(ISSN 0023-6667) Labor plans to mobilize for health care, Employee Free Choice as campaigns fizzle By Mark Gruenberg Energy and Commerce – it has Majority sign-up, where PAI Staff Writer stalled due to Democratic divi- once unions get verified union SILVER SPRING, Md. sions. The Employee Free election authorization cards (PAI)—Organized labor plans Choice Act is delayed because from a majority of workers at a two mass mobilizations in key senators discussing site, they – not the bosses – can August – and beyond – on changes in that bill are choose between automatic health care and on the involved in the health care immediate recognition of the Employee Free Choice Act, talks, too. union or a National Labor An Injury to One is an Injury to All! The delays give unions Relations Board-run election. WEDNESDAY VOL. 115 interviews at the AFL-CIO Executive Council show. Both time, and the need, to mobilize, Other alternatives to major- AUGUST 5, 2009 NO. 4 campaigns are to counter mas- the staffers added. ity sign-up, including mail-in sive business-backed advertis- The health care mobiliza- ballots and quick NLRB-run ing blitzes against both health tion already started, and was elections, received scant dis- care revision and against the going even as the council met. cussion, staffers said. But they labor law, which is the top pri- Unions arranged for 50,000 are not ruled out, Acuff added. ority of the federation, Change phone calls to be funneled to “Both would be dramatically To Win and other unions. Congress on the issue on July better than what we have now” The campaigns were dis- 28. And on July 27, the under labor law, he said. cussed at a meeting July 28 at Alliance of Retired Americans, Present law allows long cam- the National Labor College an AFL-CIO, arranged two paigns with rampant employer here. The campaigns are need- conference calls, of 100 people intimidation and labor law- ed because the Democratic-run each, to talk health care cam- breaking. The Obama admin- 111th Congress – stymied by paign strategy. istration backs the Employee divisions within its own major- And the Employee Free Free Choice Act. ity – put off decisions on the Choice Act mobilization aims Senate sponsor Tom Harkin, issues until it returns Sept. 7. at the fact that Democrats now D-Iowa, also cautions that Five congressional commit- lack the 60 votes needed to shut majority sign-up is still on the These members of the Minnesota Nurses Association are tees are drafting the health care off a planned GOP-led fili- table. “Nothing is agreed to among the many unionists that have been on the picket line legislation. In two key ones – buster against the bill. until everything is agreed to,” in support of Workers United Local 99 workers at the Senate Finance and House “The important thing is to he says of the legislation. Pickwick. Stop by during the lunch and dinner hours. preserve the essential elements The Employee Free Choice of the Employee Free Choice Act mobilization includes tens Pickwick harassing picketers, workers Act: Restoring the freedom to of thousands of letters, hun- by Todd Erickson, President used to operate. It is not a fam- protected right to picket their organize and collectively bar- dreds of thousands of phone Workers United Local 99 ily restaurant anymore. It is employer. gain, and not the details” of calls, the largest march in the corporate run. The courage of these how exactly to achieve that history of Arkansas, and a I have read about several goal, said AFL-CIO Organi- coalition of 1,500 businesses union busting campaigns over We have been dealing with Pickwick workers inside and this employer’s supporters spy- out is remarkable. Some work- zing Director Stewart Acuff, supporting the bill. It’s all the years but never expected to who is directing the campaign. designed to push senators in 10 see one playing out the way it ing on us as we exercise our ers through it all still wear their protected and concerted rights, union buttons and show sup- “That’s the measure by which states, including Arkansas, is at the Pickwick. Chris any tweaking of the law” will California, Pennsylvania, Wisocki has apparently dug his verbal attacks from customers port for their union every day. smelling of alcohol, union They now work with reduced be judged, he added. Nebraska, Louisiana and heels in and is still refusing to The council reaffirmed its Maine, to support the law and get back to the table and give employees allowed to come out benefits and put up with verbal and attempt to have a negative abuse by an aggressive man- strong preference for the legis- his workers a fair contract. lation’s centerpiece: See Labor mobilizing...page 7 I want to let all of you know conversation about the union. agement team that is relentless what tactics we have witnessed On the inside there is no union in trying to divide the work- Is single payer getting heard? this employer using to intimi- talk unless it’s in an anti-union force. date his workers and get his capacity. We are not going away and SILVER SPRING, Md. (PAI)--Stories vary, but apparently message across that he is above On Wednesday, July 29 a will be in front of the Pickwick there was a prolonged and sometimes testy discussion about the law when it comes to his security guard was hired to one day longer than it takes to health care within the AFL-CIO Executive Council, behind its workers’ rights. stand out in front of the restore workers’ rights at the closed doors, on July 28. At issue was whether the AFL-CIO You need to know that these Pickwick. He is stationed there Pickwick and get a fair con- should continue to support and push for the hybrid public-private workers on the inside are also only when we have pickets tract. The support from labor health care revision legislation now moving through Congress, under constant intimidation going on. He told the picketers has been incredible and we will or abandon that and go with the rising sentiment within the labor from the Pickwick’s manage- that they were not allowed to not forget the support that we movement for single-payer government-run universal health ment team. Workers on the be there. Picketers stood their have seen for these workers. care. Some 552 labor bodies, including 21 international unions, inside are scared to support ground and told him that they As we get ready for the next now back single-payer, which would abolish the private insurers. their union as the message has were not leaving. These work- phase of our campaign, we Within the council, Californians, who twice pushed a state- been made very clear to them ers know their rights. expect this employer to ramp level single-payer plan through their legislature, only to see GOP that the Pickwick is in a new The guard told me that he is up his efforts to continue to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger veto it, argued strongly for move- era and the workers should for- there to keep an eye on things violate these workers’ rights ment-wide endorsement of single-payer. get about how the Pickwick and I informed him that we and ultimately push the liveli- Sheet Metal Workers President Michael J. Sullivan said his have been having issues with hood of his workers to the union’s campaign finance committee, which distributed $2.4 some anti-union supporters and brink and continue to keep million to candidates in the 2007-08 election cycle, will give I would gladly report any inci- them under siege. politicians nothing this cycle. Instead SMWIA would plow its dents to him so he can do his We have been outside of the money into a campaign for real health care reform. job. Pickwick for almost four “We should stop supporting the lapdogs among the Did Chris Wisocki hire him weeks and have spent over 90 Democrats unless they do real health care reform and a real to continue to intimidate his hours on the line. A full time Employee Free Choice Act,” Sullivan said. workers and taint our picket worker works an average of Quoting polls and unionists who show majority support for line? I wonder what hiring a 2080 hours in a working year single-payer, California Nurses Association Executive Director security company costs? Were so I feel that we are just getting Rose Ann DeMoro warned: “We don’t want to get whipsawed they hired to keep an eye on the started in our campaign for jus- again.” If the Democrats sell out on health care, she said, union two ladies who were fired for tice for the Pickwick workers support for them would drop dramatically, as it did after the having the courage to stand up and hospitality workers every- Clinton plan collapsed in 1994. The GOP won Congress that for what’s right? They were where. year, and held it 12 years. fired for making use of their See Pickwick...page 5 See Single payer...page 7 Public pension hearing in Bemidji Aug. 12 Comm. Serv. Liaison posting The Legislative Commis- numerous pension issues LCPR has met outside of St. The call is out for the job opening for AFL-CIO Community sion on Pensions and Retire- before opening the meeting to Paul. Sen. Mary Olson (DFL- Services Director for the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body. The ment will hold a hearing Weds., public comments and ques- Bemidji), who serves on the director serves as the liaison between the Central Body and the Aug.