Transcript
UAW Local 2322 4 Open Square Way Holyoke, MA 01040 413-534-7600 www.uaw2322.org
May, 2013
Vol. 2, Issue 5
Upcoming Events!
UAW 2322 Membership Meeting Thursday, May 23 6:00—8:00 PM UAW 2322 Office, 4 Open Square Way #406, Holyoke, MA UAW 2322 Solidarity and Education Committee Meeting Monday, May 27 3:00—5:00 PM UAW 2322 Office, 4 Open Square Way #406, Holyoke, MA
Summer Struggles
By Ron Patenaude, President Dear Sisters and Brothers, With spring’s arrival I know many of us are looking forward to all of the activities and fun that the season brings. With the warmer weather we’ll be working in our yards, taking trips and vacations and just trying to enjoy the season in general. While I recognize and appreciate that (and will be trying to do some of the same myself), I would like to remind everyone that our work helping and supporting our members and others community and coalition partners is never done. We need to be vigilant in watching for violations of our contracts (with summer coming, many employers try to deny time off to our members, for example,) and to stay involved in the struggles of our Sisters and Brothers, not just in the Labor Movement, but also in the communities where we live, as much as we can. We currently have many campaigns at numerous shops within the Local, either in progress or that will be starting soon, as well as some community coalition partners that we should continue to support throughout the summer. Here are some reminders to our members to support our Sisters and Brothers throughout the Local. We are entering 14 months of negotiations with ServiceNet Nurses at the HomeCare Division and may need to start some direct actions to move things along. We are also entering into negotiations at our ServiceNet unit which covers the Community Based Flexible Support (CBFS). For more information, get in touch with either ServiceNet unit contact: UAW 2322 Servicing Rep Brooks Ballenger at 413-534-7600 or
[email protected], or Ron P a t e n a u d e a t
[email protected]. We need to continue the fight for quality, affordable health insurance at UMass for our GEO members and Resident Assistant units, which is also the “student plan” which affects all other students not covered by their parents’ plan. Contact Servicing Rep Ryan Quinn at
[email protected] or Court Cline at
[email protected] for more information. [Continued on page 4]
UAW 2322 wants to send its members to the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD)’s 27th Annual Summer Institute, which will be held at UMass Amherst. WILD is an inspirational educational program that provides women with the leadership vision, confidence and skills to become more effective leaders and organizers in the Massachusetts labor movement. The program runs from June 28th to 30th. On-site childcare is available with prior registration. More information is a v a i l a b l e a t http://www.wildlabor.org/. If you are interested in attending, please contact Scott at o u r o f f i c e a t
[email protected] by June 1, 2013 (Please do not sign up with WILD directly; doing so makes it difficult for us to register members and pay WILD).
UAW 2322 in Solidarity with Nissan Workers
UAW 2322 members (from left to right) Ryan Quinn, Jan Clausen, Andrew Goulet, and Court Cline distribute literature at the 2013 International Auto Show in New York City to support Nissan workers in Mississippi who are struggling to unionize with the UAW. Nissan has allegedly been threatening workers who support the unionization efforts.
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Immigration Rally in Washington D.C.
On April 10, UAW members from Local 2322 and Region 9A travelled with members of Just Communities, New England International Chaplaincy, SEIU, and Alliance to Develop Power down to Washington, D.C. and joined tens of thousands of people in calling for comprehensive immigration reform. The UAW joined a coalition of other labor, community, and immigration reform groups to sponsor the rally. You can find more information at http://www.citizenship-now.org/april10/.
Clockwise from top: 1) Advocates of immigration reform flood the lawn of the State House. Members of Just Communities, New England International Chaplaincy, SEIU, Alliance to Develop Power, and UAW 2322 and Region 9A arrive in D.C. Tens of thousands of people gather for immigration reform. UAW International President Bob King (center) stops by to shake hands with UAW 2322 members Ryan Quinn and Andrew Goulet (left to right).
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Northampton Pride Parade
On May 4, members of UAW 2322, Western Massachusetts Pride at Work, Jobs with Justice, and UFCW 1459 marched in the Northampton Pride Parade. We were elated to be joined by the Expandable Brass Band, who kept the crowd and the marchers dancing all the way! Photo by Joe Oliverio Photo by Scott LaRochelle
Photo by Andrew Goulet
Clockwise from top: 1) Pride at Work, UAW 2322, Jobs with Justice, and the Expandable Brass Band march for justice. Jocelyn Silverlight and Zachary Kimes take it to the streets. UAW 2322 member Eric Hopkins (left) and UAW 2322 President Ron Patenaude gearing up. The Expandable Brass Band kept the party going at the Three County Fairgrounds!
Photo by Andrew Goulet
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The Chicago Police proceeded to raid the offices and homes of several anarchists, organizers, and radical newspapermen, charging eight with murder. Only two of those charged were actually present at the rally that day. The trial which followed was marked by prejudice against the radical defendants expressed by the judge and the media. All eight defendants were found guilty; one committed suicide on the eve of his execution, four were hanged, and three were given sentences of life in prison, which they served until 1893 when they were pardoned. The state of Illinois never charged any of the eight with
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actually throwing the bomb, and the identity of the bomber remains contested. In the aftermath of the “Haymarket Massacre,” the American Federation of Labor (AFL) called for additional strikes on subsequent May Days in order to secure an eight-hour workday and to honor the Haymarket Martyrs. In an 1889 letter to the First Congress of the Second International in Paris, Samuel Gompers informed the world’s socialists of the AFL’s intention to strike on May Day 1890 in support of the 8-hour day. After adopting a resolution in support of the AFL’s request, May Day 1890 became the first International Workers’ Day.
The Origins of May Day
By Ryan Quinn, Servicing Rep. On May 1, 1886, some 300,000 to 500,000 workers were striking across the U.S. in support of the eight-hour day. In Chicago, tens of thousands of workers and their families attended rallies and marches to demand this essential reform over the course of the week. On May 3, police fired into the crowd, killing 2 strikers. Organizers hastily planned a rally in Haymarket Square for the next day to respond to the violence and refocus the crowd’s energy on their goal of an eight-hour day. After several hours of speeches, the Chicago Police arrived to break up the rally. As they approached the wagon from which the orators had spoken, a bomb was thrown into the path the police were clearing. The bomb killed 7 police officers and at least 4 strikers, and wounded as many as 50 more; the exact number of injured strikers is unknown because many wounded civilians refused to go to a hospital for fear of arrest.
Labor Law: The Foundation of Justice
By Court Cline, Servicing Rep. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (NLRA) is one of the foundational elements of US labor law. Two of the most powerful sections of the NLRA for workers are section 7 and section 8. Section 7 protects the basic rights of private sector workers (all workers, not just unionized workers) to organize into unions, engage in collective bargaining with their employer for better pay, benefits and working conditions on the job, and participate in collective action which includes the ability to go on strike. Section 8 outlines the unfair labor charges including the charge of employer interference, restraint or coercion against union or collective activity, employer discrimination against unions, employer discrimination against workers that take part in union or collective activities, employer retaliation against a worker who files an unfair labor practice charge or is cooperating with the National Labor Relations Board, employer domination of a union, and finally, the employer’s refusal to bargain in good faith with the union representatives. The National Labor Relations Board is the enforcement body for most of the NLRA. You can read the NLRA at: http:// www.nlrb.gov/national-laborrelations-act Similar rights and protections are provided to public sector workers in Massachusetts under the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 150E, Sections 1 -15 with the important distinction that it is illegal for public sector workers to strike against their employer. The Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission is the enforcement body for Chapter 150E. If you are interested in reading about the rights, restrictions and penalties associated with Chapter 150E, you can find them online at: http://www.malegislature.gov/ Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/ TitleXXI/Chapter150E. The National Labor Relations Act and Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 150E, provide the important legal underpinning of the rights and protections that we enjoy as unionized workers. These legal statutes are the bricks and mortar of justice in our society, and it is well-worth your time to understand and become familiar with them.
Summer Struggles (continued from page 1)
We are also in contract negotiations at both the Goddard College Faculty Union (GCFU) and Staff Union (GCSU) units. The GCFU is an existing contract and the GCSU is a first contract. Both will be facing difficult negotiations, as the College is claiming financial hardship. Contact Ron Patenaude for more information at 413-5347600, or
[email protected].
Western Mass. Jobs with Justice has been a strong supporter of our members and their struggles. Please show some love back and sign up for their “I’ll Be There” pledge at http://wmjwj.org/. Our Friends at Springfield No One Leaves continue to fight against foreclosures and evictions, and have won some great victories. Let’s continue to be a part of those fights. You can find more information at 4
http://www.springfieldnoonelea ves.org/. UAW 2322 is continuing to support Just Communities in their fight for immigrant justice, organizing for the Trust Act, The Safe Driving Act and an Inclusive Roadmap to Citizenship, and to stop local deportations. Get more information at: http://wmjwj.org/justcommunities-western-mass https://www.facebook.com/Jus tCommunitiesComunidadesJust
as?fref=ts. I hope you all enjoy your summer! Have fun, be safe, and I look forward to seeing you at some events in support of our members and community friends. Fraternally, Ron Patenaude, President UAW 2322