Second Quarter 2011 - IATSE Local 8 Philadelphia

Whatever it Takesreports strong turnouts at area protest rallies. Aside from theassault on public employees, right wing lawmakers have beentrying to push through Right to Work legislation in New Hampshireand Maine, where they hold supermajorities. Gates sayshis committee helped to coordinate activities among all District3 Locals for the April 4th “We Are One” event, sponsored byAFL-CIO’s national leadership. The day included a candlelightvigil in Vermont, a march on the statehouse in Rhode Island,a rally defending government workers in Connecticut, and acall-in day for worker’s rights in Maine.Maine’s IATSE members have attended district meetingsset up by the state AFL-CIO with their legislators, and joinedthe AFL-CIO’s “Labor Lobby Day,” where 300 workers showedup, tripling the average annual total. “We have sent our District3 Locals “scripts’ with talking points for members to call totheir state legislators, along with contact information to findtheir elected officials,” Gates says. “When we get a committeehearing date on Right To Work [legislation], we will mobilizeIA members to show up and make additional phone calls.”Local 195 [Stage Employees] Business Manager Joyce Cardoza,who is also an area representative for Boston-based Local481, has been the AFL-CIO point person in New Hampshire,and the “spark plug” for the union’s efforts in the Granite State.She says IA members have not only been attending pro-laborrallies, but also sitting in on state budget committee hearings.“They’re making phone calls to their legislators urging a ‘no’vote on ‘right to work,’” Gates continues, “and they also wentto a RTW hearing in the Senate. We are close to achievingenough Senate ‘no’ votes that we will be able to prevent anoverride of Governor Lynch’s expected veto. We have a waysto go, but we are slowly gaining ground.”While southern states like Florida, Alabama, theCarolinas and Louisiana have anti-union policies alreadyin place, IATSE members based in those states have beenaggressively supporting efforts to beat back additional proposedanti-union legislation. Jason Rosin, Business Agent forLocal 491 [Studio Mechanics], says Local 491 is a member ofH.O.P.E. (Hear Our Public Employees), a coalition of laborunions and progressive organizations focusing on repealingthe prohibition of public employee collective bargaining inNorth Carolina.Rosin says that while North Carolina is not the place tofind public employee workers “feeling the pain of those inWisconsin or Ohio, “ there have been events throughout thestate, namely Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte and Asheville,to support workers. “The Asheville event was spearheadedby IATSE District 7 Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Oyaas. Theyhad a large turnout and lots of praise from the participants.”While North Carolina labor groups have subdued attacks onworkers’ compensation and unemployment insurance in thepast, right-wing lawmakers now maintain a veto-proof majorityin the state Senate, and nearly the same in the House.“Even though unemployment compensation is an actual“insurance program,” Rosin explains, “the State legislaturecan set rules and reduce benefits.” And unlike much of theregion, Rosin says North Carolina’s unemployment compensationprogram really works. “We’re in a fight for union livesin this region, when it comes to workers’ compensation andunemployment compensation, and we’re urging IA membersto do everything they can to help.”The battle in nearby Georgia, as reported by DavidFedak, Local 927 Business Agent in Atlanta, has dovetailedwe’re in a fight for union livesin this region, when it comes toworkers’ compensation andunemployment compensation.Atlanta, GeorgiaJason RosinLocal 491 Business Agentwith rallies, marches and demonstrations, put on by the stateAFL-CIO, in support of preserving the collective bargainingrights of public employees. “Many of our IA members havegiven their time, talents and shoe leather,” he describes. Fedacksays the assault on collective bargaining in Georgia willhave a domino effect on all of labor, “as it will energize theright wing groups such as [but not limited] the Chamber ofCommerce.”George Fleming, Local 46 Business Agent in Nashville,says his members have attended several Nashville ralliesin support of Tennessee’s teachers. “At the state AFL-CIOsponsored event [Local 46] provided the labor to setupand tear out the stage, audio system and generator. Wealso provided the stage and audio system at no charge.We had 17 members at that rally, and brothers BobbyHaugen and Larry Cook used their trucks, and out-ofpocketfuel costs to get the staging and equipment to therally location.”In Louisiana, Shreveport Stagehands, Local 298, and theregion’s Studio Mechanics, Local 478, have been involved ina more complicated fight. “The Governor is indirectly attackingthe public employee union, AFSCME, by privatizing governmentservices,” relays Local 298 Business Agent RussellWingate. “Three prisons have already been privatized andhe is going after more. He has also started another privatizingeffort in the state health care system.”Counter efforts include an organization called “BetterChoices for a Better Louisiana” pushing for revenue sourcesthat do not include budget cuts, like halting tax exemptions.Seattle, Washington“Unfortunately, one of their targets has been incentives forour film industry,” Wingate continues. “Two members ofLocal 298 attended their workshop in Shreveport and whenthey heard how it would impact the brothers and sisters ofLocal 478 they took the information to Mike McHugh [BusinessAgent, Local 478], who relayed the concerns of Local478 at the State AFL-CIO convention.”Wingate says Local 298 recently had two members volunteeras de facto organizers to help AFSCME get cardssigned for a card count for the employees of the City ofShreveport. “They work for organizations covered by collectivebargaining agreements with Local 298 in municipalvenues,” Wingate says. “They see city employees on aregular basis and collected over forty signed authorizationcards for representation. AFSCME had a card count andwas recognized by the City of Shreveport as the bargainingagent.” Local 298 members even helped out with asteak luncheon sponsored by the Central Labor Councilin Shreveport, where elected officials could be lobbied regardingissues impacting the IATSE. “In Louisiana we liketo talk to politicians when they have their mouths full,”Wingate smiles. “Even if they’re not listening, they willremember who we are next time they see us!”IATSE members in Canada have also been forcedto breach a rising tide of anti-labor sentiment. Recent federalelections saw a conservative majority take power forthe first time in two decades. The Tory victory was helpedby Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who has promised to set up36 O official Bulletin Second Quarter 2011 37