Eastern's Troubles Grow While Strikers Gear Up
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Nelson Mandela's TH£ June 26 address to U.S. Congress Pages 8-9 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 54/NO. 28 JULY 20, 1990 $1.25 Trial held Eastern's troubles grow in lawsuit while strikers gear up to harass BYJUDYSTRANAHAN larger and more frequent as shown by actions 1 for a rally and walk-through at the Greater Mark Curtis As it becomes clearer each day that the in the past two weeks. Pittsburgh International Airport to support difficulties facing Eastern Airlines are In Florida on June 30 more than 600 the Eastern strike. BY SHELLIA KENNEDY mounting-demoralizing scabs and sectors Machinists and their supporters marched Vowing to "keep the pressure on," Eastern DES MOINES, Iowa-"We were faced of management-the Machinists on strike around the Miami International Airport to and Greyhound strikers in Philadelphia with a 'no win' situation in the courtroom against the carrier have renewed confidence demand a "contract now," calling on Martin joined forces on July 7 for an expanded picket today and yet we all feel like we won," John Shugrue ---'the court-appointed trustee for line and rally of 75 in front of Greyhound's Studer, coordinator of the Mark Curtis De Eastern-to settle with the union. "We're downtown bus terminal. fense Committee, told a packed meeting of See editorial on page 14. supporters July 9. not going to go away," said Charles Bryan, Representing the AFL-CIO, Philadelphia president of International Association ofMa ''Today Mark Curtis and Kate Kaku, his Labor Council President Edward Toohey ex wife and defense committee spokesperson, chinists (lAM) District 100. plained, "I come here today to the that they can win and are gearing up their In Pittsburgh, 200 Machinists, coal min reaffirm faced a stacked trial," Studer explained. "Be activities throughout the country. ers, steelworkers, bus drivers, and workers determination and solid support of the trade cause of the way Iowa law is written there union movement for the workers at Grey Strike activities are getting progressively from a dozen other unions turned out on July was no question Mark would lose." hound and Eastern." The trial stemmed from a civil lawsuit for Sixty unionists turned out in San Francisco financial damages brought against Curtis by at the airport on July 6, and in Los Angeles Keith and Denise Morris, the parents of the on July 7, 75 people picketed the Eastern woman he allegedly assaulted more than two terminal. years ago. On June 30 in Detroit, 75 unionists held In 1988 Curtis was framed up by Des up a banner and passed out fliers at the Moines police on rape and burglary charges. Eastern counter and on the same day in He was convicted after an unfair trial and is Boston, 40 people held a three-and-one-half currently serving a 25-year sentence in an hour airport walk -through and picket. Iowa state prison in Fort Madison. Striking· Machinists and their supporters Last month District Court Judge Arthur also launched a campaign in Atlanta on June Gamble found that Curtis' crinlinal convic 20 to talk to travel agents, explaining the tion established his guilt as fact and ruled strike and urging them not to book their that he was financially liable in the lawsuit. customers on Eastern. The only issue for the trial to resolve, there Moreover, Eastern scab-hiring sessions fore, was the amount of the fmancial judg are getting smaller and prospective scabs are ment against Curtis. expressing greater concern that jobs with "For this reason Mark directed his attor Eastern aren't real or won't last long. neys to attempt to reach a financial settlement More and more strikers are drawing the before the trial, but the plaintiffs refused," conclusion that the possibility of victory is Studer said. "This meant Mark and Kate closer than at any time since the strike began faced a trial where the only room to fight 16 months ago. was to try to minimize the damages. And we Recent reports indicate that the owners of did very well in this regard." Northwest Airlines are interested in purchas Kaku led a delegation of 15 defense com ing Eastern. ·And most recently, it was re mittee supporters to attend the trial. The ported that Northwest and the lAM would delegation included trade union and political conduct talks. activists from Des Moines, Detroit, Atlanta, Northwest, based in Minneapolis, was New York, and Toronto. Continued on Page 6 Continued on Page 13 Socialist Workers announce· slate for New York elections BY RONI McCANN conference were candidates Nebbia, Bracey, NEW YORK - The Socialist Workers Anmuth, and Young Socialist Alliance Na Machinists on strike against Eastern are more confident than ever that victory is Party statewide campaign was launched at a tional Secretary Heather Randle. within reach. Above, some of the more than 600 who marched at Miami International news conference here July 12. Craig Gannon Among the most energetic backers of the Airport June 30. announced his candidacy for governor on the SWP election campaign are members of the SWP ticket that includes Susan Anmuth for YSA who are running leaders of their orga lieutenant governor; Derek Bracey for attor nization on the SWP ticket in New York and ney general; Aaron Ruby for comptroller; other states and who will be taking the so British miners' conference rebuffs Cathy Sedwick for U.S. Congress, lith dis cialist campaigns to young workers and stu trict; and Selva Nebbia for U.S. Congress, dents. media attack on top union leaders 15th district. The SWP has run in municipal and state Gannon said a massive effort to collect wide elections in New York since 1938 when BY JONATHAN SILBERMAN media allegations. 30,000 signatures and place the socialist it ran write-in candidates for governor and DURHAM, England - Delegates at the "Now they've moved the goal posts," candidates' names on the ballot will be U.S. Senate. The first time the party's candi annual conference of the National Union of Scargill said in his conference speech, refer kicked off on Saturday, July 14. "We -want dates won a spot on the ballot was in 1941 Mineworkers here rose in standing ovation ring to the new angle of attack. This attack to get thousands of signatures the first day when SWP National Secretary James P. Can to Arthur Scargill at the end ofhi s presidential focuses on the charge that the two NUM and get off to a great start," he said. Support non ran for mayor of New York. address. Scargill had given a stinging rebuff officials had diverted for hardship money for ers from the New York- New Jersey area and to attacks on him and the union's general striking miners and their families into polit the surrounding region will be coming into Campaign of explanation secretary, Peter Heathfield, by the media. ical channels, particularly to fund the Inter the city or other parts of the state to help with "Some of the biggest political changes in Scargill, in his July 9 speech, described the national Miners' Organisation, of which the ballot effort. the world in the last45 years have taken place attacks as "character assassination" after an Scargill is also president. Gannon was introduced to reporters at his over the last year," said Gannon. "Workers unprecedented trial by the media. The IMO was established in September Manhattan campaign headquarters by New and farmers are thinking about the momen- The attacks on the NUM leaders have 1985, six months after the end of the national York campaign co-chairperson Don Rojas, ·. tous events that have occurred - from East continued despite the publication of a union miners' strike in March of that year. Today former press secretary to slain Grenada prime em Europe to South Africa - and have ques commissioned report, released at the begin the IMO has the affiliation of 43 miners' minister Maurice Bishop. The other co-chair tions about who won the Cold War; what are ning of this month, that exonerated both unions from 39 different countries. It has person of the SWP state campaign, Ernie the prospects for socialism; and does capi national officials of the charge of misappro organized broad conferences and promoted Mailhot, was also present. Mailhot is strike talism face a bright future. priating union funds. international solidarity among miners, espe staff coordinator for Machinists Local 1018 "Every party, every candidate, and every Initiated by the Daily Mi"or, the chorus cially toward the National Union of Mine on strike against Eastern Airlines at La Guar current of thought are presenting their an of newspaper and television "news" reports workers of South Africa. diaairport. swers to questions and their explanations of charged that Scargill and Heathfield had used During the 1984-85 British coal strike, The state campaign director is Vivian Sah the events," said the sociaijst gubernatorial money from Libya and the Soviet Union for huge fines were imposed on the NUM. The ner, a garment worker in New York and a candidate. "What will distinguish the Social their own personal ends. The union-commis courts ordered the union's assets to be seized member of International Ladies' Garment ist Workers Party is that we offer answers sioned report written by attorney Gavin and appointed a rec~iver to administer the Workers' Union Local 2325. and explanations from the standpoint that is Lighbnan found nothing to substantiate the CoatU.ed CID Pille ll · Also accompanying Garuion at the news C(Mifinue4 011 Pale 10 Renewal drive in Canada to build on last success BY PAULA FRAMPTON be reached by car and visited in a away.