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TACOMA, Washington - Braving a record cold snap, more than 100 strikers and their supporters rallied at the Kaiser Aluminum plant here the night of December 22.
The action was in response to the company's latest contract offer, made the previous week. Kaiser now proposes to eliminate 700 union jobs from a nationwide workforce of 3,100. This is almost twice the original threat to get rid of 400 workers. Strikers explain that job cuts is one of the main issues in the strike.
Along with the Kaiser strikers, who are members of the United Steelworkers of America, supporters came from a number of other unions in the Tacoma and Seattle area. They included: Tacoma Longshoremen, members of the International Association of Machinists from Alaska Airlines and Boeing, Teamsters on strike at Jet Tool in nearby Auburn, Service Employee International Union members, railroad switchmen from the United Transportation Union, sailors from the Sailors Union of the Pacific, and hotel employees from the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union.
The spirited rally lasted almost two hours. The strikers and their supporters chanted, "No contract no work," "One day longer than Kaiser," and "Scabs go home."
Disney workers ratify twice-rejected contract
MIAMI - Hourly workers at Walt Disney World in Orlando,
Florida, approved a new contract December 10 after twice voting
it down. The contract vote by members of the Service Trades
Council Union ends a two-month long labor dispute with the
entertainment giant. This organization is composed of six
unions representing some 23,000 laundry workers, housekeepers,
culinary, food and beverage workers, animal handlers and
specialists, costumed characters and parade performers,
lifeguards, bus and monorail drivers, and ride operators.
In November Disney workers twice rejected the recommendation of their union officials to accept Disney's offer of a 30-month contract, which would increase the starting wage from $5.95 an hour to $6.25 an hour with workers topping out at $10.42 an hour after five years. "This offer was a slap in the face," said Duke Derdock, a costume character at Disney-MGM Studios. "It was a great relief that it failed."
The proposed contract reflected Disney's ongoing campaign to phase out free health insurance, along with free theme-park passes and merchandise discounts. Only one of Disney's five health-care plans would remain free under the new contract. Two plans that had been free would now charge premiums, and two others would double in price.
In addition to the paltry wage increase and health insurance co-payments, many workers who perform as costumed characters opposed provisions that would increase the amount of time in costume while reducing their breaks.
During the negotiations rank-and-file workers staged an informational picket line at Disney World and costumed workers tried to organize a mass sick-out to demonstrate their solidarity, which was not sanctioned, by union tops. At least 11 workers from the Animal Kingdom, the Magic Kingdom, and Epcot were fired for strike activities. In 1994 workers at Disney also voted down two concession contracts approved by the union leadership before finally approving one.
After the second contract rejection this year, Disney threatened to withhold retroactive pay raises for workers that were due as of November 1. The company also said it would revoke all pay raises and impose the higher health-care premiums. A week before the third contract vote Disney sent a two-page letter to employees to "encourage you to carefully consider the consequences of your decision for you and your family when you vote." In this context, the new contract passed with 3,676 workers voting in favor and 903 against.
Quebec foundry workers resist company lockout
GRAND-MERE, Quebec - The 55 workers at Fonderie Grand-Mere
in the city of Grand-Mere, an hour and a half northeast of
Montreal, have been locked out by their employer since October
31. The company wants to gut seniority, cut holidays, and take
back other gains that workers have gained in previous
contracts. "They want to break the union," said local president
Roger Vincent. The workers are members of the Union of Grand-
Mere Foundry Employees, which is affiliated with the Federation
of Democratic Unions - a small union federation in Quebec.
Starting in May the company installed new fences around the plant and brought in security guards. The union was also hit with a court injunction that puts a limit of 11 workers at the entrance to the plant, only eight of whom can be outside the union trailer at the same time.
The company has announced that it plans to demand the same concessions from the 65 workers at the Laperle plant it owns in St. Ours, east of Montreal, Quebec. Workers there are members of the United Steelworkers of America, which is affiliated with the Quebec Federation of Labour - the largest labor federation on Quebec. Union officials from Laperle who visited Grand-Mere said that they expected to be locked-out when their contract expires at the end of December.
Jeff Powers, a member of United Transportation Union Local 845 in Seattle; Bill Kalman in Miami; and Grant Hargrave, member of International Association of Machinists Local 1758 in Montreal, contributed to this column.