March 23, 1972
TO ALL LONGSHORE, CLERK & BOSSES LOCALS
Dear Sirs and Brothers:
Atten: Secretary-Treasurers
Re: Welfare Coverage - during part of 135-day l/s strikeThe Coast Negotiating Committee instructed the Coast Committee to make arrangements with all the welfare carriers for continued welfare coverage during the period after the Welfare Fund monies became exhausted and the strike was still on. This period began January 21, 1972 and continued through February 20, 1972 - a total of 30 days
The Welfare Plan coverage for 12,994 active longshoremen, clerks and bosses and 7,176 pensioners and widows on the Coast costs roughly $27,000 per day, and totals $806,132.30 for the 30-day period, January 21 through February 20, 1972.
The Coast Committee has $112,148.95 in undistributed strike fund donations on hand and will apply this to the $806,132.30 total indebtedness, thereby lowering the obligation to $693,983.35.
The recent Longshore, Clerk & Bosses Caucus approved the action of the Coast Negotiating Committee, and instructed the Coast Committee to decide how the collection of the monies shall be made after ratification, and the members are back to work. The Committee has done so, and instructs the locals as follows:
The membership of the Longshore, Clerk and Bosses Locals are assessed $53.41 per member to pay for welfare coverage from January 21, 1972 through February 20, 1972, which shall be collected along with dues - either totally or over the three-month period - April, May and June, 1972. The monies collected each month should be forwarded to the Coast Pro Rata Committee as soon as possible so disbursement to the medical and dental carriers can start.
. . . It is imperative that the members be aware that the total obligation could increase by some 7 or 8% in interest charges if this indebtedness is not paid quickly.
The total billing for your local is enclosed. *
Fraternally yours,
Harry Bridges, Chairman,
Wm. T. Ward,
Fred Huntsinger
COAST COMMITTEE*Based on April, May, June average per capita - same average used in Feb. ’72 caucus voting strength
The preceding letter was sent by those who signed it in March, 1972. If anyone had welfare coverage for life then Harry Bridges, Bill Ward Fred Huntsinger, the Negotiating Committee and the delgates at the Longshore, Clerks & Bosses Caucus all had the wool pulled over their eyes. I think not.
I understand that some claim that today’s longshore workers are “educated”. Well there is more than one way to become educated. One can’t become a champion swimmer by reading a book. One has to jump into the water eventually. The old-timers at the 1971 - 1972 caucus knew the ropes, as did Harry Bridges and the Coast Committee. Many got their education in the ILWU and in working class struggles of the ’20’s and ’30’s.
Do some math: Take the total obligation - $693, 983. 35, and then divide it by the total number of active Longshore, Clerk and Bosses. You’ll come up with $53. 41. That was the amount that each active member was assessed to pay for medical and dental coverage for actives and for pensioners and widows. (The actives picked up the tab for pensioners and widows. . . . which was the only right thing to do).
You have to ask yourself this question: If some people had medical coverage for life, why was the active rank and file of the Union each required to pay the $53. 41?
The answer is not to difficult: The Welfare Agreement expires each time a contract expires. That’s not something that somebody made up. It’s in the Welfare Agreement! Has been for decades! Three sets of attorneys have already said so - and that includes our International attorneys.
I wonder where the attorney who was at the caucus was in 1971 -1972? I know where I was at: On the picket line!
It’s time to turn the record over. The song being sung by those who obviously believe they have more knowledge than Harry Bridges and the other old timers did is getting old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
P. S. The March 23, 1972 letter from Harry Bridges and the Coast Committee is not “classified”. It was widely distributed. So was a February 25, 1972 letter from Harry Bridges to welfare and dental carriers thanking them for their cooperation and stating the funds to pay them will be collected and sent to them.
