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Telephone Strikers Mobilize for a Contract

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Telephone Strikers Mobilize for a Contract ---------- . AUSTRALIA $2.50 . BELGIUM BF60 . CANADA $2.50 · FRANCE FF1 0 · ICELAND KR200 · NEW ZEALAND $2.50 · SWEDEN KR15 · UK £1.00 · U.S. $1.50 INSIDE Socialist candidates follow trail of labor struggles TH£ -PAGES A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 64/NO. 33 AUGUST 28, 2000 Ultrarightist Telephone strikers Buchanan mobilize for a contract captures 86,000 workers fight for union rights, ·decent job conditions Reform Party BY MAURICE WILLIAMS BY JACOB PERASSO In his August 12 acceptance speech for NEW YORK-"C-W-A, C-W-A, C-W­ the Reform Party presidential nomination, A," chanted a sea of 8,000 red-shirted strik­ ultrarightist politician Patrick Buchanan ers bearing banners and signs in a militant declared, "What are we fighting for? To save and spirited mobilization here outside the our country from being sold down the river national headquarters of Verizon Commu­ into some godless New World Order.... nications August 10. That's what this Gideon's Army is fighting "It was beautiful. We saw that whole sea for." of red, then the banners. When I saw those Buchanan consolidated his grip over the banners come down the street, that was party leading up to the Long Beach, Cali­ when I knew how strong this union was," fornia, national convention. There, he said Tyrone Noyte, a field technician on named Ezola Foster, an African American strike. woman who is a member of the ultraright The show of force in New York has been John Birch Society, as his vice-presidential backed up by hundreds of picket lines at running mate. She had served as a co-chair Verizon facilities across 12 states and the in Buchanan's 1996 presidential bid and in District of Columbia. A total of 86,000 late April the ultrarightist candidate named workers walked off the job August 6 after her as a national co-chair ofhis current cam­ their contract expired and negotiations be­ paign. tween the union and the bosses were not able "She has stood up for flag and family, to resolve the dispute. There are 72,000 God and country her whole life," said workers represented by the Communication Buchanan. "And when I left [the Republi­ Workers of America (CWA) and 14,700 by can Party] to go to the Reform Party, she the International Brotherhood of Electrical came with me," he added, citing her loy­ Workers. alty. Verizon was formed when Bell Atlantic Two days before the national convention, acquired GTE Wireless Communications. It which began August l 0, the Reform Party is now the largest provider oflocal and wire­ held a closed-door national committee meet­ less telephone service in the United States. ing. Buchanan's opponents, many of whom The company has· 260,000 employees and were supporters of Reform Party founder provides wireless service in 50 states and Ross Perot, backed John Hagelin for the local service in 31 states. The wireless part party's presidential ticket. Hagelin, a physi­ of the company is for the most part not cist who was a two-time presidential candi­ unionized. Militant/Angel Lariscy date on the Natural Law Party ticket, as­ The strike has received extensive cover­ Some 8,000 phone workers turned out for a feisty strike rally in New York August 10 serted that he was the true Reform Party age in the big-business newspapers where candidate. concern has been voiced over the effect the Local cops were called when a shoving strike will have on the rest of the telephone Megan Matos, a striking CWA dispatcher the strike right now is the company's desire · Continued on Page 12 industry, given the issues being posed in the who has worked at Verizon for nine years, for mandatory overtime, which was rejected conflict. Among them are the intensification said that the wireless workers "should be by workers interviewed at the rally. of work, lengthening of the workweek, and able to join the union if they want." She also "The main issues are job security, health unionization of the wireless division. said that one of the main sticking points in Continued on Page 3 .Socialists Minnesota meat packers visit Teamster pickets hold Active BY TOM FISHER bottling plant here. things when you started and how did you ST. PAUL, Minnesota-"How did you She wanted to know about their strike look at things now? How do you feel?" prepare for your strike?" asked Angelina "because we may have to prepare ourselves Castro, who works in Dakota Premium's Workers Castro, who works at Dakota Premium to do the same thing. What kinds of things boning department, was one of seven work­ Foods in nearby South St. Paul, to a group did you have to do? How much money are ers from that meatpacking plant who vis­ ofTeamsters on strike against the Pepsi-Cola you taking home? How did you look at ited the Teamsters picket line here August Conference 12 to, offer solidarity with their struggle and find out more about how each group of fight­ BY STEVE CLARK The Working ing workers can advance their struggles. Her AND GREG McCARTAN N E W ! question indicated the fact that a growing OBERLIN, Ohio--"Something new has Class a. the number of workers at Dakota, who recently begun. The merger in action and leadership Transformation voted in United Food and Commercial responsibility of a nucleus of communist of Learning Workers (UFCW) Local 789 and are now workers with a fighting vanguard of work­ - taking the next steps to establish the union, ers and farmers we can see and touch-to­ The Fraud of are thinking about the need for another strike day!-a vanguard of what will become a against the company. class-struggle leadership of the working­ Education Reform The packinghouse bosses have given ev­ class movement," said Socialist Workers under Capitalism ery reason for workers to conclude that such Party national secretary Jack Barnes in a action will be necessary. At a meeting called summary presentation at the Active Work­ a, Jack Barnes by the company August 10, a few hours ers Conference here. "Until society is reorganized so before a well-publicized union meeting, This shift in working-class politics, that education is a human · company manager Steve Cortinas dismissed Barnes noted, was registered at the confer­ activity from the time we are all the workers' complaints and ridiculed the ence itself. The gathering, sponsored by the very young until the. time we strength of the union, according to workers Socialist Workers Party and the Young So­ die, there will be no education who attended. "The union is planning a cialists, was held July 27-30 on the Oberlin strike," Cortinas stated. "That won't accom- College campus. worthy of working, creating plish anything." · The degree to which socialist workers and humanity. That is the historic The manager was quick to organize that youth are an integral part of the upturn in truth." $3 meeting because a rumor had been going strikes and struggles by working people in around the plant about the need for another city and countryside was a palpable part of strike. every conference session, class, and infor­ Available from bookstores "This came from an informal discussion mal event. listed on page 12. among workers about how to deal with the In the course of these struggles, commu­ Continued on Page 3 Cqntinued on Page 6 Debate over teaching evolution in schools heats up - page 4 Louisiana fabrication workers win union BY JACQUIE HENDERSON On August 2, the Operating Engineers AMELIA, Louisiana-"Respect" is what union released a list of the "Top 10" rea­ workers are seeking in organizing a union, sons why workers wanted to unionize: said Recko Mills, a fitter at the J. Ray "No voice for the working person. Com­ McDermott fabrication yard here. plaints of racial discrimination. Favoritism After months of an intense opposition between bosses and their friends to the det­ campaign by the company, workers at the riment of workers. Large pay and benefit McDermott yard, which builds huge off­ differences between office personnel and shore structures for the petroleum industry, hourly workers. Seniority and qualifications voted 404-319 on August 10 to join Inter­ have no meaning. When work lessens, the national Union of Operating Engineers Lo­ worker suffers through pay cuts, reduced cal 406. The yard employs around 1,500 workweeks, unemployment, and furloughs. workers, many of whom work for contrac­ Wage increases are not given equally across tors hired by McDermott. the board. Retirees need better insurance Recko, who has worked at McDermott coverage and benefits. Better sanitation fa­ for more than nine years, is one of the hun­ cilities are needed. Termination of injured dreds of contract workers in the yard. He workers after six months." and other workers talked with Militant re­ The company organized a campaign of Workers at McDermott fabrication yard in Amelia, Louisiana, celebrate union organiz­ porters as they left work August 11 and re­ persuasion, intimidation, media propaganda, ing success with jambalaya cookout, greeting day-shift workers after the vote. Bosses counted incident after incident where and community pressure. Quoted in the July fear victory will boost organizing drives among refinery and other workers in the area. McDermott showed their disregard for 12 issue of the Courier of the nearby town of workers' basic human dignity. They cited Houma, Gerald Ellender, president of a pro­ workers who expressed their support for the yard. We worked way up on scaffoldings that common incidents of discrimination and boss outfit called "Concerned Citizens for the union.
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