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'Troqueros' Mobilize for May Day Shutdown

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'Troqueros' Mobilize for May Day Shutdown Zimbabwe workers win Interview: Tom Morello is Coke workers launch New column: Workers court case, face violence a One Man Revolution global protest to fight Power asks Wherefore art 3 8 3,500 job cuts 11 thou supervisor? 13 IndustrialO F F I C I A L N E W S P A P E R O F THE INDUSTRIAL Worker W O R K E R S O F T H E W O RLD May 2007 #1695 Vol. 104 No. 5 $1.00 / 75p LA ‘troqueros’ mobilize for May Day shutdown By Gideon Dev, IWW Los Angeles GMB Truckers are employees ing companies. They have no collective through the Port of LA/LB and are Truckers in the Port of Los Ange- The drive for action by the troqueros contract and no legal right to collective hauled out by troqueros. Many workers les/Long Beach (LA/LB) are mobilizing troqueros (the Spanish word for truck- bargaining. in the ports –not just troqueros– have to repeat last May Day’s shut down, ers) this year is that they, as workers The situation facing port truckers no union and no say. Of the 25,000 when over 90 per cent of trucks stayed who drive international trade, are being is particularly striking in Los Angeles. odd longshoremen on the West Coast, off the road. The action, led by the port’s exploited. The fiction of troqueros be- West Coast ports unload over 80 per 14,000 are ILWU—9,400 members predominantly Latino workforce, was a ing “owner-operators” or “independent cent of all Asian cargo to the United and roughly 4,000 non-members who show of solidarity with the immigrant contractors” instead of carrier and port States. At times, half this traffic passes Troqueros continued on 13 rights movement and an expression of employees is the key to this exploitation. shop floor anger over work conditions. While the trucking companies or carriers The shutdown gave credibility to the keep most of the money paid by shippers protests that shook Los Angeles and to have freight hauled, the truckers who Starbucks violated IWW the country as the single largest day of do the work only scrape by after paying protest in US history so far. their expenses. Despite this success and stop- Troqueros’ labor, the hauling of workers’ rights, says NLRB ping a reactionary anti-immigrant bill freight to and from the ports and distri- The United States’ (HR4437) from becoming law, the bution centers, is what makes money for National Labor Relations immigrant rights movement has not the trucking companies and makes “just Board (NLRB) on March been enough of an organized response in time” distribution possible. Troque- 30 accused Starbucks of repeatedly breaking the law in an effort to crush The impetus for action among the the IWW Starbucks troqueros this year is [...] a direct Workers Union. Responding to the reaction to conditions of exploitation. union’s complaints, the board’s Manhattan regional office found that the company violated to pressing immigrant concerns. The ros haul two to three loads per day all federal labor law at least momentum of last spring was lost by week to make what amounts to poverty 30 times at four of its summer, allowing the corporate elite and income. Instead of paying for each hour New York City coffee their partners in the US government and worked, carriers pay by the mile or by shops. Democratic Party to pass a similar bill each trip. They don’t pay the drivers for Starbucks illegally (S2611) as well as the bi-partisan ‘Secure all the time spent loading and unloading retaliated against the Fence Act of 2006’. Immigration and containers, waiting in ports or intermo- union by firing two pro- Customs Enforcement (ICE) has contin- dal yards, stuck in delays or in doing union workers, threat- ued its highly publicized mass raids, in paperwork. They certainly don’t pay ening to fire another effect trying to pressure the US Congress for the trucks, maintenance and repair, worker and giving unfair to approve bracero-like guest worker insurance or the rising costs of diesel negative performance programs. fuel. Benefits such as healthcare, social evaluations to several The call for a second ‘Great Ameri- security, workers compensation, disabil- other employees suspect- can Boycott’ on May Day was made ity, unemployment insurance are paid ed of union sympathies, at the March 25 Coalition’s National for by the troqueros. according to the NLRB. Conference for Immigrant Rights. As a Shielded by an elaborate veil of con- The board also coalition member, the LA GMB proposed tractors and subcontractors, the Pacific IWW supporters picket Starbucks shareholder meeting in Seattle. found that management a May Day shutdown to the port truckers Maritime Association (PMA), a coali- had illegally questioned with a call for solidarity from all related tion of shippers and terminal operators false allegation that he had threatened workers about their support of the union industries. As of this writing, the truck- who control West Coast ports, has long District Manager Allison Marx at a union and banned workers from discussing ers have responded positively. They are claimed that troqueros are independent rally. Gross said he was simply express- the union during their breaks. Starbucks encouraged by the International Long- contractors who, under the Sherman ing solidarity when he urged Marx not even discriminated against pro-union shore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Anti-Trust Act, cannot press for their to fire a co-worker. Now the NLRB has workers in its selective enforcement of locals in San Francisco and Seattle, who collective rights as workers. This denial sided with Gross and Joe Agins, also the company’s dress code and jewelry resolved not to work on May Day. The of employee status is maintained despite fired for union activity. policy. ILWU resolutions highlighted both the the facts that truckers work directly in “Starbucks left the rule of law behind Together these charges paint a clear LA GMB’s own involvement in last year’s the port, are issued a security permit when the union campaign started in picture of a deliberate strategy by the May Day shutdown and the current ef- to do so, and the terminal operators 2004 and according to this complaint company to use any means possible to forts of the March 25 Coalition. exercise sufficient control and direc- has yet to return. It’s remarkable that obstruct its workers’ right to organize tion over their work to be considered our union is growing stronger everyday a union. Despite abundant evidence of joint-employers alongside the truck- despite an almost three year campaign wrongdoing, Starbucks is contesting all of illegal dirty tricks to defeat us,” said charges. Industrial Worker Gross in an April 3 press release. Periodicals Postage “We believe the allegations are PO Box 13476 Gross told the New York Times that PAID baseless, and we will vigorously defend the “NLRB’s complaint illustrates that Philadelphia, PA 19101 ourselves,” Starbucks spokesperson Philadelphia, PA this is a company with a profound disre- Valerie O’Neil told the New York Times. ISSN 0019-8870 and additional spect for workers’ rights. Any idea that mailing offices The company will have to defend itself this was just a few bad apples is belied ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED against the charges before an adminis- by the fact that the NLRB accused more trative law judge. If Starbucks is found than ten Starbucks officials of illegal guilty, they could be forced to re-hire the activities.” two fired organizers and post a public This is not the first time that Star- notice that it will not engage in illegal, bucks has been in trouble for union- anti-union activities. The trial is set for busting. June 12 in Manhattan. In March 2006, Starbucks settled a Daniel Gross is one of the organiz- number of serious grievances with the ers the board said Starbucks illegally IWW, agreeing to re-hire two workers, fired. A three-year employee and tireless stop anti-discriminatory practices and union activist, Gross was sacked by the pay nearly $2,000 in back wages. Subscribers: The number (top line of label ) reflects the last issue due on your subscription. company in August 2006, following a Page • Industrial Worker • May 2007 Detroit’s Traveling Wobbly Kitchen etarian meals for those who prefer to Jim Abbott, Detroit Branch, IWW Who do we cook for? Striking/locked go meatless. Soups, salads, and sweet Towards the end of the new book, out workers, old reds, war protesters, treats. Breads and bagels. Cheese and The Industrial Workers of the World: immigrant rights groups & civil rights crackers and cookies and fruit cups. And It’s First 100 Years, FW Jon Bekken organizations; all those that fight for the always plenty of coffee; hot, steaming makes two mentions of the Detroit idea of social justice. We do fundraisers coffee. Branches traveling “soup kitchen.” I for worker support associations such as Nothing fancy mind you, but good Dear Editors, am a proud member of same, and yes, Jobs With Justice, for leftist publica- food and plenty of it. After all, you can’t indeed, we are still going strong, having tions like the Fifth Estate, and we lend overthrow the capitalist system on an Thank you so much for printing the been called into action three times in the a Red-and-Black helping hand to those empty stomach. article by Erik Davis entitled “Raising a first two months of 2007. involved in the local labor artist scene; We’re fairly well know in the lo- Working Class Culture.” We started off in January, where we, namely, the Detroit Worker/Writer and cal lefty scene ‘round these parts, & I am a preschool teacher and I see along with the good, radical folks from Arts Festival.
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