reach of anti-union killers. Continued on 8 tributor in Queens, is the first of the “9 in 90” whose About 30 people attended, along with Industrial Worker workers have gone public with their some flags and makeshift drums. At the Periodicals Postage IWW membership. march, the boss was informed that the PO Box 13476 PAID At HWH, workers are not only workers were demanding he respect Philadelphia, PA 19101 Philadelphia, PA expected to work extremely long hours, minimum wage laws. He agreed to pay ISSN 0019-8870 and additional but routinely travel up and down the workers minimum wage, to pay time and mailing offices Eastern seaboard. Workers come into a half for overtime, and to reduce the ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED the warehouse Sunday night, spend the workers’ weekly hours. night loading their trucks and head out In addition to gaining better working for long trips Monday morning. One conditions, the workers are looking to employee works 116 hours per week and finally collect what they rightfully earned makes weekly trips between New York while working below minimum wage. City and Maine, a seven hour drive one Two days before the march took place, way. Another worker makes routine runs workers met with a lawyer from the at- between New York City and Syracuse, a torney general’s office. As a result of the four hour drive one way. meeting, the attorney general is expected The march was held to show that to launch an investigation into HWH’s the workers have the support of fel- minimum wage violations. The workers low wobblies and to officially alert the are hoping that the investigation will Subscribers: The number (top line of label ) reflects the last issue due on your subscription. boss of their membership in the union. lead to a win in back-wages. Page  • Industrial Worker • August 2007 pay, pay no medical health insurance. Make millions. I want no part of it. The 13th Amendment needs to be abolished, taking jobs from people out in society. Spring is a time of renewal. It is also the time of the two principal holidays of the international working class that are Slavery in the USA celebrated all over the world: Mayday (May 1, International Workers Day) and Comrade, IWD (March 8, International Women’s Day). Hello, my name is Brian. I am cur- Both of these holidays originated rently confined to this Missouri state with the struggle of workers in America. gulag. I would like to receive your news- Mayday grew out of the fight for the 8- paper. I am currently in hole and am hour day. unable to pay. IWD was first observed on 28 Febru- Possible you have any back issues, ary 1909 following a declaration by the could you send them? I saw your address Socialist Party of America. Women from in ‘zine called “Show Me The Money”. clothing and textile factories had staged I have been in hole past 16 months a mass protest on 8 March 1857 in New because I refuse to be a slave for these York City. Fellow Workers, trolls. The garment workers were pro- In his book about coal miners in That’s right, slavery is going on. The Letters Welcome! testing as what they saw as very poor Great Britain, The Road to Wigan Pier, 13th Amendment to US Constitution al- working conditions and low wages. The George Orwell wrote: “The essential Send your letters to: lows it. Lincoln’s Emancipation Procla- protesters were attacked and dispersed point is that all people with small inse- [email protected] with mation didn’t abolish slavery. by police. These women established their cure incomes are in the same boat and People were lied to. [It may have] “Letter” in the subject. first labor union in the same month two should be fighting on the same side.” abolished slavery out in society, [but] years later. We could do with that here More and more people in the United prisons are the new slave plantations. and all prison[er]s form a union. States are falling into this category of Mailing address: Top pay in this state is 70 cents an those having “small insecure incomes”. IW, PO Box 52003, hour. Some states [have] no pay at all. No masters, no slaves, 298 Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON Companies come in for the cheap prison In Solidarity, forced slave labor. No unions, no holiday Brian Lester, Licking Missouri Raymond Solomon K1N 1S0 Canada Industrial Worker IWW directory

The Voice of Revolutionary Australia Frankfurt am Main: [email protected] Central Ill: PO Box 841, Charleston 61920 217-356- [email protected]. Industrial Unionism IWW Regional Organising Committee: M. Payne, Goettingen: [email protected]. 8247 Secretary, PO Box 1866, Albany W.A. Ohio Koeln: [email protected]. Champaign: David Johnson, 217-356-8247. Ohio Valley GMB: PO Box 42233, Cincinnati Organization www.iww.org.au Munich: [email protected] Waukegan IWW: PO Box 274, 60079. 45242. IU 660: PO Box 317741, Cincinnati 45231, education Sydney: PO Box 241, Surry Hills. [email protected] Switzerland: [email protected] Iowa [email protected]. emancipation Melbourne: PO Box 145, Moreland 3058. melb@ Luxembourg: [email protected] Eastern Iowa GMB: 114 1/2 E. College Street Oklahoma Official newspaper of the iww.org.au Greece Iowa City, IA 52240 [email protected] Tulsa: Karl Howeth, P. O. Box 213 Medicine Park British Isles 73557, 580-529-3360. Industrial Workers Maine IWW Regional Organising Committee: PO Box Athens: Themistokleous 66 Exarhia Athens of the World Norumbega: Barry Rodrigue, del., PO Box 57, Bath Oregon 1158, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE99 4XL UK, [email protected] Post Office Box 23085 04530. Lane County: 541-953-3741. [email protected], www.iww.org.uk United States www.eugeneiww.org Cincinnati OH 45223 USA Maryland Baristas United Campaign: baristasunited.org.uk Arizona 513.591.1905 • [email protected] Baltimore IWW: c/o Red Emmaís, 800 St. Paul St., Portland Industrial District Council: 311 N. Ivy St., London GMB: c/o Freedom Press, 84b Whitechapel Phoenix GMB: Terry Hughes, del., 480-894-6846 and 21202, 410-230-0450, [email protected]. 97227, 503-231-5488. [email protected] www.iww.org High Street, London E1 7QX. [email protected] Bill Krist, del., 602-254-4057. Massachusetts Pennsylvania General Secretary-Treasurer: Leicestershire GMB and DMU IU620 Job Branch: Arkansas Boston Area GMB: PO Box 391724, Cambridge Lancaster GMB: PO Box 796, 17608. membership@ Mark Damron Unit 107, 40 Halford St., Leicester LE1 1TQ, England. Fayetteville: PO Box 283, 72702. 479-200-1859, LancasterIWW.org, http://LancasterIWW.org [email protected] www.leicestershire-iww.org.uk 02139. 617-469-5162. [email protected]. Philadelphia GMB: PO Box 42777, 19101. 215- General Executive Board: Western Mass. Public Service IU 650 Branch: IWW, Manchester: 0791-413-1647 education@iww-man- 222-1905. [email protected] Union Hall: 4530 Mike Bell, Patrick Brenner, chester.org.uk www.iww-manchester.org.uk California Po Box 1581, Northampton 01061. Los Angeles GMB: PO Box 65822, 90065. Baltimore Ave., 19143. Kevin Farkas, Adam Lincoln, Norwich: [email protected] Western Massachusetts GMB: 43 Taylor Hill Rd., Bryan Roberts, North Coast GMB: PO Box 844, Eureka 95502-0844. Montague 01351. 413-367-9356. Paper Crane Press IU 450 Job Shop: papercrane- Scott Satterwhite, West Midlands: [email protected] 707-725-8090. BST Angie Hart: [email protected] [email protected], 610-358-9496. Michigan Richard Seymour Tyne and Wear: [email protected] Oakland: Evergreen Printing, 2335 Valley Street, Pittsburgh GMB : PO Box 90315, 15224. Detroit GMB: 22514 Brittany Avenue, E. Detroit, MI Oakland, CA 94612. 510-835-0254 [email protected] [email protected] Scotland 48021. [email protected] , [email protected] Aberdeen: [email protected] San Francisco Bay Area GMB: (Curbside and Editor: Grand Rapids GMB: PO Box 6629, 49516. Cole Texas Buyback IU 670 Recycling Shops; Stonemountain IU Peter Moore Clydeside GMB: [email protected] Dorsey, secretary, 616-881-5263. Austin GMB: PO Box 301862, Austin, TX 78703- 660 Job Shop) PO Box 11412, Berkeley 94712. 510- [email protected] iwwscotland.wordpress.com. 1862. [email protected] 512-320-8427. 845-0540. Meetings first Thursdays at 7 p.m. (2022 Central Michigan: David Finet, 5007 W. Columbia Edinburgh IWW: c/o 17 W. Montgomery Place, Dallas & Fort Worth: 1618 6th Ave, Fort Worth, Blake St., Berkeley) Rd., Mason 48854. 517-676-9446, happyhippie66@ Mailing Coordinator: EH7 5HA. 0131-557-6242 hotmail.com TX 76104 Matt White, Philadelphia GMB San Jose: Adam Welch, del. 408-795-9672. email: Canada [email protected] Minnesota Utah Santa Barbara GMB: PO Box 23008, 93121. 805- Twin Cities GMB: PO Box 14111, Minneapolis 55414. Salt Lake City GMB: PO Box 520835, 84152-0835. Send contributions and letters Alberta 689-3086, [email protected] 612- 339-1266. [email protected] [email protected]. to: PO Box 52003, 298 Dalhousie Edmonton GMB: PO Box 75175, T6E 6K1. edmon- [email protected], http://edmonton.iww.ca. Washington St, Ottawa, ON K1N 1S0 Canada Colorado Missouri Bellingham: P.O. Box 1793, 98227. BellinghamI- British Columbia Denver GMB: c/o P&L Printing Job Shop: 2298 Clay, Kansas City GMB: c/o 5506 Holmes St., 64110. [email protected] 360-920-6240. Next deadline is August 3. Vancouver IWW: PO Box 4755, Stn. Terminal, V6B Denver 80211. 303-433-1852. 816-523-3995. 4A4. 604-682-3269 x8493. [email protected] Four Corners (AZ, CO, NM, UT): delegate: 970-903- Montana Industrial Transportation Project: Arthur J Miller, PO Box 5464, Tacoma 98415-0464. http://vancouver.iww.ca. 8721. [email protected] Construction Workers IU 330: Dennis Georg, del. US IW mailing address: 406-490-3869, [email protected] Tacoma IWW: P.O. Box 5464, Tacoma, WA 98415- Manitoba Florida 0464 [email protected] POB 13476, Philadelphia Winnipeg GMB: IWW, c/o WORC, PO Box 1, R3C 2G1. Gainesville GMB: 1021 W. University, 32601. 352- New Jersey Olympia GMB: PO Box 2775, 98507. 360-956-9256. PA 19101 USA [email protected]. Garth Hardy, del., garth. 246-2240, [email protected] Central New Jersey GMB: PO Box: 10021, New [email protected] [email protected]. Pensacola GMB: PO Box 2662, Pensacola, FL Brunswick 08904. 732-979-9973 xaninjurytoallx@ Seattle GMB: 1122 E. Pike #1142, 98122-3934. ISSN 0019-8870 32513-2662. 840-437-1323, iwwpensacola@ yahoo.com Ontario 877-815-5684, www.seattleiww.org. Periodicals postage Ottawa-Outaouais GMB: PO Box 52003, 298 yahoo.com, www.angelfire.com/fl5/iww Northern New Jersey GMB: PO Box 844, Saddle Spokane: Tim Hill, 509-218-9622. paid Philadelphia PA. Dalhousie St. K1N 1S0, 613-225-9655 Fax: 613- Hobe Sound: Peter Shultz, 8274 SE Pine Circle, Brook 07663. 201-873-6215. [email protected] 274-0819, [email protected] French-language del: 33455-6608, 772-545-9591 New Mexico Wisconsin Postmaster: Send address Mathieu Brule [email protected]. [email protected] Albuquerque: 202 Harvard SE, 87106-5505. 505- Madison GMB: PO Box 2442, 53703-2442. www. changes to IW, Post Office Box madisoniww.info. Lakeside Press IU 450 Job Shop: Peterborough: c/o PCAP, 393 Water St. #17, K9H 3L7, Georgia 331-6132, [email protected]. 23085, Cincinnati OH 45223 USA 705-749-9694, [email protected] 1334 Williamson, 53703. 608-255-1800. www. Atlanta: Keith Mercer, del., 404-992-7240, iw- New York lakesidepress.org. Madison Infoshop Job Shop: 1019 Toronto GMB: c/o Libra Knowledge & Information [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS NYC GMB: PO Box 7430, JAF Station, New York City Williamson St. #B, 53703. 608-262-9036. Svcs Co-op, PO Box 353 Stn. A, M5W 1C2. 416-925- 10116, [email protected]. Jim Crutchfield, I.U. Individual Subscriptions: $15 Hawaiíi Two Degrees Coffeeshop Job Shop: 307 W. Johnson 7250. [email protected] 650, [email protected]. Library Subs: $20/year Honolulu: Tony Donnes, del., 808-547-2042. St., 53703. 608-257-7888. Just Coffee Job Shop: Union dues includes subscription. Finland [email protected] Starbucks Campaign: 347 Maujer St. Apt. #C, www.justcoffee.net. Helsinki: Reko Ravela, Otto Brandtintie 11 B 25, Brooklyn, NY 11206 Daniel Gross: 917-577-1110 GDC Local #4:P.O. Box 811, 53701. 608-262-9036. Published eleven times per year. 00650. [email protected] Illinois Chicago GMB: PO Box 18387, 3750 N. Kedzie, 60618. Tomer Malchi: 646-753-1167 Railroad Workers IU 520: Ron Kaminkow,PO Box Articles not so designated do not German Language Area phone: 312-638-9155. [email protected] 3010, Madison 53704, 608-358-5771.eugene_v_ [email protected]. reflect the IWW’s official position. IWW German Language Area Regional Organiz- Carbondale: Jason Leonard, Southern Illinois Upstate NY GMB: PO Box 235, Albany 12207, ing Committee (GLAMROC): Post Fach 19 02 03, delegate. [email protected]. 518-833-6853 or 861-5627. www.upstate-nyiww. Milwaukee GMB: PO Box 070632, 53207. 414- Press Date: July 16, 2007 60089 Frankfurt/M, Germany iww-germany@gmx. org, [email protected], Rochelle Semel, 481-3557. net www.wobblies.de del., PO Box 172, Fly Creek 13337, 607-293-6489, August 2007 • Industrial Worker • Page  Canyon Ranch resort takes staff tips Staff and resort clients file class action to retrieve $6 million By X351536 On the morning of June 17, com- out. Canyon Ranch munity members and IWWs from the has a well-deserved Upstate New York James Connolly IWW reputation of heavy- branch staged a solidarity picket at the handed and arbitrary Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Lenox, mistreatment of its Massachusetts in support of the workers’ employees. struggle here for economic justice. IWW member Current and former employees of Paul Poulos dis- Canyon Ranch, as well as by patrons of cussed the picket the spa, recently filed a class action suit with a senior man- alleging that this exclusive resort illegal- agement employee ly deprives employees of tips from their from the Health re- spa-related services, ranging from body- sort, who was pump- work and skin care to the dining hall ing the wobblies for and hair salon. Canyon Ranch charges information about guests an 18 per cent gratuity fee under themselves. the pretense that it passes along this According to mandatory tip to its employees. Poulos, he promised “This is a long-standing violation to pull the picket undertaken deliberately and willfully then and there if this with the outrageous and evil motive of senior management maximizing their own profits by misap- employee could tell propriating tips and services owed to him straight that their employees,” said the legal brief. Canyon Ranch was The class-action suit is retroactive not stealing work- for six years, meaning a total of approxi- ers’ tips. The man mately $6 million. responded: “I cannot To add insult to injury, the resort’s discuss current litiga- management advertises on their web- tion.” site and tells patrons directly not to tip The picket con- employees. They tell the guests that tinued. Photo by X351536. employee tips are covered by an 18 per Many low-level Commnity members and IWW members picket Canyon Ranch’s main entrance. cent gratuity charge, and that employ- managers are se- ees receive the service fee in addition to cretly in agreement with the lawsuit. As designed to limit their ability to earn want to book services at the last minute, their regular wages. In reality, the work- one manager told this writer, “If Can- money working on the side. Previously, ignoring the fact that a “bullpen” had ers who give the services receive nothing yon Ranch is illegally expropriating tip if workers were not booked for a service, been set up for that very purpose, in from this extra charge, which instead money they should make it right.” This they could call in and be taken off the which workers were paid a base rate to goes directly into the resort’s coffers. In same manager added that many of the schedule for that time, freeing them up sit and wait voluntarily for bookings. other words, it’s pure profit for the cor- recent policy changes for the massage for freelance work. Due to the corporate theft and other poration at the expense of the workers therapy staff in particular, originated Currently, workers must remain on policy changes which adversely affect the and patrons. over some managers’ resentment that site even if they are not booked. There is workers, organizing efforts are underway Many employees wanted to be pres- they were earning less money than the no base pay for sitting around so this is at Canyon Ranch in Lenox and threaten ent at the picket including this writer, senior workers. effectively time and wages lost. Manage- to spread to corporate headquarters in who is an IWW member, but were Workers in other departments are ment claims that the policy is designed Tuscon, Arizona. afraid of losing their jobs for speaking also affected by recent policy changes to make workers available for guests who Wobblies are also organizing at another Lenox health resort, the Kripalu Preamble of the IWW Constitution Center for Yoga and Health. Workers The working class and the employing Join the IWW Today have filed a lawsuit against the Lenox- he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the class have nothing in common. There can based Cranwell resort over its corporate job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions be no peace so long as hunger and want theft of tips. An IWW Health Service today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and are found among millions of working T Workers industrial union is in the works distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popu- people and the few, who make up the em- to represent employees at all the resorts lation, not merely a handful of exploiters. ploying class, have all the good things of in the Lenox area. We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially life. Between these two classes a struggle The legal team of Canyon Ranch must go on until the workers of the world ­– that is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than divid- plans to respond to the class-action organize as a class, take possession of the ing workers by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together. lawsuit by pleading poverty, according to means of production, abolish the wage Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly our sources. However, Canyon Ranch is system, and live in harmony with the international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses well able pay up. earth. and in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow In addition to the facilities in Tuscon We find that the centering of the man- workers no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on. and Lenox, Canyon Ranch operates agement of industries into fewer and fewer We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have health spas and clinical services in Las hands makes the trade unions unable to representation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recog- Vegas, Miami, and Cleveland, as well as cope with the ever-growing power of the nizing that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition on board the Queen Mary 2 luxury resort 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 liner. this means striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with workers to be pitted against another set Canyon Ranch until recently was an unsafe machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done. of workers in the same industry, thereby owned and operated by Mel Zuckerman Sometimes it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific helping defeat one another in wage wars. and Jerrold Cohen, with silent part- workplace, or across an industry. Moreover, the trade unions aid the employ- ner investment. Nearly half of Canyon Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues ing class to mislead the workers into the Ranch is now owned by Crescent Real to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved. belief that the working class have interests Estate Equities Company, based in Fort in common with their employers. TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation and Worth, Texas, which is currently being These conditions can be changed and your first month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 23085, Cincinnati OH acquired by Morgan-Stanley Realty. the interest of the working class upheld 45223, USA. According to their figures, Morgan only by an organization formed in such Initiation is the same as one month’s dues. Our dues are calculated ac- Real Estate “has acquired $121.5 bil- a way that all its members in any one in- cording to your income. If your monthly income is under $1,000, dues are lion of real estate assets worldwide and dustry, or all industries if necessary, cease $6 a month. If your monthly income is between $1,000 - $2,000, dues are work whenever a strike or lockout is on in currently manages $55.6 billion in real $12 a month. If your monthly income is over $2,000 a month, dues are $18 estate on behalf of its clients.” any department thereof, thus making an a month. Dues may vary in Regional Organizing Committees (Australia, injury to one an injury to all. With assets such as these and sub- Europe). Instead of the conservative motto, “A stantial backers, it is unlikely the courts fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” we • I affirm that I am a worker, and that I am not an employer and certainly not the workers them- must inscribe on our banner the revolu- • I agree to abide by the IWW constitution selves, will believe a plea of poverty. tionary watchword, “Abolition of the wage • I will study its principles and acquaint myself with its purposes. system.” Speak Spanish? It is the historic mission of the work- Name:______Want to be part of a fighting ing class to do away with capitalism. The Address:______union? army of production must be organized, City, State, Postcode, Country: ______not only for the everyday struggle with Occupation:______The IWW needs you! capitalists, but also to carry on production If you can help our Spanish- when capitalism shall have been over- Phone:______E-mail:______language campaigns with thrown. By organizing industrially we are Amount Enclosed:______forming the structure of the new society translation or organizing, call within the shell of the old. Membership includes a subscription to the Industrial Worker. IWW headquarters at 513-591-1905. Get involved! Page  • Industrial Worker • August 2007 Bosses counter online campaigns

A decade ago, South Korean work- bids it from hosting any content which is ply because companies ers used the Internet to distribute live subject to a legal dispute. that give online services reports (including video) about their There are certain lessons to be away for free can change general strikes. At the time, they were learned here by unions anywhere which their policy at any time way ahead of the rest of the world in are trying to use the net to organize and start charging, or maximizing the use of the new commu- workers. restricting what we do, nications technology. They still are. First of all, backup. The Korean or even shut down com- A union seeking to organize work- union needed to keep an offline backup pletely. We need to use ers at a company called KORENO (a of all the contacts it had collected our own sites hosted on subsidiary of Samsung and a Japanese through the website. It is staggering to our own servers where corporation) set up possible. an online group in And finally, we October 2006 and should not underes- signed up 110 mem- Companies are not stupid. They may timate the opposi- bers. The group was tion. It’s all well and hosted by one of be aware and look for ways to slow good to delight in the the largest Korean and stop our use of powerful new new-found freedom Internet service we have online, with providers, Daum technologies. our ability to launch Communications. instant campaigns So far the story and build global net- is not unlike what works at virtually no many of us have experienced. Many think that they do not have access to cost. But companies are unions use online tools such as Yahoo contact details of those who wished to not necessarily stupid. Groups to help on organizing campaigns. join a union because these were kept by They may well be aware The company management at the internet service provider. of what we are doing and KORENO did not like the online group, Second, more backup. Every web- look for ways—including so they brought legal action against the site should be backed up on the union’s legal action and threats union. They claimed that the union had local computers, ready to be moved to made to internet service “injured the company’s honor” by pub- another internet service provider when providers—to slow down lishing “false content” online. and if needed. This is not only important and even stop our use At the same time, they wrote to the in cases like KORENO where censorship of these powerful new internet service provider demanding that is at work, but more typically when a technologies. they shut down the union’s web pres- union needs to change internet providers A decade ago, ence. Daum Communications promptly to save money or get better service. The Korean unions were did this, not only denying the union a LabourStart website, for example, is now showing unions around platform but also denying them access on its fourth hosting company-meaning the world our future. We to details about individual workers who that on three separate occasions in less were seeing how web had used the site to express their interest than ten years we have had to move all pages could be created in joining the union. our content. in real time and global The union and its supporters are Third, we should not over-rely on solidarity built online. furious, claiming that this is all a form free online tools. Things like Daum’s Today we’re seeing what of censorship. They point out that there network of “cafes” or Yahoo Groups may happens next: a corpo- has been no court ruling regarding the seem quite tempting, but can obviously rate counterattack that company’s claim that the site is libellous. be easily taken away from us. And again, is increasingly sophisti- Daum says that its own policy for- not only in cases of censorship, but sim- cated and effective. Solidarity unions must be more than paper tigers

By Todd Hamilton Simply put, solidarity unionism hallmark in every campaign. It might is organizing as a group of workers to make more sense to keep the boss in the change a workplace, workplace, indus- dark about union activity at a shop or in try or economy to what we want. This an industry, until we have built a wide simple idea is not fleshed out systemati- enough base of support and won some cally either in practice or in theory. Soli- victories. The solidarity union would darity unionism leads us to change our only announce its presence if it present- understanding of what the ‘union’ means ed a strategic advantage. for us, as well as where we intervene and We can also be strategic about who put our emphasis in struggle. and when we sign members up. Rather There is no blue print for how to or- move towards a revolutionary under- is weakest where workers play a second- than having the goal of organizing being ganize in general, but that doesn’t mean standing and practice. As they grow ary role. to just get people to sign cards whether we can’t develop strategies to pursue our stronger, these worker organizers can Union bureaucracies also have this they want to participate or not, member- goals. Previous writers such as Alexis apply deeper pressure in their industry effect. Union officers who have all the ship can be an action itself, a positive Buss and Staughton Lynd have focused and avoid deflating the struggle through power and knowledge, in effect subordi- step a worker can take in furthering the on how we can organize without falling mechanisms that strip workers’ power. nate workers to their own union by forc- struggle and building worker conscious- back on some of the familiar features Solidarity unionism advocates have ing them to go through the acceptable ness. We can keep membership for of union organizing. These features argued for organizing, even if only a mi- tools of struggle. Membership-based workers who want to be an active part included comprehensive contracts, elec- nority of workers are involved, regard- drives sink huge efforts into getting of the organization, who are ready to tion-based organizing campaigns requir- less of whether or not the boss and/or people to sign cards and vote for a union. join, and who have experienced class ing a majority of workers, and involving state recognize the union. This organiz- However, once that is done, the work- struggle and organization together with directly the mediating bureaucracies and ing recognizes where workers’ power ers’ role is done, too. There is often little the union. institutions such as the courts, union is the greatest—in the workplace and benefit for workers who are passive in This idea is a positive feature, rather bureaucracies, lawyers, politicians and community—and strategically chooses relation to their union hierarchy. than a restrictive one. By signing up parties that alienate workers’ power. how to fight back, while avoiding the in- Solidarity unionism is about orga- members who are active members, we Solidarity unionism presents its stitutions that often act against workers’ nizing whether we’re recognized or not, can draw a line in the sand between own challenges and poses new ques- interests. whether there’s a contract or not, and, unions that are paper tigers, and unions tions. For me, the rough model has We have hit some walls while trying most of all, settling worker issues by the like us that exist in our actions, educa- experienced workers participating in to organize workers. Gaining contracts workers directly. Contracts, lawsuits, ar- tion, and struggle. workplace struggles where demands have helped kill job actions by forc- bitration are not ends in themselves, but Send your submissions for “Work- are won through direct action. Workers ing workplace gripes into a mediating only tactics that feed into our strategy. ers Power” to forworkerspower@gmail. are brought into the organization and bureaucracy that is hostile to workers. This understanding leads to a deeper com. For more on solidarity unionism, develop as organizers through these Hierarchical institutions choose to put perspective on strategy. For instance, don’t miss our Chicago Couriers Union struggles. This experience helps them struggle into realms where worker power we don’t need to fly the union flag as a feature on pages 6 and 7 of this issue. August 2007 • Industrial Worker • Page  Save Crichton campus campaign needs support

The Scottish National Party (SNP), At stake are at least 40 jobs, includ- which had made saving the Crichton ing the jobs of IWW members on Crich- campus a campaign promise, won the ton campus. May 3 Scottish parliamentary election. “If we can win here, and organise With just one more parliamentarian this university—this is our first major than its rival, the Scottish Labour Party, struggle in that battle—then we can the SNP is now under pressure to deliver surely demonstrate the real power of the what it promised. organised working class. We can show It is “pretty clear” that the new gov- by example the utter indefatigible neces- ernment is putting pressure on the board sity of organising workers into one big of Glasgow University and the Scottish industrial union,” said Durie. Funding Council, a quasi-autonomous The IWW Save Crichton campaign is funding agency for higher education. asking IWWs to send an email or letter The IWW in Scotland is asking for or telephone Glasgow University in sup- people to pile on the pressure by making port of keeping the campus open. a wave of calls to save the Crichton cam- Contact the Principal, Sir Muir Rus- pus to the new ministers and make sure sell and complain at the decision. Email: they know it has popular support. [email protected]; Tel: 0141 330 5995. “What a change,” said Nick Durie, an Contact the Scottish Funding Council IWW organizer on the campaign. “We’re and urge them to help Glasgow Univer- doing our bit here, fighting within the sity find a resolution to this problem trade unions to get them to act, and Email: [email protected]. Contact acting on the ground with the resources Fiona Hyslop, Minister for Education our small job branch and campaign have and Lifelong Learning, and urge her to mustered, to the point where we have act quickly to help resolve the situation. IWWs march to demand that Crichton campus remains open. made quite an impression, but we need Email: Fiona.Hyslop.msp@scottish. school on the main campus, thus forcing have no other higher education facility your help urgently to secure a victory.” parliament.uk. young people to leave their region to find and while they suffer economically from September, the start of a new se- Make sure they know that Glasgow education and opportunity; that Sir Muir a gap in graduates and graduate jobs. mester, is the deadline for the university University made a £2 million profit; that Russell has a poor financial track record We need your support now, so send to make a decision on whether to go it is unacceptable to shut down a liberal and his opinion cannot be trusted; and your letter today and help us save Crich- through with the campus closure or not. arts school and replace it with a business that Dumfries and Galloway provinces ton campus and build the IWW.

NLRB charges Starbucks for firing IWW—again

Less than three months after the National Labor Relations Board hit Star- Barista homeless bucks with a 30-count legal complaint, the federal labor agency has once again The IWW Starbucks Workers Union accused the coffee giant of breaking the is calling for solidarity to defend Simone law in a continuing effort to undermine Gordon, a black Starbucks barista who the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. was demoted and had her schedule cut Based on an independent investiga- to just five hours per week on New Year’s tion into the company’s conduct, the Day. Board has alleged that Starbucks fired Gordon’s store manager, Graham outspoken union barista, Isis Saenz, for Higgins, accused her of being racist protected organizing activity. against white people at the store in a “It’s beyond dispute now that Star- New Jersey mall and stated that she bucks is waging one of the most relent- wasn’t fit to be a leader in the store. less anti-union operations in the United “The allegation that Ms. Gordon is States today,” said Stuart Lichten, the racist is so patently absurd that we won’t IWW’s attorney on the case. “If Wal- even dignify it with a response. Suffice it Mart has a soulmate in the union-bust- to say, Simone Gordon, who has a white ing arena, it’s Starbucks.” grandparent, opposes all forms of dis- Starbucks fired Ms. Saenz after she crimination,” said a Starbucks Workers participated in a union protest at a Park Union statement. Avenue, New York Starbucks where The demotion and cut in hours has Chairman Howard Schultz was sched- forced Gordon onto the street and onto uled to attend a book release event. welfare. She was also caring for her Protesters called on the company to pay father, who is suffering from a heart a living wage and respect the right to illness. organize. Since Higgins began to spread the “Shame, shame,” the protesters rumors, one customer requested that chanted, when Starbucks Regional Vice Graphic by Benjamin Ferguson “the black girl who doesn’t like white President Jim McDermott exited the people” not touch her drink. store. Management has also criticized Starbucks was upset that Saenz Gordon for wearing her hair in an Afro referred to McDermott informally as ers would “reach out” to the Starbucks Starbucks workers can earn a start- on occasion and for “the way she talks,” “Jimmy” and fired her. In response, Workers Union. Ms. Sykes spoke out ing wage as low as $6 or $7 an hour and according to the union. The union said working people in the United States and after several incidents of age discrimina- are prohibited from obtaining full-time it is planning to lay legal charges against abroad took to the streets in a global day tion including one instance of being told status. While the company boasts of its Starbucks. of action to condemn the firing. that “even 16 year olds” could learn to health care offering, Starbucks actu- In the face of this racist harassment, “With this complaint, workers every- make drinks quicker than her. ally insures a lower percentage of its Gordon is fighting back as a member of where should rest assured that calling “This settlement is a victory for every workforce than Wal-Mart, a company the Starbucks Workers Union. your boss by his or her first name at a barista, older and younger, who are fed notorious for its unaffordable health care “I always had to fight for things- I’ve union protest is protected,” said Alex up with the lack of guaranteed work package. been on my own since I was 17. I want to Van Schaick, an IWW barista at the Park hours at Starbucks,” said Sykes. Due to understaffing, baristas are fight because if they’re going to do this Avenue store. “Even if you add a ‘y’.” “We have a right to demand a secure often forced to work at an unsafe speed, to other people I’m not going to allow work schedule with a union and this exposing themselves to the risk of repeti- it. No one should be treated like trash. Chicago IWW reinstated settlement proves it.” tive stress injuries and burns. We’re all human; we’re all taxpayers. No Starbucks is now having to deal with Starbucks denied wrongdoing in the The IWW Starbucks Workers Union matter our salary, no matter a fancy car, the backlash of its policy of firing union out-of-court settlement. is an organization of employees at the we’re all equal,” said Gordon. organizers. world’s largest coffee chain united for The Starbucks Workers Union is ask- Starbucks settled with a fired Chi- dignity on the job and in society. Since ing people to email Starbucks Chairman cago barista in June, offering to reinstate Starbucks on trial in New York City the founding of the union in 2004, Star- Howard Schultz at hschultz@starbucks. her and pay an undisclosed settlement The trial against Starbucks on all the bucks workers have joined at multiple com, [email protected] as well sum. outstanding New York charges began on stores in several US states. as copy your message to the Starbucks The company had fired Gloria Sykes, July 9, 2007. Last year, the coffee giant Pressure from the union against Workers Union to demand Simone 55, a Chicago barista, who told manage- entered a lengthy settlement agreement Starbucks has resulted in wage increases Gordon’s immediate reinstatement to ment that if they didn’t make changes with the federal government in the first and the remedy of a diverse array of her former position and compensation with respect to age discrimination labor case brought by baristas in the grievances from pregnancy discrimina- for the losses she has suffered over the and scheduling, she and her co-work- United States. tion to health and safety violations. last seven months. Page  • Industrial Worker • August 2007 Chicago Couriers Union: a lesson for IWW solidarity union organizers IWW member Colin Bossen deliv- union. He argued that the first two tasks ered a talk on the IWW’s Chicago Couri- of organizing a union were to develop a ers Union at the Provisions Library in social map of the industry and gather a Washington, DC on June 8. The Insti- contact list for as many workers as pos- tute for Anarchist Studies and Provi- sible, so it was best to keep the organiz- sions Library supported his work along ing quiet. The meeting ended with plans with the CCU organizers interviewed. to hold another information meeting This article is an edited version of his and proceed from there. A questionnaire presentation. was circulated, but few people filled it What is solidarity unionism? out in time for the next meeting. The Solidarity unionism is a term and an information asked for was the number organizing strategy coined by the labor of people in the company, their names, historian and activist Staughton Lynd in contact information, demographics and his book of the same name. He defines social groupings, and the owner of the solidarity unionism as “relying, not on company. technical expertise, or the numbers of The second information meeting was signed-up members, nor on bureaucratic held in a messenger’s home. More than chain-of-command, but the spark that 20 people came. Few people had filled leaps from person to person, especially out the survey, so discussion turned to their working conditions and what could in times of common crisis.” Arrow messengers during a work stoppage in 2005. CCU file photo. Lynd’s solidarity unionism has six be done about them immediately. Arrow basic characteristics: voluntary member- alism, specifically how labor contracts (ILWU) in San Francisco, had created a Messenger Service had recently institut- ship, no dues check-off, no paid officers could turn the union into a cop for the similar organization. The Chicago IWWs ed a policy that called for messengers to or staff, democratic decision-making boss, enforcing discipline among the felt this experience would give the IWW cover their tattoos and remove piercings. with everyone empowered to “criticize union’s members. Glaberman had a sec- legitimacy among messengers and that Chicago bike messengers, particularly frankly and fully”, a focus on direct ond key insight that “activity precedes they could draw directly on the wisdom white messengers, tended to have a lot of action rather than collective bargain- consciousness.” This meant that people gained by other IWW organizers through piercings and tattoos. People were pissed ing agreements, and internationalism respond to workplace situations emo- their own struggles. IWW members had off. The IWW organizers at that meeting that seeks to build networks of workers tionally before they respond rationally begun already to develop a few relation- wanted to build infrastructure and lay “across boundaries of nation, gender, and often take actions in a way that con- ships with messengers. This meant that campaign groundwork, rather than do a and religious faith.” tradicts their presupposed beliefs, and in getting a foothold in the industry would strike or job action so the meeting ended Lynd contrasts solidarity unionism the case of unions, contractual agree- be easier. without a clear plan of action. with the business unionism of the large ments. Glaberman’s favorite example Although no one in the IWW knew it The IWW organizers decided to build AFL-CIO and Change to Win unions. of this was during World War II when at the time, members of the bike mes- the courier union’s infrastructure, map Lynd identified three characteristics in- workers at the autoplants would sign no- senger community had been shopping the industry and gather contacts. The herent to business unions: being govern- strike agreements with management and around for a union for several months organizers also recognized they lacked ment-sponsored monopolies that [try] to then would spontaneously go on strike before conversations between messen- the experience, so petitioned the General force all persons working in a particular over safety issues. gers and IWW members even began. Executive Board for funds to bring in shop to join the union and deducts dues Weir, in his essay “The Informal In June 2003, there had been an Pete to kick start the campaign. With the directly from a workers’ paycheck; agree- Work Group,” reinforced this idea that effort to create a Windy City Bike Mes- funds approved, Pete planned to come to ing to collective bargaining agreements consciousness comes from activity and sengers Association (WCBMA). The ef- Chicago from late March to mid-June to that grant management exclusive power the experience of working and social- fort was led, in part, by Andrea Murphy teach workers how to organize, handle to make the crucial on-the-job and in- izing together. These informal work and was the third attempt at creating a grievances and devise strategy. vestment decisions alongside a no-strike groups, the social groups that people bike messenger association in the city. clause prohibiting direct action of all form at work, were for Weir the heart Murphy had participated in the WCBMA ‘Hot Shop’ at Arrow forms during the contract; and, under- of the union, with each having its own with the clear intent that it would be- Before Pete arrived, things began mining and preventing the formation of culture, “informal leadership, discipline, come a union and had even gone so far to get hot at Arrow. A few of the mes- independent labor parties, locally and and activity.” as to attend a weekend training put on sengers had reached a breaking point nationally. Business unions are “orga- by the AFL-CIO. and wanted to strike over the new tattoo nized from [the] top down,” devoted to First steps to organize Under Murphy’s guidance, the first and piercing policy. They invited two of keeping the labor peace and relying on The campaign to organize what is act of the WCBMA had been to invite a the IWW organizers to attend a meeting paid staff who don’t include workers in now the Chicago Couriers Union began trainer from the AFL-CIO Organizing where they discussed what to do. The processing grievances or making deci- among young Insitute to meet organizers talked them out of striking, sions. members of the with messen- reasoning that they did not have the sup- While past IWWs may have prac- Chicago Gen- We need to create situa- gers. While port or organization to win. In retrospect I cannot help but wonder to what extent ticed something like solidarity unionism, eral Member- tions where bosses will about 40 people this organizing theory was introduced to ship Branch of attended the we performed the function described by the IWW in 2000 by the IWW’s then- the IWW who offer us concessions to get meeting noth- Glaberman of keeping workers in check General Secretary-Treasurer Alexis Buss. decided that they our cooperation. ing substantive in that case. On the other hand, the mes- “We must stop making gaining legal wanted try to came of it be- sengers in question probably would have recognition the point of our organizing. organize a soli- —Alexis Buss cause the AFL- never thought of striking without having We have to bring about a situation where darity union. In CIO trainer told talked to the IWW in the first place. the bosses, not the union, want the Fall 2003, several the messengers In her final report as a CCU organizer contract. We need to create situations members of the they needed to Andrea Murphy is critical of the IWW where bosses will offer us concessions Chicago IWW organize before organizers. to get our cooperation,” said Buss in her met and decided to organize the courier even approaching a union for help. “A couple of messengers at Arrow Industrial Worker column. industry in Chicago. The initial purpose of the WCBMA were feeling exploited enough to want to A union is not a union because it gets The couriers had no union or pros- had been “to tackle on-the-job issues” do the most daring thing they could do legal sanction from the government or pect of a business union interested in but after the AFL-CIO meeting this focus in their position. In the end, the outcome a contract from the boss, said Buss in an- organizing them. The industry’s high was eventually lost. As the WCBMA was no different than it would have been other column. Rather, a union is simply turnover and unique subculture seemed unravelled, the IWW stepped into the had they been fired [most of the messen- any “organized group of workers” that to be well suited for a solidarity union- vacuum. Conversations between the gers in question quit Arrow]. Because of comes together to have “more poten- ism campaign. At the same time, these remnants of the WCBMA and the IWW’s the desire to keep the campaign under- tial power than unorganized individual traits made winning a National Labor organizing committee resulted in the cover and the (imagined) responsibil- workers.” This redefinition of the union Relations Board-sponsored election at decision to bring IWW organizer and ity they assumed for the results of the shifted the power back to workers. In a single company unlikely. Chicago has former bike messenger ‘Lil Pete out from campaign, a genuine passion to do some- the United States, any group of workers dozens of messenger companies. Portland for a week. During Pete’s time thing was stifled. engaged in concerted activity has legal Messengers also potentially have in Chicago, he spoke with Chicago mes- “I challenge every organizer...to protections under the National Labor an enormous amount of power on the sengers about organizing with the IWW think about how best to direct energy Relations Act. These rights include job. Packages must be delivered in a set and the union held a public forum to rather than subduing or controlling it. presenting grievances, working together, amount of time; it was possible for a discuss the idea. Consider what it might look like to lead making demands on the boss, seeking courier to use direct action to delay and After flyering and word of mouth, a from behind. I caution against talking meetings, and even striking. disrupt a company’s business. In theory, publicity a forum was held in mid-De- anyone out of doing anything, as this Buss also encouraged wobblies to couriers could be organized around spe- cember 2003. At least 40 people came, requires too much influence over the look at the work of two of Lynd’s men- cific grievances rather than the idea of a many were veterans of the industry. passions of peoples,” said Murphy. tors, Stan Weir and Martin Glaberman. union contract. There was both excitement and fear Weir and Glaberman were both working The IWW also had a recent history about the possibility of forming a union. Problems with top-down organizing class intellectuals who wrote about the of organizing in the courier industry. Grievances began to emerge, in particu- In this instance, the IWW organizers structural problems of the American From 2000-2002, Wobblies in Portland lar, several people were upset about be- had begun to make decisions about the labor movement. Weir spent much of his had built a union of bike messengers ing independent contractors rather than direction of the campaign without real life working as a sailor, a longshoreman that succeeded in winning a number employees. There was also talk about input from workers in the industry. We or an autoworker in California. Glaber- of substantive demands, including a next steps and a general sense that secu- wanted people to think and act strategi- man was a Detroit autoworker. pay raise, at Transerv, one of the larger rity was important. Messengers feared cally while they often wanted to solve Glaberman’s work focused on the messenger companies. Only the Interna- losing their jobs. At the meeting, Pete their problems immediately. As organiz- problems inherent in union contractu- tional Longshore and Warehouse Union outlined a basic strategy for building the ers from outside the industry, we were August 2007 • Industrial Worker • Page  Chicago Couriers Union: a lesson for IWW solidarity union organizers

not initially accountable to the We formed the Stop NICA! com- messengers. They had not elected mittee with the goal to drive NICA out us and the power that they had of the industry. The committee would over us essentially amounted to fight NICA on both a legal level, by whether they participated in the filing claims for unemployment and activities that we organized or workmen’s compensation with the not. It took several years to break various government agencies as if the this pattern. workers in question were employees, Our strategies would prove and through direct action. The Stop later on to have limited, if any, NICA! committee hoped to convince success. With organizing at Ar- companies that they should switch their row stifled, we began the task of workers back to employee status and building an Industrial Organiz- prevent NICA’s spread elsewhere. ing Committee. We selected a The committee lasted the summer group of four workers to be its and had moderate successes, winning first members. They were chosen five workman’s compensation cases and because we thought them to be holding a series of pickets that delayed, leaders within the messenger but did not stop, NICA from spreading community. All four of them were to two companies. white and all former WCBMA Bike messengers at a 2004 union picnic. CCU file photo. Andrea Murphy came onto the members. One of the first tasks we set learned about the fine when he saw a almost entirely of bike messengers. We campaign as a full-time paid organizer to for the group was to recruit members $50 deduction from his paycheck. Such knew we had to bring driver messengers speed up and focus the work. She decid- who more accurately represented the deductions are illegal under Illinois law. into the campaign if it was to succeed. ed that it was time “to end the secrecy” demographics of the messenger indus- Scott and the Standard Courier shop This effort failed due to different that had surrounded the campaign since try. About half of the couriers in Chicago committee confronted management, work cultures. Driver messengers are the beginning. Murphy threw CCU meet- are black and we realized that we would demanded Scott be reimbursed and an an atomized workforce isolated in their ings open to all couriers who came. never be able to organize the industry end to the uniform policy. Management vehicles at work and during breaks. Bike “Every working messenger would without a union that reflected the people insisted that the messengers at Standard messengers congregate together during have a voice and a vote at meetings, with in the industry. were independent contractors. The shop their downtime. The bike messenger the exception that only members of the We also developed a larger strategy committee reasoned that independent subculture also can be elitist and alienat- CCU in good standing could vote on for the campaign based on Pete’s experi- contractors could not be required to ing to non-members. money matters,” said Murphy. ences in Portland, the theory of solidar- wear uniforms. Over the course of a It was around this time that MK took The CCU elected a secretary, Mar- ity unionism and studying the industrial week and a half, Scott and six of his co- a job with Arrow as a bike messenger shall Arnold, a former Arrow dispatcher union structures of the IWW in the who worked at Dynamex. The group held twenties and thirties. Our idea was that workshops, advocated for messengers to we would organize two types of commit- city hall, and organized around grievanc- tees. The first would be shop committees es and industry issues. Arnold believes composed of members of the union who that in some ways the union’s biggest worked at a particular company. They accomplishment is that it continues to would handle the grievances that arose exist. at that workplace. Each shop committee In Fall 2006, the CCU began a cam- would elect a member to serve on an in- paign to the get one of the buildings in dustry wide organizing committee that, downtown Chicago, 135 S. Lasalle, to in- in turn, would handle the grievances that stall a messenger center that would allow could not be dealt with on a company by couriers to easily drop off their packages company basis. as reported in the June 2007 Industrial Once the union got strong enough Worker. What is exciting is that this the industrial organizing committee, we campaign is that is the first major effort would issue a set of demands for indus- spearheaded by the couriers themselves. try-wide standards and then go about Nearly four years later, the dream of a trying to enforce these through direct solidarity union for the courier industry action. The members of the industrial may be happening. organizing committee selected the other members of the committee, often with Learning five lessons on the job heavy input from Pete, MK and I. Looking back, we learned five les- The goal was to develop the shop sons. First is that a campaign initiated by committees to the point where they outsiders cannot follow the pure model would elect their own representatives to of solidarity unionism advocated by the IOC. This never happened, probably Lynd. IWW organizers often found their because the structure we wanted was ideas in conflict with the couriers work- Chicago Couriers Union pickets the Lasalle building in 2007. imposed upon the workers and did not Photo by by X353650. ing in the industry. This conflict stifled arise naturally out of their day-to-day workers marched on their boss to issue and focussed on building a shop com- these workers and slowed the campaign. work experiences. To put it bluntly, we their demands. After the third march, mittee at Arrow. His work led to a major Second, building a union takes a long had miscalculated their informal work management rescinded the uniform campaign to change working conditions time and organizing requires dedication groups. policy, refunded Scott $50 and fired him. and pay. This switch of focus by a key and patience. The CCU is only a success Scott’s firing turned out to have a sil- organizer prompted the end of the IOC. because organizers stuck with it for sev- Changing organizing strategies ver lining. The same day he was fired, he The union then decided to concen- eral years. The industry’s high turnover Pete returned to Chicago in late filed an Unfair Labor Practice with the trate efforts on fighting independent raises the question of how to create March and we began to implement our NLRB charging Standard Courier with contractor status. In Chicago, and across stability for a successful union. strategy. Through a lot of diligent work punishing him for union activity. Several the country, many messengers are con- Third, informal work groups matters in Pete’s absence, we had managed to months later Standard settled the charge sidered independent contractors by their a lot. The union failed to bring in drivers create an almost complete map of the and offered Scott $3,000. In the mean- employers. The reasoning of the employ- because they belonged to a different set industry and collect the contact informa- time, Scott had also filed a claim with the ers is that messengers are able to decide of informal work groups. tion for close to 650 messengers, roughly Illinois Department of Employment Se- whether or not they will accept a particu- Fourth, structures must evolve 45 per cent of the people working in the curities. The claim resulted in a decision lar package from a dispatcher and, there- organically. Efforts to create the IOC, industry. The near-heroic efforts of mes- “that Standard’s workers are employees fore, are independent. As independent the Stop NICA! committee, and the shop sengers made this possible. and not independent contractors as the contractors, couriers are responsible committees failed because organizers Pete’s arrival in Chicago kicked the company has claimed.” for their own taxes, denied workman’s imposed them artificially onto the indus- campaign into high gear. With Pete in During that time the couriers won compensation, unemployment insurance try. The structure of the CCU ultimately town, we organized several shop com- a small victory at the Comet messenger and even a right to a minimum wage or succeeded because it reflected the social mittees. Our plan was to build the union company. Comet employed primarily overtime pay. dynamics of bike messenger culture, slowly by winning small grievances at black workers. A couple of bike messen- Government agencies have mostly which is part of a community. Organiz- individual work places. However, no gers from Comet joined the union and rejected the employers’ claim. But most ers should pay careful attention to the committee was capable of functioning told the IOC that “workers paychecks messengers do not know this and so the indigenous forms of organizing that exist without an IWW organizer present. Two did not amount to minimum wage.” companies get away with it. The North and seek to capitalize on them. organizer trainings were held, but they The messengers began to organize. The American Independent Contractor As- Fifth, organizers need clear goals. failed to empower couriers to be inde- threat of organizing pushed manage- sociation (NICA) helps them do it. When Organizing at Arrow and now around pendent organizers. Despite these weak- ment to enforce minimum wage laws. a messenger gets a job with a company 135 S. Lasalle, has been successful nesses, the shop committees achieved Pete left in June and his absence was that uses NICA she or he is told they are because the organizers had and have limited success. immediately felt. MK and I lacked his contracted through NICA and merely both clear goals and a plan of action. Our first victory came when Scott experience at group facilitation. The or- assigned to work for the courier compa- This clarity makes it much easier to get Gibson, one of the members of the IOC, ganizing faltered and changed direction. ny’s dispatchers. NICA messengers are people to join in the organizing and un- was fined illegally “when he was caught We decided to aggressively reach out charged a weekly fee and must pay for derstand why it might benefit them. not wearing a company-required uni- to driver messengers. Up until this point, using the radio equipment. These fees For infomation or citations, contact form” by Standard Courier. Scott only participation in the union had consisted can be quite high, up to $100 per month. Colin at [email protected]. Page  • Industrial Worker • August 2007 run factories and Mexico’s Zapatistas, Review the “Oaxaca Commune” will likely be a subject for more books and articles over the next few years. They will be able to Snapshot of ‘Oaxaca commune’ offer more analysis and different per- spectives from Davies’ version. The People Decide: Oaxaca’s Popu- governor Ulises that prefers to The APPO itself is a hotly contested lar Assembly, by Nancy Davies. Narco Ruiz Ortiz must ignore or sen- political organization involving several News Books, 2007, US$17. leave office. sationalize it. factions, making it hard for any author Police and Narconews.com to accurately characterize it. Some activ- Review by Paul Bocking other authorities is the best inde- ists in Oaxaca have said that not touch- The popular uprising in the southern were driven out, pendent online ing this issue is a major oversight. Aside Mexican state of Oaxaca was one of this and government news source in from this limitation, The People Decide country’s biggest untold stories from offices occupied English (and has a sense of immediacy one can feel 2006, a precipitous year full of protests, or blockaded in one of the best while reading each entry. strikes and repression across the nation. cities, towns and in Spanish) on Wobblies have participated in soli- The People Decide is a diary-like com- villages across Mexico’s social darity protests against state violence in pilation by Nancy Davies of day-to-day Oaxaca. Commer- movements. Oaxaca, wrote and distributed articles first-person news stories chronicling the cial and govern- Its publica- in both the Industrial Worker and the movement led by the Popular Assembly ment-run radio tion in April of IWW’s Spanish-language newsletter of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) and stations were this collection Solidaridad, and visited to build direct the state local of the national teacher’s taken over by of articles is links between the IWW and local organi- union. This movement demanded the teachers and other certainly timely, zations. I hope IWW members continue ousting of an authoritarian governor and activists to serve considering the to support the popular movements of the creation of a truly democratic society as the movement’s events it depicts Oaxaca, and draw inspiration from their led by the poor Indigenous majority in primary form of occurred only struggles. For an excellent account of the Oaxaca. communications. several months first six months of the Oaxaca uprising, Davies is an American retiree who Following months earlier. and a sign of what may be to come for has lived in Oaxaca for the past eight of paramilitary violence and harass- As with other contemporary social the rest of Mexico, The People Decide is years. These reports on the struggle ment conducted against teachers and movements such as Argentina’s worker- a great read. unfolding around her were published the APPO, resulting in dozens of disap- online at narconews.com in English, and pearances, arrests and deaths, Mexican subsequently translated into Spanish federal police forcibly re-occupied the and other languages. state capital of Oaxaca City in November Australian terror squad The whole event began as a fairly 2006, at which point the entries of the routine teacher’s strike, but when state book conclude. police violently attacked an encampment This rebellion’s story continues to rounds up G20 protesters of striking teachers on June 14, 2006, unfold past the conclusion, however, and The Ongoing G20 Arrestee Solidarity The campaign is not only seeking killing three teachers and children, is one which all IWW members should Network has launched a campaign to de- that the police drop all of the charges, a popular uprising broke out in their get to know as a contemporary example fend protesters arrested and harassed by but is demanding to know why protest- support. The teacher’s bread and butter of a revolutionary movement of orga- police since the G20 meeting on Novem- ers are being labeled as terrorists. demands for higher wages and more nized workers and their community that ber 2006 in Melbourne, Australia. “Why is it that the full force of the funding for dilapidated schools were transform their society. This movement On the G20 meeting agenda were state, snatch squads, federal police, anti- joined to a growing mass movement exists despite the best efforts of a violent global energy and minerals markets and terror units, have been deployed against broadly united under the APPO, that had government, its business allies and the IMF and World Bank reform. The Grand the G20 protestors, when Paul Wol- one non-negotiable imperative: state capitalist media in Mexico and abroad Hyatt Melbourne Hotel hosted the event. fowitz, architect of the Iraq invasion, a Police surrounded it with a barricade. man whom almost a million Australians, About 3,000 protesters marched and millions more around the globe against the G20 meeting, denouncing protested against, gets a special invita- WTO it as elitist and pro-capitalist. Direct tion?” asked protester Liz Thompson. Oz IWWs liven By Dana Lyons actions shut down banks and resulted in “The criminalisation of solidarity and confrontations with Melbourne police. resistance will not prevent us from tak- labor history In response, the state police’s Victo- ing actions in our own defence–it simply Corporations, it’s a really great day, rian Terrorist Investigation Squad raided makes the law look more and more like To sidestep nations, who just get in the way, six homes in Sydney and arrested five an instrument of the rich and powerful By x347961 Because their people, have too much of a say protesters. More raids followed with 35 to use against the poor and powerless.” IWWs Brian McLure and Jack But boys we have got the answer people arrested. Charges ranged from The G20 or Group of 20 is composed sung the words off the pages of the Free trade, it sounds really good riot and conduct to harm persons, which, of the governments of Argentina, Aus- Australian IWW’s new pamphlet, It spells freedom for the corporate if convicted, would result in 10-year jail tralia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Fanning Discontents Flames at the brotherhood terms. A Melbourne IWW member, Akin Union (with representation from France, tenth National Labour History Con- And you need us in your neighborhood Sari, was one of those arrested. Germany, Italy and United Kingdom), ference hosted by Melbourne Uni- We’re the new global employers. “Direct action and civil disobedi- India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Rus- versity on July 4-6. The conference ence have long been part of a worldwide sia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South theme was “Labour Traditions.” campaign against global capitalism and Korea, Turkey and the United States. Brian and I attended the labour CHORUS (as follows) other issues. These tactics have a proud It was formed to blunt criticisms that history conference at Melbourne Uni- history of success from the suffragette the Group of 8 was elitist and excluded versity to fan the flames of discontent Ah honey, let’s join the WTO movement, to the struggle for the 8 hour non-white, non-Western countries from with a few wobbly favourites and Make lots a’ money at the WTO work day, to the gay rights movement decisions about how to rule the world. other revolutionary songs. There were We can change a few laws, in Tasmania,” said Anita Thomasson, a The G20 group has launched a about 30 people (mainly labour his- Fix democracy’s flaws spokesperson for the arrestee solidarity web site to inform and rally supporters tory buffs it seemed) who took great It’s the corporate new world order network. www.afterg20.org . delight in seeing real life wobblies in the flesh. The IWW was highlighted in two Unions are a pain in the ass Colombia union death trap papers: Mark Derby’s “A country They cause problems, give executives gas Continued from 1 considered to be free–NZ links with They want fair wages for the people who “Many of them must negotiate wear- of trade unionists is indicative that such the wobblies” and Verity Burgmann’s work ing bullet-proof vests, live with an armed security measures on their own are not “The IWW in International perspec- What a bunch of jerks escort and they move around in armored sufficient.” tive: comparing the North American Poor children must be taught how to live cars,” said Beltrán. Amnesty International called on the and Australian Wobblies.” They need employment so they’ll have The Colombian government has Colombian government to implement Jack sang and Brian spoke about money to give responded to the strongly-worded report a delayed human rights plan, end the what being an IWW meant to him. To corporations who are making their clothes by saying the report distorts the real- impunity enjoyed by human rights viola- Three people from the audience The child labour laws must go ity that more people than just union tors, and to support the new permanent joined us on stage to sing the songs. members suffered during the conflict. mission of the International Labor Orga- We sold a copy of the pamphlet The government said it is now protecting nization (ILO). and handed out a leaflet in support CHORUS 1,500 union leaders and that the govern- The report also notably called on of the G20 arrestees. One Melbourne ment has convicted 75 people for attacks companies working in Colombia to “take IWW member was jailed for two on union members and is prosecuting 27 proactive measures, in line with interna- months after being charged during People of America fret, more trials and another 39 cases pend- tional human rights law and standards, the media-generated and at-times Turtles and dolphins, who are caught in the ing. to ensure the safety of their workforce,” blatantly racist hysteria immediately nets The Amnesty report said that declare their public support for the hu- after the protests. IWW members But it takes money to free all these pests government protection is often not as man rights of their workers including have been active in and supportive And that’s a free trade barrier. reliable as it appears. Amnesty said that their right to join unions, and cooper- of the current campaign to drop the Clean air is a luxury for some often key protection is sometimes “with- ate with police and prosecutors to help charges against the stop-G20 activ- But let’s be fair, it’s not for everyone drawn or restricted, even at times of investigators end impunity. This call on ists. Cause goods are cheaper, if you release a heightened security risk”, often with the employers makes it even more difficult Songs sung included Joe Hill’s little scum excuse being “budgetary constraints. for them to remain in the background Casey Jones Union Scab, WTO (see Defend your freedom of pollution. “This report does not seek to evalu- and benefit from the use of violence to lyrics), and Woody Guthrie’s Union ate the protection programme; AI con- enforce their profit margins and work- Maid. siders that the high number of killings place control. August 2007 • Industrial Worker • Page  Boycott Molson beer during strike Workers fight $7 wage cut for new workers

By Nick Driedger, Wobbly Dispatch In a time when unions should be Palace Casino (see below) has been on that the workers at the Edmon- making record gains in step with record strike for ten months now. ton brewery make the beer. profits, employers are forcing conces- However, if it were not for people Without people to make beer sions onto them. taking a stand, we wouldn’t have any there is no one for human re- At the Molson brewery in Edmon- of the rights we have today. It’s im- sources types to shuffle around, ton, Alberta, Canada, new hires’ wages portant to remember that even though there is no product for the mar- are being cut from $29 to $22 per hour. the struggle is tough, it’s about some- keters to sell, and there is no Workers are represented by the Cana- thing bigger–our communities and our money for CEOs to schmooze dian Auto Workers (CAW). dignity. A strike is about more than just and play golf with. Without Molson’s strategy is clearly one of a few paltry raises, but in the long run workers, there is no product, sowing division in the union’s ranks: up being able to assert control over our own and when one considers what to half the workforce is set to retire in work. workers are actually owed, in the next five years, so they are attacking On top of all this, much of the lead- proportion to the useful work the pension of the new hires. This is pre- ership of the Molson strike are older done in a company (that is, all cisely what makes the solidarity shown members who will not have to face the of it) a decent wage and reliable on this strike so admirable. wage cuts for new hires or the crummy pension do not seem unreason- Many of the workers on the line are second rate pension. Their fight is purely able. younger, newer employees that have one of working class solidarity—standing Workers across Alberta are never been through a strike. Like many up for each other because it’s the right urged to not buy Molson beer of us in the IWW, they grew up in the thing to do. until the end of the strike. Many Nineties, a time of comparable labor The solidarity doesn’t end at the in the IWW are going to have to peace. Going on strike for the first time Edmonton plant either. Canadian Auto do without their favorite–Black can be a scary thing. Just last week in Workers truckers are refusing to haul Label–this summer. the middle of the night on the downtown Molson beer, and all the other Molson This fight cannot be won if Edmonton picket line, someone pulled a plants across the country are refusing we think about it as just Molson knife on one of the strikers. overtime, making it impossible for the against the CAW. This is the There is always uncertainty about company to replace lost stock. wealthy Canadians against the how the struggle is going to turn out, and On June 12, Molson offered a 20- workers. Make no mistake: this it seems recently employers can wait out cent higher wage over their previous one attack is not just on the brewery Photo by Jeannette Gysbers. a strike, letting it drag for months. The for new hires. What Molson forgets is workers–it is on all of us, too. Edmonton IWWs picket with Molson workers. Canadian wages stagnate, while corporate profits soar Canadian workers are more efficient gross domestic product (GDP) in the “If workers’ real wages had increased 48 days in industrialized countries. That than ever, but their pay has not in- past 40 years, with an increased share to reflect improved productivity and means Canadians were on the picket line creased in 30 years, said a new report by going to corporations. economic growth, they could be earning four times more than other workers in the Canadian Centre for Policy Alterna- “Corporate profit shares are the an average of $10,000 more each year Western industrialized countries. tives released on June 28. highest they’ve been in 40 years—and on their paycheques (in 2005 dollars),” Yet, something has gone wrong for The report, “Rising Profit Shares, we’re not talking peanuts here,” said said the report. workers. Strikes and the bargaining Falling Wage Shares”, is part of the Ellen Russell, who wrote the report with Yet, Canadian workers are fighting resulting, should have led to improved Centre’s Growing Gap study (www. Mathieu Dufour. “In 2005, corporations back. contracts, working conditions and growinggap.ca) that documents growing banked $130 billion more in gross profits Another study, conducted by the benefits. These agreements then set the inequality in the Canadian economy. than they would have if the profit share British national statistics agency, showed standard for non-unionized workplaces. Not only have wages remained had remained at 1991 levels. Sharing that Canadian workers struck more often One possible answer for what has stangnant, but the poorest workers are those earnings with workers could have than anywhere else, aside from Iceland, gone wrong is that employers are more earning less. Real wages adjusted for gone a long way to reducing Canada’s in North America and Europe. aggressive, demand more concessions inflation have decreased for workers growing income gap.” In the last decade from 1995 to and reject fair bargaining in the belief earning minimum wage. The study also revealed how in- 2004, Canadian workers lost an aver- that workers should take it or leave it. Overall, it means that workers are creased productivity doesn’t mean better age of 193 lost days of work per 1,000 Thirty per cent of Canadian workers getting the smallest share of Canada’s pay. The link between the two is broken. employees compared to the average of belong to unions. Labor talks tough at US Social Forum Continued from 1 Palace Casino strike hits 300th day ing for legislation in the US Congress, Labor law in the United States, due which would bar local governments from in part to racist compromises made in requiring Home Depots and other big the years of the Roosevelt administra- box retailers to provide shelters for day tion, does not extend labor rights to laborers. domestics or to farm workers such as the Day laborers often wait all day, rain flawed but important right to collective or shine, for people to hire them so the bargaining. shelters are an important support. The domestics who came to Atlanta The most impressive labor-related for the social forum to meet and learn workshops and planning sessions at the from each other’s efforts to organize USSF were organized by “non-tradition- were certainly not content to remain un- al” worker’s organizations. Within the heard or unnoticed. It was quite impos- space provide by the forum, domestic sible to miss the domestics boisterous workers and farm laborers met together renditions of their anthem, the “Domes- with their fellow workers from around tic Workers Calypso” or their exuberant, the country. enthusiastic responses to the speakers in The domestic workers, through their the workshops and plenary sessions. private meetings at the USSF, agreed At the worker’s rights plenary, to form a national coalition of domestic just before Acuff spoke, Ai-Jen Poo of worker organizations. Domestic worker Domestic Workers United in New York, organizing has developed in major urban explained their plan to enthusiastic ap- centers around the country in recent plause. years. “We hope to build our labor move- Largely independently, immigrant ment to a place where, when we call for social service agencies and organizing a strike as domestic workers it will be for centers such as Casa of Maryland and domestic workers rights and for global Andolan, a South Asian workers center justice, legalization for undocumented in New York, started to become aware workers, and an end to the war in Iraq of hundreds of thousands of domestic […] or maybe, maybe it will be a strike of workers who were facing extreme situ- all informal sector workers or better yet, ations of exploitation and often, verbal, a strike of all workers, union and non- Photo by Jeannette Gysbers. physical and sexual abuse. union, the entire working-class.” The Palace Casino workers’ marked their 300th day on the picket line on Isolated by their place of employ- Following such powerful language, it June 29 with a party. Edmonton IWW members have walked the line in is no surprise that the AFL-CIO has felt ment and often by their status as im- solidarity with these members of UFCW each week since September 2006. migrants, domestics have also largely compelled to up its rhetoric. How could At the party, a number of UFCW workers plus FW Gabriel Cardenas (above) been ignored by the mainstream labor anyone in the labor movement call for helped raise money for leukemia by shaving their heads. movement. less than open class warfare? July 2007 • Industrial Worker • Page 10 Page 10 • Industrial Worker • August 2007

The Mayor of MacDougal Street: A Memoir by Dave Van Ronk with Elijah Wald Dave Van Ronk (1936-2002) was one of the founding fig- ures of the 1960s folk revival, but he was far more than that. A pioneer of modern acoustic blues, a fine songwriter and arranger, a powerful singer, and one of the most influential guitarists of the 1960s, he was also a marvelous storyteller, a peerless musi- cal historian, a Wobbly, and one of the most quotable figures on the Greenwich Village scene. Holding court in legendary ven- ues like Gerde’s Folk City and the Gaslight Caf8é, Van Ronk’s influence was so great that a stretch of Sheridan Square—the heart of the Village—was renamed on June 30, 2004, and is now Dave Van Ronk Street. The Mayor of MacDougal Street is a unique first-hand account by a major player in the The Industrial Workers of the social and musical history of the ’50s and ’60s. It features encounters with young stars- World: Its First 100 Years by to-be like Bob Dylan (who survived much of his first year in New York sleeping on Van Fred W. Thompson & Jon Bekken Ronk’s couch), Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and Joni Mitchell, as well as older forward by Utah Phillips luminaries like Reverend Gary Davis, Woody Guthrie, Mississippi John Hurt, and Odetta. Colorful, hilarious, engaging, and a vivid evocation of a fascinating time and place, The The IWW: Its First 100 Years is the most comprehensive history of the union ever Mayor of MacDougal Street will appeal not only to folk and blues fans but to anyone IWW T-shirts: Sabo-cat or interested in the music, politics, and spirit of a revolutionary period in American culture. published. Written by two Wobblies who Hardcover, 246 pages. Originally priced at $26.00, now just $12.00 lived through many of the struggles they globe design, printed on red chronicle, it documents the famous or black shirt. The Bosses’ Songbook: Songs to Stifle the Flames of Discontent struggles such as the Lawrence and Sizes S-XL $15.00 Paterson strikes, the fight for decent Co-authored by Dave Van Ronk, Roy Berkeley, and more conditions in the Pacific Northwest Size XXL $17.00 Largely a spoof on authoritarian leftist movements, The Bosses’ Songbook is pure timber fields, the IWW's pioneering When ordering, please specify size, Wobbly, written at a time when it was very difficult to have both a sense of humor and organizing among harvest hands in the design and color shirt (red or black) radical politics. The Kellermans have thankfully rescued this publication from obscurity, 1910s and 1920s, and the war-time and the Literature Department is offering it for a limited time. repression that sent thousands of IWW They handed him his orders at Party headquarters, Embroidered Patches Saying, “Pete, you’re way behind the times. members to jail. But it is the only general 3” circle with IWW This is not ’38, it’s 1947, history to give substantive attention to logo and “An injury to There’s been a change in the Party line.” 42 pages, $6.00 the IWW's successful organizing of one is an injury to all” African-American and immigrant dock embroidered in Special Deal: The Mayor of MacDougal Street and the Bosses’ Songbook for $15.00 workers on the Philadelphia waterfront, black, red, white and the international union of seamen the golden $3.50 each A Century of Writing on the IWW 1905 - 2005: An Annotated Bibliography of Books IWW built from 1913 through the 1930s, on the Industrial Workers of the World Compiled by Steve Kellerman smaller job actions through which the This annotated bibliography published by the Boston General Membership Branch IWW transformed working conditions, of the IWW lists all known books on the IWW, organized by category in chronological Wobbly successes organizing in order. Brief critical notes describe the books, quickly and helpfully identifying their manufacturing in the 1930s and 1940s, strengths and weaknesses. Other categories are Biographical Works, Miscellaneous Works and the union's recent resurgence. including substantial discussion of the IWW, Writings by Wobblies, and a listing of nov- Extensive source notes provide guidance els featuring the union. An excellent resource for anyone doing research on the IWW. to readers wishing to explore particular 38 pages, $5.00 campaigns in more depth. There is no better history for the reader looking for The Big Red Songbook an overview of the history of the IWW, and for an understanding of its ideas and Edited by Archie Green, David tactics. 255 pages, $19.95 Roediger, Franklin Rosemont and Salvatore Salerno This is indeed an incredible en- deavor. The most comprehensive IWW Baseball Cap collection of rebel workers’ songs A beautiful black cap with red under the visor. and poems ever compiled in English, Embroidered logo in white and red, and “Solidarity Pyramid of Capitalism poster. The Big Red Songbook includes all Forever” embroidered on the back of the cap. Union 17"x22" full color reproduction of the the songs that appeared in the made & embroidered, one size fits all. $16.00 classic graphic $9.50 IWW’s celebrated Little Red Songbook from 1909 through 1973, plus dozens more. Here are the Order Form songs of Joe Hill, T-Bone slim, Dick Mail to: IWW Literature, PO Box 42777, Phila, PA 19101 Brazier, Ralph Chaplin, Covington Name:______Hall and other Wobbly legends; lesser knowns, but ought to be Address:______legends such as Eugene Barnett, City/State/Zip Code:______Paul Walker, and Henry Pfaff; for the first time anywhere, a good selection QUANTITY ITEM PRICE of songs by women Wobblies: Anges Thecla Fair, Laura Payne Emerson, Sophie Fagin, Jane Street, Laura Tanne and others; Australians Bill Casey and Harry Hooton, Englishman Leon Rosselson, Germans Ernest Riebe and John Olday, and Scotsman Douglas Robson. A special section focuses on variants and parodies of IWW songs: a Depression- era version of “Hallelujah I’m a Bum,” Jack Langan’s 1960s version of “Solidar- ity Forever,” an Earth First! adaptation of Joe Hill’s “There is Power” by *Shipping/Handling Walkin’ Jim Stoltz, and Hazel Dickens’ bold update of “The Rebel Girl.” And In the U.S., please add $2.00 for first Sub-Total:______there’s the wealth of essays, analysis, references, bibliographies, and discogra- item and 50¢ for each additional item Canada: Add $3.00 for the first item Shipping*:______phies, provided by Archie Green, his coeditors, and other collaborators, giving 50¢ for each additional item organizing fund donation: ______not only historical context, but also a wide range of perspectives on the Overseas: Add $4.00 for the first item $1.00 for each additional item Total Enclosed:______Wobbly counterculture and its enduring legacies. 546 pages, $24.00 August 2007 • Industrial Worker • Page 11 International Solidarity Commission delegate report IWW meets with Bangladesh garment workers’ fed By Jason Fults Many readers of the Industrial Worker are already acquainted with the ongoing struggles in Bangladesh’s garment sector, as well as the activi- ties of one of its most vocal unions, the National Garment Workers Federa- tion (NGWF). Over the past three years numerous wobblies have worked to build solidarity with the NGWF, most notably in Pittsburgh and upstate New York. At a Labor Notes conference in May 2006, Fellow Worker Greg Giorgio met with the NGWF’s General Secretary, Amirul Haque Amin. When asked how the IWW’s International Solidarity Commission (ISC) could best help the NGWF’s struggles, FW Amin replied: “We need continuous support. But before providing support, we need more (time to learn) about each other. So, I will be happy if someone from the IWW visits Bangladesh [so] the NGWF, our members, [can] share their struggles, share their information.” In early June of this year, I accepted Amin’s invitation and visited the NGWF office in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on behalf of the ISC. Our meeting took place barely one year after “a wave of fierce class struggle” brought Bangla- Photo by Molly Stentz deshi garment workers (and others) into The National Garment Workers’ Federation office in Dhaka. In the front row, middle, is the President direct clashes with police and the mili- of the union while in the back row is General Secretary Amirul Haque Amin (left) and Jason Fults (right). tary. This months-long conflict resulted union’s gender composition has influ- allies in the West have to build capacity ers producing the fabric. Amin believes in several workers killed, thousands enced its campaign decisions. One of the and partnership, acknowledging that a that such an approach is essential if more injured or imprisoned, and over union’s primary campaigns is to imple- key aspect of that partnership is infor- workers are going to win in the long-run a dozen factories burned to the ground. ment maternity leave. mation exchange linking conditions in and suggested Wal-Mart as an appro- The atmosphere, though tranquil by Other NGWF campaigns in recent specific factories with particular brands priate target, stating that “all workers comparison, was nevertheless forebod- years have included: the campaign for and corporations. throughout the world” need to be target- ing; early monsoon rains had already a six-day work week; the campaign The NGWF wants to commit two ing the company, due both to the sheer flooded some parts of Dhaka (as usual), for improved additional staff specifi- size of their supply chain as well as the and a government-imposed “State of health, safety, cally to such a focus. symbolic value of all that the company Emergency” remained in effect. General and security; the Amin estimates that to represents. elections were postponed indefinitely, campaign for a hire two new organiz- Finally, we discussed more immedi- resulting in a backslide in labor rights paid May Day ers, the NGWF would ate and concrete means of increasing the and civil liberties. holiday; and the need $200 per month. levels of communication between the Despite these challenges, the NGWF campaign for an Also on the topic two unions. The NGWF would like to be- continues to recruit members, conduct annual Muslim of information ex- gin receiving a few additional copies per worker education and organizer train- festival bonus. change, Amin agreed month of the Industrial Worker to share ings, and provide legal assistance to Through- with fellow workers with their branch offices, and agreed workers. NGWF membership now stands out the sector, in Pittsburgh that the to submit regular updates to our news- at 22,000 workers. Four thousand are forcing bosses formation of not only paper regarding their activities. Amin classified as “regular subscribers”, mem- to simply follow North-South, but also is also interested in having a few key bers who regularly pay union dues of 10 Bangladesh’s ex- South-South commu- IWW materials translated into Bengali Takas (US$0.15) per month. The rest are isting labor laws nication networks is and perhaps doing a sizable print run of classified as “subscribers.” Currently, the has been a major crucial. these materials to distribute to NGWF NGWF has 30 factory-based unions, and ongoing struggle, As such, he thinks members. 1,000 “factory committees,” the first step and a much more that the possibility of Obviously deciding on any of these towards forming a union in a workplace. difficult one the IWW facilitating ideas for working together does require Amin views these membership num- under the State exchanges between the further discussion between the NGWF bers as a real victory given the extreme of Emergency, Photo by Molly Stentz NGWF and workers’ and IWW. difficulties with forming unions in Ban- which is used to List detailing the 447 workers killed and organizations in Latin Overall, our meeting was both com- 2,466 injured in 44 garment factory fires gladesh. When the NGWF was founded repress workers’ America is a “very radely and productive. Some small steps and collapses since December 1990. 23 years ago, they had no office space direct action. interesting and useful were made, and a relationship that, in and organized their meetings in parks, concept.” He requested that the IWW time, could become very important for cheap restaurants, academic institutions, Ideas for working together play a central role in such a project, both unions was strengthened. and other public spaces. Now, the union Apart from gathering more in-depth making the initial introductions between I will be based in India until at least has six branch offices covering all the information on how the union operates, the NGWF and groups in Latin America, the end of 2007, possibly longer, and if industrial zones plus their central office another major purpose of our meeting from which point the three groupings the ISC requests another trip to Dhaka in Dhaka. The NGWF also now has 11 was to discuss continued collaboration (NGWF, IWW, and Latin American during that time I will gladly oblige. In full-time and eight part-time organizers. between the IWW and the NGWF. unions) could have ongoing conversa- the meantime, the ISC, as well as Fel- Despite the union’s growth, Amin still Amin reiterated in no uncertain tions. low Workers who support this budding refers to the NGWF as “small and not terms that pressure from consumers Amin was very interested in the IWW-NGWF relationship, have much to well-funded compared to the trade union onto multi-national corporations, and idea of organizing along the entire sup- discuss and follow up on. organizations elsewhere.” from these corporations onto their sub- ply chain. He supports projects which Jason Fults is a Thomas J. Watson contractors, is extremely important. would, for instance, connect US workers fellow based in New Delhi, India. To Gender equality a priority Unions such as the NGWF will continue in Wal-Mart’s distribution centers with obtain a complete copy of his 4500- Another striking feature of the their fights at the local level, but they Bangladeshi garment workers sewing word Bangladesh Report, write him at NGWF, and of the Bangladeshi gar- are limited in what they can accomplish the clothes with Latin American work- [email protected]. ment sector in general, is its gender without the solidarity of people outside composition: 80-85 per cent of Bangla- the country. Still available! NGWF assessment stamp. deshi garment workers are reportedly Basically, there are millions of unem- women. The NGWF tries to reflect this ployed Bangladeshis, and the bosses can Help build the bridge from the shop floor of the demographic reality in its organizational fire with impunity, knowing that they global apparel weatshops to the IWW! Join hands structure and according to the NGWF’s can easily replace however many work- with the National Garment Workers Federation of constitution, at least 50 per cent of any ers they need to. What is much more Bangladesh and aid their strike fund with this $5 as- committee must be comprised of wom- difficult is for the individual factories sessment. As they sew gear for Major League Base- en. The union’s 30-member National to continue to receive orders once their ball and other sweatshop profiteers, their struggles Assembly, its highest decision-making reputation has been damaged publicly. continue to mount. body, currently has 16 women. They play Amin said that international pressure Please make checks out to: IWW key leadership roles as the President, on the brand-companies is as important, Send to : Greg Giorgio, Delegate, P.O. Box 74 both Vice Presidents, the Treasurer and some times even more important, Altamont, N.Y. 12009 and other officers are all women. Of than anything the workers can do locally. e-mail : [email protected] the union’s 19 staff, 11 are women. The Amin insists that the NGWF and their Page 12 • Industrial Worker • August 2007

The IWW formed the International Solidarity Commission to help the union build the worker-to-worker solidarity that can lead to effective action against the bosses of the world. To contact the ISC, email [email protected].

By Mike Pesa

Supporting public sector strike in a wildcat strike against their employer, South Africa Freightliner LLC. In March 2007 the The International Solidarity Com- workers struck over safety issues and mission wrote a letter of solidarity with benefits, defying UAW officials who the approximately one million work- considered the strike “unauthorized.” ers involved in a massive public sector The resolution condemns LLC for strike in South Africa. The letter was refusing to negotiate with workers. It sent to the Congress of South African also urges international UAW leaders to Graphic by Tom Keough. Trade Unions and the Zabalaza Anar- support its members when they decide Opinion chist Communist Federation as well a strike is necessary. as to the secretary and spokesperson US tells Iraq to pay up debt, Gulf War costs of the President. In the letter, the ISC New assessment stamps condemns police brutality against Two new assessment stamps (a $3 By Tom Keough Geneva, Switzerland, this June how strikers and also criticizes government and $6 stamp) are now available to all The US government is lobbying hard much of this debt should remain the officials who have been raising their IWW members. Funds raised directly to prevent forgiveness of Iraq’s $125 legal responsibility of Iraq. The US own salaries at the expense of workers support our international solidarity billion debt, incurred under President delegation argued for no forgiveness. US and the public. The ISC endorses the work. Examples of projects that will Saddam Hussein. The US claim that it activists and other countries protested workers’ demands that any agreement benefit from the stamps include raising liberated Iraq apparently stops at the outside the meeting. Protesters demand- must include the reinstatement of all money for this Fall’s IWW delegation country’s chains of debt. ed an end to the reparations payments, fired workers. to Mexico and providing material aid to On top of this debt are war repara- elimination of Hussein’s debt, and full the National Garment Workers Federa- tions. When Iraq lost the Gulf War in funding of reconstruction costs for Iraq. ISC delegate visits unions in tion in Bangladesh so their organizers 1991, part of the surrender agreement Before President George W. Bush’s France and Spain can devote more time to working with created a legal requirement that Iraq war on Iraq, the world watched as mili- In an effort to advance the IWW’s us. To order individual stamps to deco- must pay war reparations to Kuwaiti tary, political, and intelligence authori- relationship with European labor rate your red card or entire sheets of individuals, Kuwaiti government organi- ties from around the globe protested his unions, ISC delegate Kieran Knutson of stamps to distribute to the members of zations and multinational corporations plan to invade. Even the most pro- the Twin Cities GMB visited the offices your branch, send your check or money who claimed that Iraq damaged their American, pro-big business leaders such of the CNT and CGT union federations order and a self-addressed stamped property in Kuwait when the Gulf War as General Norman Schwarzkopf, the during his travels in France and Spain. envelope to: started. The UN received 2.7 million US generals in charge of NATO and the This trip builds on the momentum ISC Solidarity Fund Stamp claims demanding up to $352.5 billion. Pope strongly denounced the invasion as created by the IWW’s delegation to c/o IWW General Headquarters The corporate claims filed topped $80 being about nothing but oil. The hor- the International Syndicalism Confer- PO Box 23085, Cincinnati, OH 43223 billion from 5,800 claimants of more rors unleashed by the invasion resulted ence in Paris this May. With the IWW USA than 100 countries. Oil companies’ in worldwide revulsion and opposition growing rapidly in Europe, our contacts claims account for more than half of the to President Bush. Many traditional and relationships with other European Reminder: A number of last year’s corporate amount. However, these cor- government and business allies of the US workers are quickly developing. NGWF Strike Fund assessment stamps porate claims such as “lost profits” are spoke out, saying they did not want to are also still available through the difficult to prove, so only $610 million help US Vice-president Dick Cheney and Solidarity with UAW wildcat strike Upstate New York GMB. Email solidar- has been awarded to date. corporations such as Halliburton make a The ISC passed a resolution sup- [email protected] for instructions on how to Overall, the United Nations Com- huge profit from this war. porting 700 rank-and-file United Auto purchase them. pensation Commission, whose governing Foreign corporations who compete Workers (UAW) members in Rowan council mirrors the UN Security Council, with US corporations saw no reason to County, North Carolina, who engaged in Thank you for your support! has handed over $21.8 billion to claim- help their US competitors get a huge ants with another $30.6 billion due. financial advantage. President Bush and The key question is where is this his appointed governor of occupied Iraq, Uk radical ed workers analyze industry money going to come from? Paul Bremer, even promoted a policy of By Bob Miller, IU620 The nation of Iraq has no money to not allowing anyone to do business in A group of education workers met by religious groups from the Christian re-buildtheir country nor care for their Iraq if they were from a country that had on July 1 in Manchester, England. The right in England. They pose a threat to wounded nor run their utilities. Yet, the not sent troops to Iraq. meeting was organised by individual the working conditions of all the staff combination of the Iraqi national debt With the creation of the so-called IWW members and members of both the who work in schools and further tighten and reparation payments will force many new Iraqi-led government, the US kept Anarchist Federation and the Solidarity the control over the curriculum that is generations of Iraqis to pay the bill with the power to decide who can invest or do Federation, who work in schools, sixth taught. oil. Washington will ultimately get what business in Iraq. This policy has back- form colleges [senior high schools and The third discussion was led by a it wanted from the invasion. fired on Washington. Foreign govern- prep colleges] and universities. Teach- member of Manchester Solidarity Feder- The Hussein government paid over ments did not send soldiers just to buy ers, lecturers and students were present ation. He detailed the way they had been $19 billion before the invasion, despite Iraqi oil. as well as a librarian and a porter. organising at the University of Manches- international sanctions. Some of this With both domestic and foreign op- Although a small event, the discus- ter against job cuts and re-organisation. money came from the Oil For Food position to the Bush war for oil, the UN sions were well-informed and held in a He emphasised that the atmosphere of program. US news media critics often Compensation Commission is not grant- comradely manner. threat and intimidation meant that complained that Saddam didn’t use the ing oil money handouts as perhaps the We started with a discussion on the their work had to be carried out in a money to feed his starving people. Some US envisioned. At the June meeting the examination system and the pressures clandestine manner. In many ways, what Oil For Food money went to pay the big UN commission said it would grant far it puts on both workers and students. he described would be familiar to wobs oil companies for reparations. less money than asked for by claimants. Under discussion was the way students organising in job branches that had not After the 2003 US-led invasion, as Iraqis need our support to lift this are being checked and monitored at ‘gone public’ yet. the country unraveled, the US adminis- huge burden of debt and war repara- each point of their lives and the way that Finally, we looked at the way the trators forced Iraq to continue payments tions. They cannot be expected, living in exam league tables are used by employ- universities are changing from centres of of over $2 billion in reparations since a shattered country gripped by a bloody ers to discipline and control educators. academic study to production lines turn- the fall of Saddam’s government. guerrilla war the US started, to pay this We then moved on to analyse the ing out well-trained graduates. The UN’s Compensation Commis- debt. To demand they do so is unaccept- government’s plans to close many of The theme that emerged through sion debated at their meeting held in able and unethical. the secondary schools in England and the day was the similar nature of the replace them with academies. Academies problems faced by people in each area is an important sounding title for pri- discussed. We hope to have a similar meeting in the future. ASDA-Wal-Mart watch vatised schools, run in many instances British social justice advocacy group The website’s goal is to inform and War on Want has launched a website recruit consumer support for a campaign Japanese cop stabs himself for time off that shines a spotlight on ASDA, a su- to ensure workers have the right to or- A Japanese police officer in north- He had been in charge of a disaster relief permarket chain recently taken over by ganize as well as to protect the local food western Japan stabbed himself in May effort after the March 25 earthquake that Wal-Mart. The website, www.asdawatch. economy and small shops. to get some time off, according to the killed one, injured 300 and damaged org, is supported by the GMB union War on Want has also tried to use Associated Press. The man, 44, re- nearly 15,000 homes. He is now facing which represents 25,000 workers out a website, www.tescopoly.org, to focus ported the wound as an attack, but his a misdemeanour charge for filing a false of a total workforce of 140,000, with attention on ASDA’s key supermarket ri- colleagues found no one matching the report. Japan has a word for death by collective bargaining rights at nine of val, Tesco, which controls 30 per cent of description. The policeman had also overwork, karoshi, recognized by the 20 distribution depots and at none of the British grocers market and reported waited one hour before calling for help. health ministry. ASDA’s retail stores. £2.5 billion (US$5 billion) in profits.