Ishisaka was part of a panel of labor activists speaking about recent labor struggles in Washington at a Militant Labor Forum here February 10.

Members of the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild, Ishisaka said, started preparing for the strike a year in advance by setting up committees to get members involved. The strike was provoked by the companies' long history of disrespect for the newspaper workers, demands by lower-paid workers for raises, and opposition to a two-tier system for reporters.

When asked during discussion the range of opinion among the strikers about the walkout, Ishisaka said the outcome "was most disheartening to those hit hardest economically and to those who had faith in the company. Their illusions were shattered," she said. "But even those with the least to gain speak fondly of the strike."

The Seattle Times has so far retained the replacement workers it hired, with a deadline of July 9 to recall the 200 strikers waiting to go back, and has instituted rules against "shunning" the replacement workers. "Not only do we have to say hello to them, we have to smile and say hello!" Ishisaka said of the company rules, which also forbid "congregating and talking about the strike at the workplace." Tactics like these are what brought Guild members together before the strike and the "grievances are piling up," said Ishisaka.

Ana Guzman, a Teamster who recently won her job back and three years back pay from Washington Fruit and Produce, also spoke. Guzman was fired by the company in 1997 for union organizing, after the union lost the election, and could not get hired for two years by other packing companies.

"There is another union election this year and workers are asking when I will go back to work," Guzman said, adding she will return soon and continue to fight to win union representation at the plant. She pointed to the marches for immigrant rights as important because they help "thousands of undocumented immigrants to not be afraid to organize and be represented by a union."

Rogelio Montes, a leader of a year-long strike against Valley Manufactured Housing in Sunnyside, Washington, said that he had met Guzman during the strike. Expressing solidarity with the struggle, he said, "I'm glad she didn't give up." Valley Manufactured Housing tried to get the union decertified during the strike, but replacement workers voted along with the strikers to maintain the union. Montes reported that the company is restarting negotiations and underscored the importance of international solidarity in labor struggles today.

Derrick O'Keefe, a young meat packer from Vancouver, British Columbia, gave forum participants an update on the fight by members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1518 at both Superior Poultry and Fletcher's Fine Foods in the Vancouver area. The 225 strikers at Superior Poultry, on strike since last July 23, are fighting for their first contract after voting overwhelmingly to join the UFCW.

O'Keefe, who is a member of the Young Socialists, said, "Companies have to attack the union of workers in order to compete. This is the way capitalism works." The Young Socialists in Canada have organized a tour of youth from Cuba, a country "where you can't have Freds and Bruces"--the first names of the bosses at Superior Poultry and Fletcher's Fine Foods--"and companies like them. Workers have political power in Cuba," he said. O'Keefe invited everyone to come to Canada during the tour to meet and talk with the visiting Cubans firsthand. Ernest Mailhot, from the Socialist Workers Party and member of UFCW Local 81, also spoke.

Several forum participants reported on recent successful union organizing drives at the SeaTac airport by skycaps and other airport workers, and at Northwest Hospital. One person also reported there are organizing efforts underway in the computer industry in Seattle.

Cecelia Moriarity is a meat packer and member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.  
 
 
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