We invite you to contribute short items to this column as a way for other fighting workers around the world to read about and learn from these important struggles. Jot down a few lines about what is happening in your union, at your workplace, or other workplaces in your area, including interesting political discussions.
The bus drivers are organized by the Transportarbeiderforbundet and Rutebilarbeiderforbundet unions. Some 5,400 members of the two unions have been on strike since May 18. The next day drivers at six more transport companies walked off the job. Already hundreds of thousands of people are affected in the strike areas. The lorry drivers are demanding 50 Nkr an hour around the clock and a monthly minimum wage of 18,000 Nkr, plus 300 Nkr every day for expenses when driving in other countries.
Steelworkers fight lockout in Vancouver
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Some 42 members of the
United Steelworkers of America (USWA) local 2952, have been
locked out by their employer, Davis Wire, since February 26.
"The company refused to discuss the union's demands and
initially rejected mediation," explained Scott McRitchie, a
member of the bargaining committee. "[The boss] put up a
lock-out notice before we even voted on his final offer,
which further enraged the workers to vote down his proposed
settlement."
The company's "final offer" includes a proposal to broaden the tasks for students who are hired in the summer. Students are paid $13 (CAN$1=US$.69). This is $4 below the base rate of $17. The employer's offer of a four-year contract provided a $1,000 signing bonus, no wage increase in the first year with 2.5 and 3 percent increases in the final three years.
"Out of this wage increase workers would have to contribute individually to the union pension plan, which is presently 100 percent employer funded," said McRitchie, who has worked 14 years in the plant as a machine operator making pulp tie and bailing wire.
"This place is making money. There's no reason for it. The owner is a union buster. All he creates is dissension and hatred," commented another picket, Maurie Gammie. "In 1995 he forced a three-week strike over his refusal to contribute 5 cents per hour per employee to the union education fund. He ended up giving us an extra 10 cents hourly increase. The owner, Dave Lloyd, has several other plants that produce materials mainly for the construction industry. They are all nonunion. Its obvious he would like to get rid of the union," concluded Gammie, who has worked eight years at Davis Wire.
The mood was one of quiet confidence among the picketers. "With Fletcher Challenge back in operation after a nine month strike, Davis Wire is under pressure to produce pulp tie for this traditional customer. Talks with a mediator present are now taking place," noted McRitchie. "Out of 41, there are 28 of us picketing regularly. We picket 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
Plant gate collections for cash, food, and other materials have brought strikers relief. Workers at two such plants, Lister Bolt and Chain and VAE Nortrak have contributed $2,500 and $1,000 respectively. McRitchie said visits by strikers and the local union president to several USWA-organized plants have also helped educate a broader layer of steelworkers about the issues of their strike.
Pennsylvania teachers demand a contract
AMBRIDGE, Pennsylvania -The Ambridge Area Education
Association (AAEA), representing 234 teachers, reached a
tentative agreement May 19, having been on strike since May
12. Their current contract expired June 30, 1997.
During the strike 50 enthusiastic teachers picketed in front of Ambridge High School with signs calling for a contract.
Teachers explained that the main issues were wages and health care. Pat Parra, president of the AAEA, said that the school board wanted to renegotiate all items from the previous contract, including moving to a managed care system for health care. Parra said, "We went on strike now because we wanted to come to an agreement, which would include a wage increase retroactive for the 1997-98 school year."
The Beaver County Times had a headline saying, "Walkout isn't popular around the district," but teachers said that the community was quite supportive. Several high school students were walking the picket lines with the teachers.
Parra told the media that the agreement, which included salary increases, also provided for "satisfactory" benefits package.
Unionists march over bridge in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania - More than 100 union members
and supporters marched onto the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, May 16 to
protest the Delaware River Port Authority's layoff of toll
takers. The protesters were arrested by dozens of
Philadelphia and Camden police.
On May 2 the Port Authority cut 18 toll-collecting jobs, replacing the unionists with part-time workers. The agency claimed the move was forced by a reduction in its budget. The Port Authority has refused to negotiate with the 300 toll takers, members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 716, whose union contract expired in January 1997.
Unionists marched in solidarity with the toll takers, who work on the four bridges operated by the Port Authority. Several dozen members of Laborers Union Local 57 and a dozen activists from the Kensington Welfare Rights Organization joined the rally. The New Jersey Industrial Union Council and the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO called the protest.
After a rally at Independence Mall in Philadelphia, unionists marched onto the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The police immediately stopped all lanes of traffic from entering the bridge, shutting it down for more than an hour.
The demonstrators walked three-quarters of the way across the bridge when they were advised by Philadelphia police to turn back since the cops could not guarantee that Camden police would allow the march to continue. The unionists turned back and within minutes were arrested by Philadelphia and Camden police.
Protesters, including the unionists' children, were hauled off in vans to a truck garage in Camden where they were held for two hours, charged with obstructing traffic.
Carl-Erik Issacson, a member of the is a member of the metalworkers union in Sodertalje, Sweden; Paul Kouri and Lukas Drake, members USWA Local 2952 in Vancouver; Edwin Fruit, a member of the International Association of Machinists in Corapolis, Pennsylvania; and John Staggs, a member of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers in Philadelphia contributed to this column.