Published by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union www.ilwu.org VOL 77, NO 11 • DECEMBER 2019 THE INSIDE NEWS Anchor workers win! 2 Bridges Center scholarships 3 Christmas strike solidarity in Canada 5 Alaska port picket 8 LETTERS TO DISPATCHER 8 Candidates questioned: Former Vice President Joe Biden (right) and former investor Tom Steyer (left) came to talk TRANSITIONS 8 with ILWU leaders in December. Both candidates answered questions, outlined their concerns and proposed solutions to help America’s working families. ILWU Executive Board holds final session with Presidential candidates ormer Vice President Joe the candidate’s unusual background improve public transportation and Biden and retired investor as a hedge-fund CEO who became increase taxes on the wealthy to fund Tom Steyer became the 4th a billionaire before retiring and now public education. F uses his wealth to advocate for pro- and 5th 2020 U.S. Presidential Long-standing ties with unions gressive causes, including climate Steyer has made a point of work- ILWU Feed the Community Day candidates to visit ILWU head- change, fighting the Keystone oil ing with unions, mobilizing his page 4 quarters in San Francisco where pipeline opposed by Native Ameri- group called NextGen America, and both had separate free-ranging cans and ILWU members, and urg- with the California Labor Federa- discussion with members of the ing Congress to hold President tion knocked on millions of doors to Trump accountable for abusing the International Executive Board. increase voting in the last two elec- powers of his office for personal gain Candidates Bernie Sanders and tion cycles. and obstruction of Congress. Elizabeth Warren met with the Exec- “My first partner in everything Steyer began by explaining why utive Board in August, as did Senator I have done is organized labor,” he he chose to run for president. Kamala Harris who dropped-out of said. “My best partner in everything I “For the last ten years, I’ve the race last month. have done has been organized labor been part of coalitions of ordinary “We invited all candidates to talk and unions.” with elected ILWU leaders about the Americans who are taking-on the War on workers issues that matter most to working unchecked power of corporations,” families and union members,” said Steyer said. “The reason I’m running Steyer believes corporate Ameri- International President Willie Adams. for president is simple: I think corpo- can “has a strategy to break the power As he has done with all candidates rations have bought the government. of unions in order to make it easier who visited the ILWU, Adams greeted Until we take the government back, for them to keep all the money, which each with a warm welcome and pro- we are not going to get any of the they’ve been doing for the past 40 vided a short introduction – then progressive policies that every single years. The Republican strategy is to stepped back so they could deliver person in this room wants.” cut taxes for the wealthy, cut educa- their own “stump speech” – 15 to 30 Steyer said he supports afford- tion, cut healthcare, attack organized minutes of carefully crafted remarks able healthcare, quality education, labor, and allow as much pollution as that sounded fresh, passionate and living wages, clean air and a fair vote. they want. personal – despite having delivered “These are rights that every American Political outsider something similar at hundreds of should have,” he said. Steyer said his position as a events in recent months. Adams then Funding progressive initiatives political outsider who came from the opened the deck for questions from Steyer says he has contributed world of finance, is an asset. Board members and officers. over $130 million to fund progressive “I think an outsider who has First up: Tom Steyer ballot initiatives in California, start- been successfully fighting corpora- Tom Steyer chose the morning ing in 2010 with his role in defeating tions for decades, is the person you time slot and received a warm round Prop 23, that would have rolled-back want to take back the government,” of applause after being introduced the state’s global warming law. He also Steyer said, adding that he sup- by President Adams, who explained contributed to initiatives that aimed to continued on page 6 Postmaster: Send address changes to The Dispatcher, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109-6800. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Dispatcher, DISPATCHER • December 2019 1 Anchor workers ratify their first contract ne of the nation’s most fa- brewer that now owns Anchor. Work- campaign,” said International Vice communication open so we can deal mous breweries that kicked- ers negotiated their first contract with President (Mainland) Bobby Olvera, Jr. with things down the line.” Ooff the craft-brew revolution, wage increases, better benefits and a “We followed the ILWU advice Anchor workers first contacted now has an ILWU contract. The 65 voice in decision-making. While Sap- to take it slow and steady, “said the ILWU in April 2018. Their inter- workers who create Anchor Steam and poro initially hired anti-union consul- John Ezell, a Brewer at Anchor and nal outreach effort began that June other fine brews began their union tants, workers held their ground and member of the elected Negotiat- and continued with an election on campaign with personal outreach that management chose a more construc- ing Committee. “One of the most March 13, 2019 that was overwhelm- united newer and veteran workers, tive and cooperative path with the important things we did was one- ingly in favor of the union. The first then secured community and political well-organized workforce. on-one conversations that got every- contract negotiating session was held support and made international soli- “Anchor workers took leadership one involved.” That communication on May 23, 2019. Their first contract darity contacts with workers in Japan and responsibility from the beginning and involvement continued through was ratified on December 20 by a and Canada who are also employed and stayed focused throughout their the union vote and contract negotia- vote of 49 to 3. by Sapporo, the legendary Japanese tions. We want to keep those lines of ILWU Staff Changes Bridget Wack is the ILWU’s new Researcher. She joined the staff in October and works closely with the Organizing Department to gather and analyze information that will help more workers join the ILWU. Bridget grew up in Boston. After college she worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technol- ogy with a team who researched the importance of good jobs in reducing poverty. Before that she was Research Assistant for education expert Jonathan Kozol, known for his ideas and books about how to improve public schools by addressing racial and economic injustice – and opposing anti- union, private charter schools. “I’m very excited to be part of such a strong, member-driven union,” she said, “and grateful for the opportunity to learn from everyone here!” Ryan Dowling was recently promoted to become the ILWU’s Organizing Director. Before join- Randy C. Vekich ing the staff three years ago as Assistant Organizing Director, Dowling was organizing for 13 years with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). As The Dispatcher was “The International Officers have mapped-out a great plan for organizing – and the response going to press, we learned from local leaders and members has been encouraging,” says Dowling who participated in the first that longtime ILWU leader two Regional Organizing Meetings, held recently in LA and Tacoma. The next will be held in the Randy C. Vekich had passed Columbia River Region on January 27-28. in early December. The Jan- Jon Brier’s new role includes serving as the ILWU’s Assistant Organizing Director. Until uary 2020 issue will include now, Brier has been the Puget Sound’s Lead Organizer. He’ll continue to be based there, but will an obituary honoring his take on new assignments, including efforts to help workers employed in the supply-chain, logis- life and contributions to the tics and transport sectors. ILWU. “Helping ILWU and IBU members organize has been incredibly satisfying,” he says, “and I’m looking forward to helping us move to the next level.” He recently attended the Alaska Long- shore Convention where organizing was a key concern. “Working together is the key,” he says. ILWU TITLED OFFICERS Craig Merrilees William E. Adams, President The Dispatcher (ISSN 0012-3765) is published monthly except for a combined July/Aug issue, for $5.00 a year and $10.00 a year for non-members by the ILWU, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, Communications Director and Managing Editor Bobby Olvera, Jr., Vice President, Mainland CA 94109. Periodical postage paid at San Francisco, CA. The Dispatcher welcomes letters, Roy San Filippo Wesley Furtado, Vice President, Hawaii photos and other submissions to the above address © ILWU, 2012. Postmaster: Send address Editor Edwin Ferris, Secretary-Treasurer changes to The Dispatcher, 1188 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109-6800. 2 DISPATCHER • December 2019 Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies celebrates new growth and ILWU support at awards banquet ach year the Harry Bridges sity. It was established last year in Center for Labor Studies at honor of Seattle civil rights activist and the University of Washing- ILWU leader, Frank Jenkins, Jr., who E came to Seattle in 1909 as the grand- ton holds an awards banquet in son of a runaway slave, son of a Buffalo Seattle to thank students, faculty, Soldier and Filipino mother. He spent and union members for their con- a half-century on Seattle’s waterfront, tributions to labor research and participated in the 1934 West Coast advocacy.