Portland Observar, November 2, 1963 Page 9
Shipbuilding firm employs out-of-state strikebreakers
by Robert Lothian
Three hundred worker« al F M C
Corporation's barge and shipbuild
ing operation on N W Front Avenue
have been on «trike since August
12th, fighting an uphill battle
against a union-busting manage
ment. according to strike leaders.
“ Reagan started i t ," said picket
captain Joseph Chavez, referring to
what he describes as an anti-union
atmospher in which strikers are
trying to negotiate a new contract.
Chavez and fellow picket captain
Larry Zarb, both welders apd mem
bers o f Boilermakers Local 72, say
that F M C management is offering
the strikers a “ take it or leave it"
final offer o f a 8 4 /hr. wage cut, a 50
percent cut in health and welfare ben
efits and a 67 percent cut in pension
benefits.
The strikers, according to Chavez
and Zarb, are asking for a three-
year wage freeze to hold onto what
they have, and a contract similar to
that won recently by shipyard w ork
ers up and down the west coast.
F M C was hit hard by the reces
sion, with its rail car division losing
so much work that the workforce
dropped from 1500 to a skeleton
crew. “ W e are so far below survival
levels it’s not even fu n n y ," said
Bruce Harm an, F M C public rela
tions representative. “ W e ’re using
the word depression. ”
F M C industrial relations manager
Jim Johnson says the company has
made union members a final offer
which includes "adjustments in
wages and benefits that would help
to make us more cost com petitive."
"O th er people in this business are
able to get business because they
have lower labor costs," said John
son. And without business, he said,
there's no jobs. Adjustments in
management's contract offer in
clude reductions in "some o f the
costs o f wages and benefits," he
said.
“ W e ’re aware o f the economy,
we don't want to price ourselves out
o f business," said Zarb. But he con
tends that management isn't serious
about signing the contract. " Y o u
can see they’re trying to break the
union when they offer something
like th a t," he said.
In July, F M C 's remaining senior
shop employees voted to decertify
the union, “ turning the clock back
at least ten years” with a $ 3 /h r.
wage cut, for welders, according to
Boilermakers Union representative
C arl McLem ore.
N ow , say Chavez and Zarb, man
agement would like something
similar to happen in F M C 's marine
division. Over 100 strikebreaking
workers have been hired through
ads in The Oregonian and C olum
bian, they say, and cars with
A rizona, Texas and New York li
cense plates have been observed in
the parking lot.
" I don’t think it’ s right that they
are taking our jobs.*' said Zarb. But
in spite o f the pressure, he said,
strikers have been maintaining an
orderly picket line with six to twelve
pickets on duty daily. "There's been
no violence on the picket line. W e
don't allow th a t," he said.
According to M cLem ore, F M C
management's strategy is to "load
u p " the workforce with anti-union
workers, hiring them into the shop
area and then shifting them later
into the marine division. "They
promise them permanent employ
ment only if they vote against the
unio n," he said.
“ T hat's just pure nonsense,”
F M C 's Johnson responded. "A n y
voting that goes on is in a free and
private election," he said.
M cLem ore also charges F M C 's
supervisors with using psychological
warfare on the picket line, threaten
problem s." Also, says Zarb, the in
jury rate among the new workers is
up since the strike began.
“ Basically, we're just letting them
hang
themselves,"
said
Zarb.
“ Eventually, there's going to be a
fatality. W e're not hoping for that,
but . . . "
Bat according to Johnson, " W e
have the best safety record in the in
dustry on the west coast. O ur safety
is im proving," ever since the strike
began, he said.
Both Zarb and Chavez say that in
the face o f what they see as manage
ment's hard line, the strikers are
prepared to stay out "u n til hell
freezes over, or the day a fte r,” to
win their new contract.
Introducing... "District 18 expects:
Openness
Accountability
Results...
will deliver...
Schools
seek
HOSTS
Twenty-four Portland Schools
are seeking volunteers to ha*p ele
mentary students^.improve their
reading skills through a program
called H O S T S (H elp One Student to
Succeed).
H O STS is a special reading pro
gram which targets a student’s read
ing deficiencies and then provides
daily, half-hour tutoring sessions to
improve those skills. A child's self
concept is also improved through
working one-to-one with a caring
helper.
A volunteer comes to the school
and tutors a child for one-half hour
using the easy-to-follow reading les
sons prepared by the teacher. One
half-hour, one day a week, would
help (every day would be better).
Tutoring for elective credit or on
free time can be arranged. Your
high school counselor can help. Par
ents, friends, and relatives are en
couraged to call a school and sign
up to tutor, also.
Schools were volunteers can tutor
in our area are: Hum boldt, 281-
6797; King. 288-6391; Beach, 265-
4569; Sabin, 268-1198.
For more inform ation about the
program, please call the HO STS
Teacher at the school o f your choice
or Marsha Farrow, Portland Public
School« H O STS Corodinator. 249-
2000, ext. 381.
ing worker« with lots o f their jobs if
they continue the strike.
The bottom line is, they’re just
union
busting."
said
Chavez.
"T h ey're using the same tactics that
brought unions into existence— low
wages, low benefits and unsafe
working conditions."
Both Chavez and Zarb charge the
company with turning out a shoddy
product with strike-breaking w ork
ers who don't have near the skills
and experience the regular workers
have. “ W e had the best crew on the
west coast," said Zarb, "lik e one
big fa m ily ."
Now,
according
to Chavez,
“ They don't care about quality.
There's nothing but production
rr
The
Democratic Candidate
i i .
nV
Margaret Carter
for
All the People
- 1
for
State Representative
District 18
Eye clinic
opens doors
Pacific University College o f O p
tometry and the Portland Com m u
nity College Optical Technology De
partment now run a newly opened
health clinic to serve the visual needs
o f the general public.
Complete eye examinations in
cluding glaucoma testing and ocular
health evaluations are offered by
optométrie interns under supervi
sion o f a Pacific University staff op
tometrist. Reasonably priced frames
and lenses are available through the
optical dispensary staffed by faculty
and students from the PCC Optical
Cast your straw ballot
for Margaret Carter
1-6 p.m., Nov. 5th
Vancouver Ave. Baptist Church
N. Vancouver at Morris
Technology Program.
The vision clinic is located at 705
N . KiUingsworth in the P C C Cas
cade Campus Bookstore.
The clinic honors those on medi
cal assistance and offers * 25 per
cent reduction in fees on diagnostic
services to senior citizens and full
time college or vocation^ students.
Appointments can be made by call
ing 240-5319.
She listens___ She will a c t,. . .
Paid for by C om m ino* to Elect Margaret Conor
Kan Adair, Treasurer. 3738 N.E. 18th
»
BM BM I
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