NEXT STEWARD'S COUNCIL MEETING, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6th, 1998
NEXT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13th, 1998
In the Aug. 27th Officers Bulletin it was reported International President Brian McWilliams apologized to Alaskan Regional Director John Bukoskey for a letter he wrote condemning his handling of the Alaskan benefits situation. This brothers and sisters is false. Brother McWilliams made no such apology. McWilliam's letter berated brother Bukoskey for the recent work stoppages up and down the coast calling them "reckless and irresponsible". He made particular note of the Pier 80 calamity. But what was more interesting was his bringing to light the reason the Alaskan longshoremen find themselves in the situation they're in.
The benefit that is being provided is what was negotiated by you (and others). Your signature is on the agreement! If your bargaining priorities had been correct, our members and retirees there would have decent welfare benefits instead, perhaps, of getting holiday pay for your birthday.
This letter is 100% correct. All of Alaska's longshoremen were covered under the ILWU-Alaska Welfare Plan. Behind the leadership of brother Bukoskey, Units 16, 60, 62, 62A, 62B, 65, 66, 84 and 87 were removed from this plan and put into the ILWU Cold Storage Benefits Plan in 1991. The Cold Storage plan provides less benefits and its funding is based on the number of hours an individual works. The plan they were taken out of was guaranteed. So when the work slacked off in Alaska the plan went unfunded. The Alaskans lost their medical benefits on account of the short-sightedness of their leadership. It's that simple. Yet none of this was disclosed to the rank and file when brother Bukoskey was down here soliciting money and shutting down famine relief operations.
A tactic in the current misinformation campaign is to accuse anyone who speaks the truth of not supporting our brothers and sisters in Alaska. This is ridiculous. The reality is the only way to get full, guaranteed coverage for our Alaskan brothers and sisters is through negotiations. Running up and down the coast engaging in thoughtless work stoppages isn't going to get us anything but sued and denigrated in the media. Which has certainly been the case thus far.
The brothers and sisters of ILWU Local 518 are still on the picket line. The non-union outfit CertiSpec has come to the bargaining table but they haven't said much. A recent flotilla of pickets prevented a ship from docking when pilots refused to cross the picket line. The ITF has taken up the fight in a big way and due to their efforts ships destined for Australia and South Africa are expected to be greeted by "welcoming committees" when they arrive. Plans are under way to go after Shell and other oil companies who are behind this union busting attack.
This bulletin will be open to all candidates running for union office or committee. Write whatever you want and keep it to 100 words or less. Only one writing per person. All entries placed in the Steward's Box or handed to brother Richard Mead will be published.
There were 5 employer complaints in which 2 members were found not guilty and 3 were given 7 days off. In the U.C.'s 2 were dismissed or withdrawn and another is to be re-cited.
Attendance by G.C. members again was a little shaky. We barely had a quorum. The reason for this is the committee meets on a sporadic basis. When meetings are called the members of the G.C. are not notified. In the beginning of the year the G.C. asked that they be mailed letters informing them of up coming meetings. This was done twice and it worked beautifully. For some reason this practice has been discontinued and the G.C. is back to scrambling for quorums. Meeting notices should again be sent out to persons on the committee. Brother Leo "Skinner" Williams, Grievance Committee member
PMA recently filed a lawsuit against Locals 13, 63 and the International, claiming they have no remedy against work stoppages by the union. The employer is seeking an injunction prohibiting all future job actions. They also want the court to appoint a "Special Master" to keep unruly longshoremen in line. If the employer prevails this "Special Master" will not only have the power to order us back to work but all mandates and decisions made by him will be unappealable. Any deviation of the edict of the Special Master will be considered contempt and the union along with individual members and officials will be held accountable and liable.
Recently this local went through a big ordeal with PMA concerning registration. We were told every registered member and I.D. would receive an application to give to a family member provided we let casuals drive tractors. We turned it down. Last Monday chief dispatcher George Galarza got an order from PMA calling for a number of I.D.'s to report to tractor orientation. Brother Galarza refused to fill the order. Upon investigation it was discovered our leadership had quietly agreed to let I.D.'s participate in tractor training.
Thanks to the involvement and encouragement of the rank and file The Local 10 Longshore Bulletin / Waterfront Worker is thriving within this local. From the start the Publicity Committee has had to fight in order to do its job. This is the reason the bulletin comes out under the heading of The Waterfront Worker. The latest effort to kill the bulletin came in the form of a motion by Tommy Clark. The gist of the motion was "anyone who writes, types, prints, distributes, makes public, any materials, bulletins etc." without the sanctification of the president gets 90 days off. Despite enthusiastic support from both the president and secretary treasurer, the Executive Board refused to consider the motion. So keep supporting YOUR bulletin brothers and sisters. Say what you want to say by contributing articles and ideas. Come hell or high water the duly elected Publicity Committee will continue to do its job.
Bro. Richard T. Mead
