finalnotes

Notes from 2 March 2004 San Gabriel Valley Community-Labor Alliance Mtg.

NO FUTURE MEETINGS HAVE YET BEEN SCHEDULED.

Groups Represented: Striker from Vons-Alhambra; Locked Out Workers from Albertson's-Montebello; SGV Neighbors for Peace & Justice; Global Women's Strike; Whittier Neighbors for Peace & Justice; ActionLA

Reports from Picketers on Going Back In: (1) Von's-Alhambra: Picketers went to market to take care of paperwork so they could go back to work. Went in as a group of 25-30, marched around table in Service Deli before sitting down to get papers signed; one striker asked "What smells in here? I think I smell a scab!" Scabs were all staring at them. Manager said it was "back to business as usual;" one striker sarcastically replied (after first describing good will with which workers had done their jobs before strike), "Yeah, business as usual. Hmmmm." (2) One worker reported seeing union people (restaurant employees, not UFCW members) working the cash registers and said they had been told by management they had to do anything they were told to do. (3) Strike captain from Montebello's got job applications from McDonald's and Wal-Mart, made copies to hand out to scabs as they were leaving. (4) Report that South Gate Albertson's store manager is angry at locked-out workers and has been harassing them. (5) At Ralph's, everyone will stay at same store, no one will be transferred out, no lay-offs at present; everyone to ignore strike; will have welcome-back party at every store and managers can give ppl unlimited overtime for next two weeks. (6) On Saturday, picketers in Montebello gave "thank you" party for customers on sidewalk outside store; served hot dogs and had thank-you signs; store manager told them to stop, "ppl will think you are still locked out;" strike captain told him, "we are, and you can't tell us what to do. I told you, as a courtesy, that we would be doing this, but you can't tell us not to do it." Strike captain continued to put thank-you signs out during next few days, management kept removing them. During this period (after management and union leadership agreed on contract to offer workers and before workers returned to job), one customer asked, "is everything ok?" Strike captain told her, "yes, everything is ok." Customer went into store to shop, immediately returned and said to strike captain, "why did you tell me everything is ok? Everything is NOT ok. I don't want to be waited on by scabs!" (7) Markets are threatening lay-offs. (8) Strike captains reported that before strike, they had no idea they could be so strong; one had never been involved and only became involved because shop steward went on vacation just before lock-out.

Discussion:

1. Al recommended that workers immediately start keeping logs of all incidents of harassment. Managers may be scared now, but watch what they do.
2. Al proposed that union leadership be asked to publicly thank public for its solidarity, which went far and wide, despite union leadership.
3. Al asked how workers will maintain unity and support. Scott proposed that March 13 fundraising party (now postponed) be rescheduled as a party to bring activists together, including those from Local 324 and other main players; need to build a network; next contract only 2-1/2 years away.
4. Someone commented that we are going to have to do strike support for No. Cal. the same way they did for us.
5. Susan reported outrageous comments from leaders of union locals: (1) President of Local 648 in San Francisco (whose contract is up in Sept.) said So Cal deal "will have some relevance, I suppose. But we feel autonomous up here." Added "I don't like to think" that a two-tier wage and benefit scale will result. (2) Greg Conger, president of UFCW Local 324 in Buena Park, said two-tier system won'tl weaken union. "It'll make it more militant," because the lower- paid new members "will have reason to fight.
6, Al emphasized importance of workers networking with one another; they have do the work and the planning, and community will augment and help. Union leadership is not going to do it; workers are going to have to do it themselves. Al will help put militant workers in contact with one another. Predicts that down the road something will happen to piss everyone off, workers will need a network of strikers who are ready to respond. (Altho' every store has union stewards, stewards meet only once a year.)
7. Scott asked how workers will approach union leadership now that they have seen how all seven local leaders behaved while under test of fire.
8. Al proposed that workers set up website with other militants, start meeting once a month, find out who allies are and get together. Strike was only one battle in on-going war; other mini-battles coming up. Predicted that Icaza (head of Local 770) will retire; opportunists will move up; but union will take no action to prepare rank-and-file for what is coming up in 2-1/2 years or to deal with what is coming up in No. Cal. Rich pointed out that private, on-line Yahoo group can be set up easily.
9. Division of Labor: At Montebello Albertson's, one woman did set-up every day; at Alhambra Vons, one woman did set-up and clean-up every day and night. Al pointed out that this division of labor, with women doing everything, can't continue.
10. How to start preparing for next contract: Von's strike captain said she will call upon union for resources to organize; e.g., will ask them to mail out flyers from activists to membership. Albertson's strike captain said new contract is designed to set pattern for next 20 years.
11. Al talked about role of caucuses in labor history, e.g., to run slates of candidates for office.
12. Susan asked how new people (second-tier workforce) will be integrated into union. One strike captain pointed out that money second-tier puts into pension will stay in the fund, but since new hires can't draw on medical benefits for first year and can't draw medical benefits for their families for several more years, may be rapid turnover among second-tier hires. Al pointed out that altho' worker productivity is going up, up, up, workers aren't reaping any of the benefits and instead are becoming more and more desperate and working longer and harder for less and less. Strike captain said we have hit rock bottom and can't go any lower; now we will fight to get more and will fight for new hires as well. Al said that impact of Wal-Mart is real; supermarkets can't raise prices or give up profitability, so only way they can compete is to reduce labor costs; corporate capital has to expand and has to destroy their competition.
13. Discussed of different levels of strength at different markets during strike; some markets very strong, others were weak links.
14. Discussed contract: Al pointed out that strikers had corporate capital right in their face; "they tried to crush you and they couldn't." But union leadership intimidated ppl into agreeing to contract. Contract was not debated and worked out; workers didn't get together and agree to accept contract as a strategic move, given current conditions; instead, it came down from top, which doesn't show leadership and doesn't show fight.
15. Siuhin reported that before strike, Albertson's was trying to find out how active workers were in the community, but since everyone appeared to be "lazy," company had no idea how strong they really were; plus just having one key person with close ties to community was very effective in keeping customers away.
16. Discussed Wal-Mart. Scott asked if grocery workers are ready to see Wal-Mart employees as union members who haven't joined the union yet. Strike captain from Vons said that union newsletter would always call for volunteers to help try to organize Wal-Mart and was always having rallies and informational pickets but nobody ever responded. Al compared UFCW's strategy vis-a-vis Wal-Mart with way SEIU organized Justice for Janitors campaign; how did immigrant workers making minimum wage and with no savings get organized for strikes and mobilizations? It happened because union leadership WANTED to organized and engage the workers; they went to their homes; they provided transporation to events and food at events; "si se puede," numerous meetings; engaged people; did more than just put out a call in newsletters. Attack on workers is happening all over; when you fight back, like Justice for Janitors, it takes us forward. Strike captain said that when call went out in newsletters, ppl didn't think it had anything to do with them; now they know it has everything to do with them. Scott said that to compete with Wal-Mart, supermarkets had to crush labor; we will have to end up hanging out with Wal-Mart people, who are demoralized and very vulnerable. Strike captain said that if some Wal-Mart ppl come into supermarkets as new hires, will begin to see benefits of union. Scott said that to organize Wal-Mart would take big commitment from labor. Siuhin said our meetings should become a structure; need to focus on next contract and on Wal-Mart; need to go house to house, talk to people, to groups; leaflet; put out pamphlets; get material translated; need to build on structure and momentum; mobilizing people to act is more useful than simply contributing to a strike fund; good to have public forums. Strike captain proposed getting 30,000 UFCW retirees involved in going store to store.
17. Future get-togethers: Al proposed having a social gathering to view classic labor film, "Salt of the Earth," with discussion and food.

Conclusion: Al said workers need to get together, decide what to do; then can have campaign and bring in community; when you want us to come together, let us know.

Donation to workers: $64 contribution from Global Women's Strike distributed, half to Von's Alhambra rep and half to Albertson's Montebello rep.

Upcoming Events:

Sunday, March 6, 1-5 pm: Global Women's Strike/San Gabriel Valley NPJ and El Sereno NPJ Fandango in East LA: Meet at East Side Cafe, 5469 Huntington Drive No (at Maycrest), in El Sereno.

March 13: Mudd's birthday.

Note: Siu Hin taped portions of this meeting for Labor Net.