Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon public employe. (Salem, Oregon) 1981-???? | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1997)
News From Around Our Movement SOUND BITES ‘‘Michelin plans to introduce an ad vanced labor-saving technology in North America rather than Europe , because the USA has fewlaws to prevent the resulting layoffs...Unlike their U. S. counterparts, German companies are unable to shed employees quickly as demand falls... ” 213197 USA Today story “USA Back on Top" UNITE! Calls for National Day of Conscience to End Sweatshop Abuse Organizing from One Generation to the Next lie AFL-CIO has launched a new program in the labor federation's ongoing efforts to rebuild this country's labor movement. “Senioi Summer” seeks to bring union retirees’ experience and energy back into the fight for workers’ rights. Like its counterpart reaching out to college youths Senior Summer seeks seniors willing to work side- by-side with local organizers. Phone banks, organizing house calls and mobilizing local retirees in local ■ struggles are some of the tasks participants will take on. The AFL-CIO has selected Bergen County, NJ, Lòs Angeles, Miami, New York and Seattle for development of the first Senior Summer recruitment and training of senior rapid response teams. For Qther commuhities wanting to stari , their own senior summer program, . the federation will provide materials. For more information call Sènior Summer at 1-888-8AFLCIO. "The Union of Neédletrades, I Industrial and Textile Employ ees (UNITE!) has joined with the National Labor Council, People of Faith Network and the United Methodist Church in designating October 4,1997 as a “national day of conscience to end sweatshop abuses.” The National Day of Conscience would call on citizens in thè. U.S. and abroad to take public 2 actions that will pressure the President's Task Force to Address Sweatshop Abuses to strengthen the task force accord provisions oh living wages and independent monitoring. At an April meeting, President Clinton gave the task force six months to better define standards in the accord as well as mechanisms for implementation. The current version lacks real teeth for addressing current sweatshop problems. Organizers are around the country are planning vigils, sit-ins, street theaterand other actions on October^. A national peirfion is * also being circulated. To find but more, call 212-242-3002 or check out web site http://www.compu- graph.com/clr. If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When? If Not Detroit, Where? s we go to press with this issue of The Oregon Public Em ployee, more than 2,000 families from six newspaper unions in Detroit, MI are being joined by thousands of trade unionists across the country in a fight against two of the nation's largest newspa per corpora tions. “Action! Motown !97” seeks through mass action to bring an end to the attacks by Gannett Corporation’s Detroit News and Knight-Ridder’s Free Press on their workers since the latter went on strike July 13,1995. “This strike was caused and prolonged by two rogue companies who didn't care about anything but A 4 THÈ ÒREGÓNWBDCtMXÓYÈE profit,” stated Alfred P. Derey, chair of the Metropolitan Council of Newspaper Unions that represents the six newspaper unions in the struggle. “These companies are from out of state and they don't have any regard for the people and the communities they are supposed to serve.” Both papers have been tried on a long list of unfair labor practices for which a decision by the federal government is expected any time. Gannett - best known for USA Today and for Oregon readers, the Salem Statesman-Journal - joined with Knight-Ridder in hiring over 1,400 so-called “permanent replacement Support Detroit’s Striking Newspaper Workers workers.” When the striking unions made unconditional offers to return to work last February, they were offered the opportunity to be on a waiting list for jobs currently held by the replacement workers. The newspapers are paying a price for their refusal to bargain a fair contract. More than one third of metro Detroit readers have dropped the Free Press and the Detroit News, Two out of three of the papers’ advertisers are out according to an advertisement tracking system developed by the unions. Over 900 religious leaders, including several bishops and a Roman Catholic Cardinal, and Detroit’s mayor have come out against the companies. Actions and marches are planned for the entire weekend of June 20-21 of Action ! Motown '97. A group of union members, scholars and other friends of labor have produced buttons, t-shirts and bumper stickers that proclaim our pride in our movement and helping Detroit’s strikers. All money raised by the sale of these items, above actual cost, goes to the Detroit Strike Fund. The above button is available for $1 each plus postage ($ 1 for 1-8 buttons; $2 for 9-16; $3 •for 17 or more). Bumper stickers bearing the same text are $1 each plus $1 postage per order. T-Shirts are alsp available. Make checks to "The NATCA Voice" and mail to Bryan Thompson, c/o The NATCA Voice, 112 Juliann Drive, #5. Wood Dale, IL 60191. For questions, call 630-860-7423.
