July/Aug 2009 - ILWU

LETTERS TO THE DISPATCHERDear Editor,After a half-century, literally tons of beef, salmon and hot dogs,and enough fond memories and good stories to fill a cargo hold, ILWULocal 50 has ended a well-known West Coast tradition—its annualLabor Day picnic.Held on the North Coast of Oregon near Astoria, the annual LaborDay picnic has been a major social event since before 1958, and alwaysa special gathering place for friends and families of the union. Crowdsover the years included area politicians, dignitaries, International Officers,and even an occasional movie star and sports celebrity.Fifty years of fun, food, friends and fraternalism didn’t just happen;it was the result of many, many volunteers and many, many hoursof work. The list of names is too numerous to mention and thank publicly,but the members of Local 50 wish to say, “Thank you for makingit happen” to everyone who ever helped them celebrate Labor’s past,present and future at Cullaby Lake.So once again, thank you for making our Labor Day picnics a hugesuccess. We couldn’t have done it without you.The members of ILWU Local 50Astoria, ORDear Editor,Our union continues to face profound questions regarding thesanctity of our very citizenship in light of the government demandfor more stringent and discriminatory security laws. Imagined securitythreats emanating from our second- and third-generationmembers seem more important to bureaucrats and politicians inOttawa than the obvious threats of war, environmental degradation,economic plunder, deindustrialization, undrinkable water or childpoverty.ILWU Canada has been seeking justice by challenging existingand pending legislation before the Canadian Labour Relations Boardfor many years. We are proud of our demanding, expensive and principledstruggle. We continue to be diligent in asserting our charterrights, our human rights and rights to privacy and safety. A full hearingat Supreme Court has been sought to deliberate these preciousmatters. The Attorney General’s lawyers have attempted to segregateand put aside our challenge by convoluted arguments twistedup in poor interpretations of case law. Our excellent position for fair,reasonable and natural justice is up against the employers of theWest Coast and the Port of Montreal, which, with the favoritism ofthe Attorney General, are relentless in their purpose to push us intoa legal box so that we will sign away undeniable rights as Canadiancitizens and freely associated union members.Losing our jobs, our seniority positions at work, being deniedemployment or being fearful for our families who reside in Canadaor other countries because of misguided, anti-union alarmists residingin the government’s house or senate or corporate boardrooms isoutrageously unjust. There has been and will continue to be internationalheadlines about union brothers and sisters and citizens beinghumiliated, harassed, tortured and murdered because they were onsome phony “list” wielded by a faceless official or death squad. Weare not the enemies of Canada. Our families and friends have foughtin wars for democracy, human rights and worker’s rights. We havea duty now, to get together to protect ourselves, our families, ourunion, our very citizenship by resisting the oppression of “Big Brother”emanating from narrow halls of militarized government solutionsparading as the public good.Dave Pritchett, Longshore Local 500CORRECTIONRandy Swindell, Hawaii Rep for the Masters, Mates & Pilots union,was misidentified in a photo on page 4 of the June 2009 issue ofThe Dispatcher.Send your letters to the editor to: The Dispatcher, 1188 Franklin St.,San Francisco, CA 94109-6800 or email to editor@ilwu.orgInternational Election NoticeFor posting at all ILWU union halls and offices from July 27, 2009 through Sept. 10, 2009.CANDIDATESTATEMENTSP 12An election by secret ballot is being conducted by mail to determine the selection of ILWU Titled Officers, International Executive Boardmembers, and, for Longshore Division locals only, Coast Committeemen. The mail ballot procedure is the only method being used for voting inthis election. The election is being conducted pursuant to the ILWU Election Rules and Procedures adopted at the April 1994 Convention and assubsequently amended. No later than Monday, July 27, 2009 ballot packets will have been mailed out to all ILWU members listed on the VoterEligibility List.If for any reason you do not receive in the mail a ballot packet by Monday, Aug. 3, 2009 and if you believe you are an ILWU member who iseligible to vote in this election, you can obtain a ballot packet by personally calling Election Services Solutions, the outside agency assisting in thiselection, at 1-800-864-1263. Since most ILWU members should receive their ballot packet from the mailing, telephone calls to Election ServicesSolutions will not be accepted until after Aug. 2, 2009. A ballot packet can only be obtained from Election Services Solutions and not from theILWU, the ILWU Election Procedures Committee, the ILWU locals and affiliates, or any of their officers and representatives.Please also note that all voters must return their ballots in the designated post office box in San Francisco, Calif., no later than 8am PST, Sept. 10,2009. Late ballots will not be counted under any circumstances.To prevent ineligible persons from voting, please note that any individual who requests a ballot packet and who is not on the Voter EligibilityList will be sent a challenged ballot for voting. All challenged ballots will be subject to possible later investigation as to the voter’s eligibility.Also, the ballot packets are electronically coded to prevent anyone from having more than one ballot counted. If a voter mails in more than oneballot, the ballot with the latest postmark or receipt stamp will be counted and the prior one(s) will be voided. However, where it is not possibleto determine the latest postmark or receipt stamp, all ballots cast by the same voter will be voided.Any ILWU member who has a question about the election may call the ILWU Election Procedures Committee at 1-415-775-0533 to leave a voicemail message. If you call before 9am, after 5pm or on weekends and holidays, dial extension 150 during the answering machine message to beconnected to voicemail.DISPATCHERCraig MerrileesCommunications Director and Senior EditorTai MosesEditor2 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009ILWU TITLED OFFICERSRobert McEllrath, PresidentJoseph R. Radisich, Vice PresidentWesley Furtado, Vice PresidentWilliam E. Adams, Secretary-TreasurerThe Dispatcher (ISSN 0012-3765) is published monthly except for a combined July/Augustissue, for $5.00 a year and $10.00 a year for non-members by the ILWU, 1188 Franklin St.,San Francisco, CA 94109. Periodical postage paid at San Francisco, CA. The Dispatcherwelcomes letters, photos and other submissions to the above address. © ILWU, 2009

34th Int’l ConventionSeattle, Washington75Steady As She Goesyearscontinue from page 1to call itself a union state. “We standwith you,” she told delegates. “Fromthe port to the warehouses to the ferries,the state is working because youdo. We thank you for your fight for fairwages, benefits and working conditionsand for making them real.” TheGovernor made it clear that she is aproud supporter of the Employee FreeChoice Act. “We have many challengesand one of the biggest is passing theFree Choice Act. We need to make thathappen this year.”Speaker Richard Hughes, presidentof the International Longshoremen’sAssociation, said he believed that underthe new president and the DemocraticCongress it would be easier to turn thecountry around. Hughes told delegatesthat Obama’s Secretary of Labor, HildaSolis, made her first public appearanceat an ILA hall in Miami, while theycouldn’t even get an appointment withthe previous Secretary.Delegates were eager to roll uptheir sleeves and get down to business.If anyone doubts that the ILWUis a union that gives voice to the rankand file all they have to do is attend anInternational Convention. “This is yourconvention; this is the rank and file’sconvention,” said President McEllrath,and ensuing discussions proved himright. On the convention floor, in thetime-honored ritual that many delegatescall “democracy in action,” therank and file has the power to influencedebate and shape the direction oftheir union on matters of policy andposition.“Whether we pass or fail a resolution,or bring it back and reword it alittle, it’s interesting to see the wholeprocess,” said Dennis Morton, Local142. “You’re allowed to speak yourheart and speak your voice. Whetheryou agree or disagree, at the end we’reall the same union.”Health careThe health care crisis in our countrywas front and center at the conventionwith four resolutions addressingthe subject. Delegates agreed thathealth care is an urgent ethical issue;more than 47 million people in the U.S. are currently without health insurance,another 40 million have inadequatecoverage with high co-paysand deductibles, and many others areat risk of losing coverage. In addition,the cost of health insurance hasbecome a major stumbling block inunion contract negotiations, causingstrikes, lock-outs, protracted deliberationsand lower monetary offers bymanagement.One health care resolution adoptedby delegates (R-7) endorses HR676,single payer health care, and calls forthe AFL-CIO and Change to Win toactively lobby the White House andCongress for its passage. A second resolution,R-12, also endorses HR676. Athird resolution (R-25) addresses universalhealth care as well as sick leave,pensions and family leave, noting thatless than 14 percent of American workershave achieved some of these benefitsand rights through union organizationand collective bargaining. Finally,a fourth resolution (R-27) affirms thatwhile health care spending in the U.S.reached $2.4 trillion last year, the qualityof patient care is dismal, with theU.S. ranked 29th out of 37 countriesfor infant mortality, double the rate forFrance and Germany. R-27 supportscomprehensive health care reform andreminds union members to live healthfullyand promote wellness in theirown families.FinancesDelegates adopted the InternationalOfficers’ Financial Report, whichincludes a modest per capita increasethat will put $100,000 into the union’streasury over the next three years inAnother Round of Applause: When they weren’t debating resolutions,convention delegates were treated to a diverse array of guest speakers.order to fully fund all the programs ofthe International. The Titled Officersalso elected to suspend their May 1,2009 salary increase in recognition ofthe financial difficulties members andaffiliates are coping with (C-3). InternationalExecutive Board memberswere given an increase, the first since1983, from $100 per day to $150 perday for attending meetings of the Board(C-14).Rite Aid: applauding progressOne of the convention’s mostmemorable guest speakers was a firsttimerwho had never addressed apacked room before: Rite Aid workerDebbie Fontaine, whom InternationalVice-President Joe Radisich introducedas “one of the heroines of the fight.”Fontaine, a member of the Rite Aidbargaining committee who spent a yearout of work after being fired for supportingthe union, recapped the workers’struggle in a powerful slide presentationthat had delegates on their feetapplauding by the finish.The union underscored its commitmentto the Rite Aid fight with aresolution (R-36) supporting the 600Lancaster, Calif. Rite Aid workers whohave been without a contract since votingto join ILWU Warehouse Local 26last November. Rite Aid has instigateda de-certification campaign and hired aunion-busting consultant to intimidatethe workforce and further the company’santi-union campaign by stallingnegotiations. The resolution applaudsthe workers’ ongoing courage and diligencein the line of fire. A sister resolutionsupporting the Employee FreeChoice Act (R-14) promises that theILWU will do everything in its powerto ensure passage of this important bill,which will help not only Rite Aid workersbut all others who wish to freely andsafely join unions at their workplace.Organizing: lifeblood of the unionDelegates devoted considerabletime to debating a resolution thatwould give the International more flexibilityin the amount of funding it dedicatesto organizing (C-17). In 1997 theInternational Convention adopted aresolution mandating that 30 percentof the International’s per capita incomebe reserved for organizing. Delegatesdecided to revise the 1997 mandate toauthorize organizing expenses up to 30percent of the per capita income. Still,delegates wasted no time affirming theInternational’s commitment to organizing,adopting two resolutions recognizingthat organizing is the lifeblood ofunions and mobilizing the membershipto support passage of the EmployeeFree Choice Act (P-5); and emphasizingthat organizing is a matter of survivalfor the Warehouse, Maritime, andother Allied Divisions and gives meaningto the motto, “An Injury to One isan Injury to All” (P-8).Solidarity at home and aroundthe worldRenewing its obligation to internationalsolidarity, the conventionadopted resolutions that called forrestoring diplomatic relations withCuba (R-38), freeing five Cuban menwho were charged with espionage andare serving life sentences in U.S. prisons(R-33), and supporting South Africandockworkers (R-30). There were resolutionsin support of immigrant rights(R-13) and women’s rights (R-42), andagainst racism and the death penalty(R-32). Delegates considered a proposalto change the union name backto International Longshoremen’s andWarehousemen’s Union—as it wasknown in the past—but after debatethe committee members voted to leavethe name unchanged.Supporting our brothers and sistersDelegates were happy to adoptresolutions in support of smallerlocals that are experiencing hardtimes. Resolution R-6 pledges theInternational’s backing to the Boronminers of Local 30 in their upcomingcontract negotiations with anti-unionemployer Rio Tinto Minerals, oneof the biggest mining companies inthe world. Another resolution (R-20)supports Local 20, whose remaining53 members work at Rio Tinto’sWilmington CA Borax plant.On Your Side: Rite Aid worker Debbie Fontaine came to the convention to telldelegates about her co-workers’ three-year struggle to join the union. Front row fromleft: Luisa Gratz, president of Local 26; Joseph Radisich, Vice-President Mainland; DebbieFontaine, Rite Aid worker; Bob McEllrath, International President. Middle row:Willie Adams, International Secretary-Treasurer; Wes Furtado, Vice-President Hawaii;Christine Leblanc, Local 26 member. Back row: Andrew Wright, Edward Calleros, andEnrique Cortinas Jr, all Local 26. continued on page 7DISPATCHER • July/August 2009 3

At the PrecipicePaddy Crumlin, National Secretary of theMaritime Union of Australia, says thatbeneath the muck and mire of the globalfinancial crisis gleams the opportunity tobuild a new labor movement.Ed. Note: The following is excerptedfrom remarks Crumlin made at theILWU 34th International Convention.We have been broughtto the precipice ofeconomic collapse,social exclusion, poverty, unemploymentand industrialexclusion by one of the worstdemonstrations of greed, elitismand selfishness in the history ofhumanity. Never has so muchbeen plundered and desecratedby so few in such a short periodof time since the industrializationof our world.The victims are the great sea ofworking men and women, their families,and retirees. Those with materialindependence and jobs and a livingsecurity have been mugged and robbedby an elite group of corporate thugsand bullies assisted in their greed bya political elite that is driven by greedand their own self-absorption.In this country there is unemploymentof 10 percent—that 10 percentrepresents so many working men andwomen and so much emotional andphysical stress. Youth unemploymentnow in the U.S. is, they say, between20 and 24 percent. A lost generationof workers has been robbed of theiraspirations and their right to a decentliving, all the things that we fought sohard for in our unions.The global financial crisis wasn’t atits roots like the Depression. It wasn’tabout not enough. It was about toomuch. If anything, look at the materialwealth still out there. What the globalfinancial crisis was about was a polarizationof wealth at one end in a countrythat never saw the move of the basicwage for workers under the policies ofthe Bush government. That is a greatchallenge for our labor movement.How do we claw our way out of thatmorass, out of that hole and regain themomentum that we once had?At the same time the banks and theprivate equity houses that created thatwealth are now reshaping themselves.They have taken our wealth. They havedestroyed the companies we work for.They have put us on the unemploymentlines. And they will be back. Asthe economic cycle turns around theywill rebuild and we will be plunged inanother cycle unless we do somethingabout it.That is the key message I wantedto bring to you, my wonderful brothersand sisters of the ILWU. Out of all themud and mire there gleams an opportunityfor us. Better and fairer labor laws,which are within your grasp, are goingto give right of access, the right to be ina union, the ability to bargain withoutharassment and legal harassment, theright of workers to secure peace. All ofthose things now are opportunities inthe rebuilding of our economies andour societies and the creation and thenew vision. The door is open for us tobuild a new labor movement, a betterlabor movement, a social and political,industrial and cultural manifestation offreedom and equality. All the things weaspire for in our normal lives as individualsand collectively; compassion,support, and belief in each from thecradle to the grave.It will be a long road and a hardroad. We have to challenge our internalleadership. We need to change andrehabilitate our unions and our unionstructures and our union movement.We have to make a difference for workersthis time before the neoliberal andneoconservative forces regroup andvisit the same tragedies upon us again.We must continue to define our leadershipby the needs of workers in theexternal environment of these terriblydifficult times and not be scaredto challenge our internal mechanisms,to make them waste free, to removethe duplication, to be able to go andextend.“The great vision of the ILWU was toextend the ownership of the union intoareas where it was hard to organize—to continue to secure the rights of hotelworkers and warehouse industrieswherever they are.”It’s hard to organize hotel workersand warehouse workers. What a courageousgroup of individuals. We’reblessed in unions like ours that weorganize dockworkers and seafarerswho are easy to organize. Who wantsto organize the unorganized in some ofthese miscellaneous and difficult industries?That was the great vision of theILWU, to extend the ownership of theunion into areas where it was hard toorganize. We have a responsibility withour resources to make sure that we areable to embrace those workers in thewarehouses, in hotels, in other industries,with other unions. We are cooperativewith each other and not againsteach other. Put politics and personalitiesaside and rebuild a world aroundthe real labor values that we stand for.Give women equal rights of access andremuneration. Rebuild the opportunitiesfor our youth and give them voiceand power in our union. Work withother unions to eliminate wastage andchallenge that political opportunism.Organize, organize, organize. That iswhat we do, whether it’s Rite Aid orBlue Diamond, continue to secure therights of hotel workers and warehouseindustries wherever they are. Giveworkers the opportunity that we takefor granted most of our days on thedocks and in our other industries.In 1934 when this union wasformed, most dock workers wereimpoverished, disenfranchised, legallyexcluded and industrially isolated, andmurdered and imprisoned to boot.Through your courage, through yourstrategic leadership, through yourbrotherhood and sisterhood and yourdemocracy you have built this greatunion. You built a union of politicalindependence and progress that standson an understanding of your individualand collective self-worth and dignity.That’s where your self-esteem comesfrom. To be an individual but also towork cooperatively and collectively—that is the signature of your work. Thatis the signature of our lives as laboractivists and labor leaders. That is thehope for the future and that’s the hopefor workers here and everywhere.Long live the labor movement.Long live the ILWU.History Lessons: Local 13member Mike Piazza peruses thenew historical exhibit, “Securingthe Union’s Future: The 1948Strike,” which made its debut atthe convention. The exhibitdocuments how, through rankand-filesolidarity, the ILWUwas able to stand up to thecorporate onslaught and secureits future as a progressive forcefor social change. For moreinformation about the exhibitor to request a showing in yourarea, contact the ILWU Library at(415) 775-0533.4 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009

Friends from Norway: International Vice-President Joseph Radisich, left,introduces the delegation from the Norwegian Transport Workers Union.Caucus Sets Agendafor Coming YearCaucus delegates reject TWIC; resolveto protect jurisdiction.tee’s work to sustain OSHA’s final rulingon Vertical Tandem Lifts (VTLs)from an employer-led challenge. Whilethe VTL rule allows for the hoisting oftwo empty containers using approvedsemi-automatic twist locks, it requiresstrict manual checks of the twist locksbefore lifting. The rule also containsother strict safety requirements involvingunion involvement. PMA, throughNational Maritime Safety Association(NMSA), wants the rule watered downand is even arguing that OSHA has noauthority relative to rule making overall.The Longshore Division has committedto use any and all resources availableto keep NMSA from weakening thisimportant safety rule and protect thefundamental existence of OSHA.Legislative Committee Chair MaxVekich of Local 52 reported that theCommittee’s presence in Washington,D.C. during the 2008 Longshore Divisioncontract negotiations was importantin keeping both Congress andthe Negotiating Committee informed.Since the November 2008 election government“doors opened to us that werelocked before.” The Legislative Committeesees opportunities to addressport infrastructure, the Employee FreeChoice Act, and universal health carefor all. Congress’ proposed taxation ofmembers’ health benefits is unacceptableto the Committee – a message thatechoed the Coast Committee’s reportand that was unanimously adopted bythe Caucus.Legislative Committee memberDawn Des Brisay of Local 40 reportedon the ILWU’s 2008 political strategy,which was more ambitious than anythingpreviously undertaken. Nearly 50member, auxiliary, pensioner and staffvolunteers campaigned full time in theweeks leading up to the presidentialelection. To have the greatest impact onthe top priority of electing then-SenatorBarack Obama, volunteers concentratedon five “swing” states: Alaska,Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, andOregon. Members also made phonecalls, knocked on doors, and persuadedvoters to elect Obama as well as all ofPhoto credit: Lewis Wrighttheir endorsed U.S. Senate candidates:Jeff Merkley in Oregon; Mark Udall inColorado; Tom Udall in New Mexico;and Mark Begich in Alaska.Coast Benefits Specialist JohnCastanho of Local 10 stated that thePension and Welfare Committee commendsthe Negotiating Committee’ssuccess in securing the maintenanceof benefits for the entire ILWU family.This is quite a feat considering that themonthly family imputed benefit costof the Welfare Plan rose from $454in 2002 to $1,969 in 2008. Castanhooutlined negotiated improvements invision benefits, dental implants, andimprovements to the Defined BenefitPension Plan.Education Committee Chair PatriciaAguirre of Local 63 reported onbehalf of the Education Committeethat several classes proved popular andeffective in educating and empoweringthe rank-and-file of the Longshore Division.These classes included the Grievanceand Arbitration Procedure (GAP)Workshop, International Relations andSolidarity Workshops, and the ILWUContract Class on the PCL&CA. The“Legacy of 1934” exhibit was displayedseveral times throughout all regions inthe past two years and has been exceedinglywell received. Aguirre recom-The Longshore DivisionCaucus that followed theILWU 34th Conventionconvened to discuss the pastyear’s activities, debate economicand political issues, and chart thecourse for the coming year.An important topic of discussionwas the Transport Worker IdentificationCredential (TWIC). After good faithcompliance with TWIC’s burdensomerequirements, the Caucus endorsedthe Coast Committee’s recommendationto seek the abandonment of theTWIC program altogether. Since theTWIC program was rolled out, it hasbecome clear that it does not actuallyimprove port security. TWIC is an ineffectiveprogram that improperly insertsthe employers (many of them foreign)into a United States government program,trespasses on the civil liberties oflongshore workers, and creates additionalcomplications and costs for littleor no added security benefit. (See theWhite Paper at www.ilwu.org for moreinformation.)Jurisdiction is another issue thatwas addressed at the Caucus. In today’seconomy, the employers are increasinglyseeking to replace ILWU longshoremenand clerks with a low-wage,non-union workforce. The Caucusstated its resolve to fight to protectILWU jurisdiction in the West Coastports. The fight to protect jurisdictionwill be tough. At the approval ofthe Caucus, the Coast Committee hasredirected resources to build a teamthat will specialize in defending jurisdictionfrom attack. This new teamincludes experienced communicationsand field coordinator staff who willwork directly with the locals to protectILWU jurisdiction.Committee reportsMembers reported on the hardwork of their committees overseeingsafety, legislative and political matters,pension and benefits, and education.Safety Committee Chair Tim Podueof Local 13 reported on the Commitmendedhosting a Pacific Coast MarineSafety Code (PCMSC) Workshop. TheCoast Committee recommendation toconduct a GAP program for new officerssemi-annually was approved bythe Caucus along with the recommendationsof the Education Committee.The Caucus agreed to continue theClerk Technology Committee and tomerge committees to construct a LongshoreTechnology/Jurisdiction Committeefrom which a subcommitteewould deal with M&R issues.All Committees are designed tooffer advice and recommendations tothe Coast Committee.The Caucus adopted the CoastCommittee’s recommendation tochange the Longshore Division businessname from “Coast Pro Rata Committee”to “Coast Longshore Division.”Candidates for the Coast Committeeare as follows: for California, the candidatesare John Kavanaugh of Local29 and incumbent Coast CommitteemanRay Ortiz, Jr. of Local 13; for theNorthwest, the candidate is incumbentCoast Committeeman Leal Sundet ofLocal 8.Retiring union brothersThe Caucus said goodbye to threeretiring members: Stephen Hanson ofLocal 8, Lawrence Thibeaux of Local10, and John Tousseau of Local 63.Brother Hanson received his Bbook in 1968 and his A book in 1972and served in nearly every office atLocal 8. He showed leadership inorganizing workers and chaired theBudget Committee for the LongshoreDivision for the past 10 years. Severaldelegates said they will continue tolook to Hanson for his straight talk,guidance, and expertise. Brother Thibeaux,who was registered at Local 10in 1967, lobbied for the rights of allworkers and worked to protect theport’s neighbors from the health effectsDelegates agreed that the TWIC programtrespasses on the civil liberties of longshoreworkers and creates additionalcomplications and costs for little or noadded security benefit.of port pollution. Several Caucus delegatesthanked Thibeaux for mentoringthem as young union members,recalled good times at meetings, andlauded his 16 years of service on theInternational Executive Board. BrotherTousseau started as a Local 13 longshoreman41 years ago and joinedLocal 63 some 20 years later. Tousseauis a man with a huge heart who dedicatedhimself to the Union. Delegatesthanked Tousseau for his years of service,his guidance, and the great manysacrifices that he made over the years.All three brothers will be missed.ILWU SolidarityStrengthens ARAPosition In Short StrikeILWU’s affiliate American Radio Association reached a tentativeagreement on June 27 with Hawaiian shipping giantMatson, after staging a 12-hour strike at the Port of Seattle’sTerminal 18 that disrupted the loading of a Matson containership. ARA’s contract expired June 15 and Matson refused torenew it. When negotiations broke down, ARA’s picket line wentup at 7:30am Saturday. By the end of the day Matson and ARAhad reached a contract settlement.Longshoremen from ILWU Locals 19, 52 and 98 honoredthe picket line, which an arbitrator ruled bona fide, and refusedto load the Hawaii-bound MV Maui. Offshore unions MastersMates & Pilots and Marine Engineers also honored the strike.“We got a fair contract and ILWU solidarity made a bigdifference to us,” said Carl Young, president of ARA.DISPATCHER • July/August 2009 5

Rite Aid Workers Rock NYCShareholder MeetingWorkers and shareholders demand changesfrom Rite Aid execs.Exposing Rite Aid: The story about Rite Aid’s unionbusting in Lancaster reached a nationwide audience on TV’s“Democracy Now” program with journalist Amy Goodman. Thebroadcast featured a live report before the rally and shareholdermeeting in New York.Most company shareholdermeetings areboring affairs attendedby a handful of investors listeningto bland speeches. The RiteAid annual shareholder meetingin New York City on June25 was dramatically different,because Rite Aid workers cameto the meeting armed with factsand determined to share theirviews from the shop floor aboutwidespread mismanagement andunion-busting at the company’sDistribution Center in Lancaster,CA, where a majority of workersvoted to join the ILWU in March2008. After making their case atRite Aid’s annual meeting, workerswon a surprising amount ofsupport from company shareholderswho agreed that changeis needed.Rally in Times SquareAn hour before the shareholdermeeting, workers from a dozen differentunions held a spirited rally inTimes Square. The event featured mostof the unions that represent Rite Aidemployees around the country; theUnited Food and Commercial WorkersUnion that represents thousands ofRite Aid retail store employees; SEIU1199 members employed as Rite Aidpharmacy techs at East Coast retailstores; and Teamsters representingthousands of warehouse workers inseveral regional distribution centers.Also present was a large contingent ofdockworkers who belong to the InternationalLongshoremen’s Association(ILA), the union that represents workerson the East Coast and Gulf ports.To express their solidarity and support,everyone attending the TimesSquare rally signed a giant “postcard”that was shipped the following day toworkers in Lancaster with the message,“Your fight is our fight.”Surprising support fromshareholdersInside the shareholder meeting,investors heard dramatic testimonyfrom longtime Rite Aid employee AngelWarner, who works at the LancasterDistribution Center with 600 otheremployees who have been unable toget their contract negotiated because ofRite Aid’s union-busting agenda.Rising courageously to face CEOMary Sammons and address the audienceof mostly men in business suits,Warner explained how officials failed toaddress the extreme heat and freezingcold temperatures inside their Lancasterwarehouse; how the company was forcingemployees to work unscheduled,mandatory overtime preventing parentsfrom picking-up their children afterwork; and how workers were threatenedand fired for supporting the union.Warner suggested three steps the companycould take to put things back on apositive track: “Rite Aid should fire theirunion busting consultants, get seriousabout negotiating a fair contract, andCEO Mary Sammons should come outto meet with us in Lancaster and helpsettle the contract.”Shareholders rip Rite AidCEO and execsAfter hearing how parents werebeing disciplined and fired forleaving work at the end of a shiftto care for their children, a femaleshareholder spontaneously rose todefend the workers, asking CEO MarySammons if she had children of herown, and wondering how anyone,especially another woman, could forcemothers to choose between caringfor their children or losing their jobs.Other shareholders also rose to supportthe workers and urge CEO MarySammons to get personally involved ina settlement. One shareholder who saidhe worked on Wall Street and “didn’treally care much for unions,” expressedconcern for what was happening inLancaster and urged CEO Sammonsto fly out and meet with workers andhelp reach a solution. “That’s your job,”he told her.Signing for Solidarity: Rally participants signed this giant “postcard” to send a message of solidarity and support fromworkers at the New York City rally to workers at the Rite Aid distribution center in Lancaster, CA.Private jet flights curtailedSammons was also stung by shareholderswho openly criticized heruse of expensive private jets that costshareholders $ 87,265 in 2009 and awhopping $207,733 in 2008. Underquestioning from one shareholder,Sammons admitted that some of herflights were for “personal use” andhad nothing to do with official companybusiness, although she declinedto say how much was spent for thosepersonal trips. And Sammons wasn’tthe only executive billing Rite Aid forflying on private jets; five other executivesspent a total of $247,944 on theluxury jets in 2008 and 2009. Rite Aidofficials even allowed an official to flyon private jets at Rite Aid’s expenseafter he no longer worked there.While Rite Aid officials showed nohesitation firing workers at the LancasterDistribution Center for supportingthe union, the company has beenrewarding executives who fall shortwith hefty “golden parachutes” involvingmillions of dollars. One angryshareholder noted that the companypaid a massive severance of $3,307,500to one executive who worked only6 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009

iefly at Rite Aid, and $3,150,000 toanother executive who decided to leavethe company. That shareholder won around of applause with his conclusionthat Rite Aid has been giving awaygigantic severance packages as thoughit were the “82nd Airborne of goldenparachutes.”Proposal to control executive paynarrowly defeatedA shareholder resolution thatwould require management to submitexecutive compensation packages to anon-binding vote by shareholder votefell short by a small margin. The resolutionwas filed by the New York CityOffice of the Comptroller on behalfof the $107 billion New York CityEmployees’ Retirement System andNew York City Teachers’ RetirementSystem. The reform was supported byrepresentatives of the AFL-CIO andTeamsters Union, and opposed by CEOMary Sammons, other executives, andthe Board of Directors.“Rite Aid’s model for CEO pay isclearly broken,” said Louis Malizia, aTeamsters Union official who attendedthe meeting. “A say on CEO pay wouldtie compensation at Rite Aid to longtermvalue creation and good corporategovernance.”Besides having a big impact atthe shareholder meeting, the messageabout union-busting and mismanagementat Rite Aid reached an audienceof millions on television, radio andinternet.Time For Change: The rally in Times Square was sponsored by the New York City Central Labor Council, which represents1.3 million workers. Important support for the rally and shareholder meeting was provided by the AFL-CIO’s Center for StrategicResearch and Office of Investment.Taking It To the Top: During the shareholder meeting, Rite Aid worker AngelWarner criticized the company’s anti-union tactics. After the meeting, she spokepersonally with CEO Mary Sammons and urged the company to work together withemployees in Lancaster to reach a fair contract.“In the morning before the rallyand shareholder meeting, we wentlive on the Democracy Now TV programwith Amy Goodman,” explainedAngel Warner. “At the rally, we spokewith several radio reporters who didreports, and after the meeting wetaped a TV interview with Laura Flandersthat was also seen all over thecountry.”The television and radio reports allnoted that the battle at Rite Aid’s LancasterDistribution Center has becomea “poster child” for the EmployeeFree Choice Act that’s being debatedin Congress to reform outdated laborlaws and make it possible for workersto join unions without fear of beingfired or threatened.Solidarity comes back to LancasterOne week after the New York Cityevents, Rite Aid workers in Lancasterdisplayed the giant solidarity “postcard”outside their warehouse andpassed out flyers explaining what hadhappened at the shareholder meeting.“It’s good to know that so many peoplesupport us, including the shareholders,because all of us want Rite Aid tosucceed by treating people the rightway,” said employee David Sotelo.Steady As She Goescontinued from page 3There were also resolutions in supportof Hawaiian hotel workers (R-22)and employees of the Pacific BeachHotel in Waikiki, who have had twoelections in three years, a decertificationattempt, and had a majority oftheir negotiating committee fired.Although they had a full plate,delegates were mindful of the importanceof preserving the union’s history,calling for a campaign to raisefunds for the University of Washingtonlabor archives (R-34); to turn113 Steuart Street, the landmark SanFrancisco building that was GroundZero for Bloody Thursday, into a laborhistory museum and labor educationand training center (R-17); and recognitionof the 60th Anniversary ofthe 1949 Hawaii dock strike (R-21),the 157-day strike that won Hawaiianlongshore workers parity with theWest Coast.Heartfelt farewellsSeveral resolutions honored retiringleaders for their years of service, recognizingthe tremendous responsibilitiesof union leadership and the huge sacrificesit requires. John Tousseau, Local63; Richard Cavalli, Local 34; and JackWyatt Sr, Warehouse Local 17 receivedheartfelt farewells from longtime comrades.“Keep the fire going. Keep fightingthose sons of bitches. God blessyou all. God bless the ILWU,” saidTousseau.And finally, there was a resolution(R-24) honoring the memory of AhQuon McElrath, the fiery Local 142member who was a fierce and eloquentadvocate of the ILWU. McElrath, whodied in 2008, was considered by someto be “the conscience of the union.”The resolution noted her unique contributionsand her commitment toadvancing the causes of women in theunion. This, the ILWU 34th InternationalConvention, was dedicated to AhQuon McElrath, a courageous, outspokenforce of change who, as Sec-Treas.Willie Adams put it, “would rather lighta candle than curse the darkness.”DISPATCHER • July/August 2009 7

Los Angeles Wants Free Choice: Upto 500 workers and community supporters,among them Rite Aid workers and membersof ILWU Local 13, thronged the streets in frontof Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Los Angeles officeJune 3 to protest the senator’s positionon the Employee Free Choice Act. Feinsteinremains the only Democratic member of theCalifornia Congressional Delegation who hasyet to support the legislation. The Free ChoiceAct would ease the path into the middle classfor thousands of Americans by making it easierfor them to join unions, earn better wages andget health and retirement benefits. PresidentObama has pledged to sign the Act into law ifit reaches his desk.Thanks For the Memories: After 16 years ofdedicated service the inimitable Jean Ordano steppeddown as Federated President and was given specialrecognition by the Convention for three decades ofsteadfast work for the ILWU and Federated Auxiliaries.Jean will now serve as Area Vice President for Canada.New Federated Auxiliary officers elected are CarolynWilliams, President; Debbie McLain, Vice President; JudyRowley, Treasurer; and Pat Marks, Secretary. The otherArea Vice Presidents are JoAlice Swindle, California;Kathy Gorda, Oregon; and Pat Dunlap, Washington.Sisterhood Is Powerful: While the International Convention was taking place in Seattle, 60 miles awayin Olympia the 34th Biennial Convention of the ILWU Federated Auxiliaries was meeting in high spirits. Auxiliarydelegates from Canada, Washington, Oregon and California confirmed their solidarity with the locals and deliveredreports on their many activities and good works of the past two years. Delegates also passed resolutions supportingRite Aid warehouse workers in their fight to obtain a contract; demanding that veterans receive timely notificationof all entitlements and benefits; and opposing federal taxation of health care benefits.Triumphant Return: Forty-eight Rite Aid workers who were illegally fired last Novemberfrom Rite Aid’s distribution center in Lancaster, Calif. were welcomed back to workon June 8 after the Labor Board forced the company to rehire them. A welcoming partygreeted the returnees with cheers, high-fives, hot coffee and union stickers. Though RiteAid warehouse workers voted to join the ILWU a year ago they are still without a contract.Labor expert Kate Bronfenbrenner has called the Rite Aid fight a “textbook example” of whyCongress needs to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.Solidarity Stories On SaleHarvey Schwartz’s new book, Solidarity Stories: AnOral History of the ILWU, is now on sale. This inspiringcollection of first-handaccounts from ILWU unionleaders and rank-and-fileworkers paints a vividportrait of the union’spast and present.Available for $17 each,including shipping andhandling.Make check or moneyorder out to “ILWU”and mail to1188 Franklin St,San Francisco, CA94109. Price includesshipping and handling.8 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009

34th InternationaPortrait of a Convention: The conventionrepresentatives included 36 delegates from NorthernCalifornia; 42 from Southern California; six from SouthernCalifornia Mining Industry; 20 from Oregon/ColumbiaRiver; 24 from Puget Sound; 117 from Hawaii; 16 fromCanada; 23 from the Inlandboatmen’s Union; 10 fromAlaska; four Titled Officers and 26 fraternal delegates.All Mine, All the Time: Local 30, the miners of Boron, brought a resolution asking the Internationalto support them in their upcoming contract negotiations with employer Rio Tinto, a multinationalcompany hostile to unions.NextMahalthe ledied inOrganize! Local 142 delegate Lance Kamada is a coordinatorof Justice at the Beach, a grassroots coalition of labor unions andcommunity groups supporting workers at the Pacific Beach Hotelin Waikiki. Over two dozen Pacific Beach workers who supportedthe union have lost their jobs. “I recommend that more of usget involved in organizing because we have to understand whatour fathers went through to build the union,” Kamada told conventiondelegates. “It’s up to us to keep the union alive today.”10 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009National Solidarity: Delegates gave a standingovation to ILA Vice President Ken Riley’s call for aNorth American Dockworkers Caucus. Riley is Presidentof ILA Local 1442 in Charleston, South Carolina.Pacific Rim Solidarity: Wesley Furtado, Vice-Hawaii, signs the ILWU-Zenkowan Unity Statement. Furtathat President Itoh played a key role in the Pacific Beach Hoasking Japanese unionists to sign on to a letter to travel agsupport of the Pacific Beach workers.

l Convention75yearsIn Line: Terri Mast, IBU, gives a fist bump to her nephew,Anderson, 2 ½. Mahal is the great-grandson of Nemesio Domingo,gendary Filipino labor activist and president of IBU Local 37 who1991.Voice of a Movement: Retiring Local63 member John Tousseau treated delegates toa farewell performance of his song, “The Balladof An Old Longshoreman.” The restless chatterthat had filled the corners of the room evaporatedinto silence as he sang.Presidentdo notedtel fight,encies inRenewing Unity: Akinobu Itoh, president ofthe All-Japan Dockworkers’ Union (Zenkowan), tolddelegates that unions have to work together to fightthe corporations that seek to control global logistics.Zenkowan and the ILWU has been solidarity partnersfor more than 50 years, and they formally renewedtheir Unity Statement at the convention.Yes We Can: Washington State GovernorChristine Gregoire displays her 75th anniversaryposter, signed by the four living ILWU presidents.Gov. Gregoire, a strong advocate of the EmployeeFree Choice Act, told delegates that the ObamaAdministration has given her more hope andoptimism than she’s felt in years.DISPATCHER • July/August 2009 11

Candidate statementsINTERNATIONALOFFICERSPRESIDENTRobert “Big Bob” McEllrath, Local 4Brothers and Sisters of the ILWU:I am honored and proud to havethe opportunity to serve a secondterm as your International President.I truly appreciate the support I havebeen given and the confidence thatthe members have placed in me. TheILWU has been a part of my life sinceI was young when my father got hisregistration. I was fortunate to getinto the Longshore Division in 1969and I have never looked back.During the 134-day strike in 1971,I learned to be prepared in case weneeded to strike again and that thispreparedness is another strengthof our union. I attended the unionmeetings, worked with and listenedto the “Old Timers,” and learned theprincipals and history of our union.I count myself fortunate to have metand heard our founder, Harry Bridges,when he spoke at meetings during myyounger years.Being elected caucus delegate in themid-‘80s, I have been at every conventionand caucus since, watching ourILWU history unfold. I have servedthe union as a Coast Committeemanfor four years, and been the InternationalVice-President for six years,before being elected President threeyears ago.I was elected to Small Port Negotiatorfor the Longshore Master Agreementin 1993 and again in 1996. In1999 as a Coast Committeeman, Iwas elected Co-chair for the negotiatingcommittee, and in 2002 as VicePresident of the International was Co-Chair of the Contract Bargaining, andin 2008 as the ILWU president I wasthe Negotiating Committee Chairman.I also chaired the Shipboard Grain andIn-House Grain Negotiations in thePacific Northwest, and assisted in theAll Alaska Longshore Negotiations andthe Local 5 Powell’s Book negotiations.I served as an officer under three of thefive presidents the ILWU has had in its75-year history, giving me the experienceand the knowledge to lead thisunion through the term ahead.Our nation is in a recession nearlyas deep as the Great Depression, andemployers are using this as an opportunityto try and whittle at the negotiatedgains in all sections of our union.I can assure you I will lead based onmy experience, my sense of right,and with input from the rank andfile. We must continue to build ourInternational relationships as well asbeing a strong voice for labor in theUnited States. We must be fair andright within our union, treat Localsequitably and minimize anything thatdivides us and weakens the structureof our organization.We need to educate our membersto understand and maintain our historyand loyalty as opposed to forcingthe union to spend countless hoursand huge sums of money fightingwithin. My goal is to keep our unionstrong, clean, and focused on thegreater good for the greater numberof our members. Again, I thank youfor your support. An injury to one isan injury to all.MAINLANDVICE-PRESIDENT12 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009Ray A. Familathe, Local 13I am proud to say this is my 21st yearin the ILWU. For the last 16 years I’veworked throughout the world expandingour international relations and solidarity.I currently serve as InternationalAffairs Director for the Longshore Divisionand International. I have workedunder the direction of InternationalPresidents David Arian, Brian McWilliams,James Spinosa, Robert McEllrath,and the International Executive Board.During the 2002 and 2008 Longshorecontract negotiations I coordinated oursolidarity efforts worldwide with theInternational Transport Workers Federation(ITF) and International DockworkersCouncil (IDC) which helpedour Longshore division on the mainlandsecure successful contracts. Butbefore all this, I began my career workingat a rail yard facility in SouthernCalifornia.In 1987 the ILWU had just wonan organizing drive at the newly built$54 million ICTF rail yard in the portsof Los Angeles and Long Beach. The175 workers overwhelmingly electedfor ILWU representation. I was hiredshortly after the election in 1988. Theworkers were excited about the futureand their new contract with Local13’s Allied Division. In 1989 I waselected Business Agent representingthis unit which had grown from 175to 300 workers. I experienced manychallenges to building this unit whichrequired the need to educate shopstewards on grievance handling andarbitrations to better serve the membership.In late 1991 Southern PacificRailroad, still bitter over the ILWUsecuring jurisdiction a mere four milesfrom the ports of Los Angeles and LongBeach, used their power and influencealong with the city, state, and federalpoliticians to justify their “Lockout”of the ILWU workforce. This strugglereceived tremendous support fromthe entire ILWU family but was unfortunatelylost. I am proud to say thatmany workers that endured this strugglehave moved up in the ILWU ranksin various divisions/units and are ourleaders today.Having worked for many years as acasual longshoreman I was registeredto Class B Longshore status in 1995with Local 13. Since then I have beenelected to the Executive Board, Caucus/ConventionDelegate and BusinessAgent. I also worked with the ILWU’sOrganizing Department to organizethe LAXT Coal Terminal in the Port ofLos Angeles.My passion for organizing workerscomes from working with theITF Flags of Convenience Campaignfighting for the rights of seafarersthat come from developing countrieswho are exploited by ship owners. Iget excited reading our rich historywritten by great leaders and organizerslike Harry Bridges, Lou Goldblatt,Jack Hall and Ah Quon McElrath.I have worked with most all ofthe locals/divisions of the ILWU andCanada. I believe we need strong localunions and a strong national labormovement, but the key to all this inthe global economy is having an internationalprogram and network. I havehelped to build the ILWU’s for 16years. My work has prepared me totake the next step by asking for yourvote for International Vice President,Mainland.HAWAII VICE-PRESIDENTWesley “Wes” Furtado, Local 142My name is Wesley “Wes” Furtado andI am seeking re-election as your ILWUInternational Vice President-HawaiiRANK AND FILE EXPERIENCE: Asa rank-and-file union member of theLongshore industry I gained experienceas a shop steward and negotiating committeemember. It was these experiencesthat ignited my passion for unionismand helping fellow members.ORGANIZER: From the 1980s to2000s we helped organize large numbersof workers into our union. Thoseworkers were employed at hotels,golf courses, agriculture companies,transportation companies, maritimecompanies and more. Working with alot of different people from all differentbackgrounds and cultures taughtme a lot about my fellow union members.As part of the Hawaii organizingdepartment, we led many organizingcampaigns and assisted with firstcampaigns and contract renewals intourism, general trades, agriculturecompanies and the maritime industry.Although my personal role haschanged over the years (from organizer,to Business Agent, to InternationalRepresentative, to InternationalVice-President) my passionto strengthen and expand our unionremains strong.HAWAII ORGANIZING: As InternationalVice President Hawaii, we haveworked hard to adapt and improvehow our union operates. In Hawaiiwe have adopted a strategic organizingstrategy that has greatly improvedour success and efficiency. This trienniumhas yielded high success ratefor organizing campaigns and achievingfirst contracts for newly organizedILWU members. I personally negotiatedagreements to organize new unitsin the maritime industry and assistedwith a hotel organizing campaign andsetting the tone for the first contractnegotiations.LONGSHORE NEGOTIATIONS:Over the last 12 months I was directlyinvolved with the Hawaii LongshoreDivision Committee contract negotiationswith Longshore and Inter-islandBarge operation employers. HawaiiLongshore agreements cover Longshore,Clerks, Mechanics and CFS-CY.Inter-island Barge agreements coverLongshore, Clerks, Mechanics, andOffice Clerks.POLITICAL ACTION: In additionto grassroots education and mobilizingwe lobby elected officials on nationaland local levels and educate themon the interests of working peopleand the labor movement. Grassrootsefforts of union members in homedistricts make our political action programeffective. I can tell you that thecontributions and efforts of individualmembers make government officialstruly listen when we meet them faceto-faceto discuss issues with them.If re-elected I will do my best to continuefighting to protect the gains thatwe have earned together and to organizenew members into our union.SECRETARY-TREASURERWillie Adams, Local 23Brothers and Sisters of the ILWU:With great honor and humilityI’m seeking my third term as InternationalSecretary-Treasurer of thisgreat union. I’m looking forward totalking with and seeing our membershipas I hit the campaign trail, andcalling upon all ILWU members thatwe must recapture our spirit of enduranceand optimism. It is the strugglethat shapes us, and it is the strugglewe must shape. I’m very clear that mywork is still not complete, and the firestill burns in my guts and the passionin my soul.My varied ILWU experienceincludes Longshore Caucus delegatefor 10 years; four times conventiondelegate (2000, 2003, 2006, 2009);Chairman of the Coast JurisdictionCommittee; member of the Coast LegislativeAction Committee with 10years of service in Washington D.C.;member of the International ExecutiveBoard and IEB trustee; and for thelast six years, I’ve served as your InternationalSecretary-Treasurer.On the world stage on behalf ofthe ILWU I have traveled to Australia,Brazil, Holland, Germany, Belgium,South Africa, Vietnam, Singapore andCuba. I have rolled up my sleeves,and have worked with all divisions ofour union. I have worked without restpounding the pavement in WashingtonD.C. to continue to build relationshipswith key players in both partiesto raise the profile of the ILWU andto give our union more clout. I havedevoted my time and energy to educationprograms, knowing we are nurturingour next generation of leaderswho will take us even further. I alsofeel that we must do all within ourmight to raise the bar in organizingbecause the ILWU and labor movementmust survive and grow; there isno other option.Many of our members are hurtingtoday. We’re experiencing job losses,layoffs, and less work at the ports,so all of us are in some kind of pain.The economic recession is giving usa wakeup call. It’s clear that as membersof the ILWU, we need to reachbeyond the anxiety and the depressionof the last eight years and getback to our strengths. We must beadept at finding opportunity in adversity.The threats to our very existence,and consequently, that of our families,are the driving force behind usrebuilding our union to make it evenstronger. And today, Brothers, Sisters,the present stands side by side withhistory; 75 years later we’re still here.LONGSHORE DIVISIONCoast CommitteeCaliforniaRay Ortiz Jr., Local 13In 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006, theLongshore Division rank-and-file supportedme for the office of Coast Committeeman.I now respectfully ask foryour support again.Since 2006, things have changedin a major way in this country and onthe waterfront. The present economiccrisis is the worst we have seen in ourlives. Our work on the waterfronthas been reduced between 20-40%on the West Coast, depending on theport. The ILWU was born out of thedepression in the 1930s and we havebeen tested over and over again by theemployers and this government. TheILWU stands strong today and the keyto our future is the unity of our membership.In 2008, I was honored to be selectedby this Division to be Co-Chairman ofthe Negotiating Committee for the 2008contract. Your president, Bob McEllrath,led this committee in achieving agood contract and I was proud to sitin the “second seat” and support him.In these negotiations, our bargainingcommittee made sure to maintain, andeven enhance, the gains made in priorcontracts to protect our families in theway of medical coverage, pensions,jurisdiction, and working conditions.In 2008, we achieved importantcontract improvements for the next sixyears. The contract usually gives us abreathing period, but not this time. ThePMA has come at this division twice inthe last six months to modify what theyagreed to in the contract. The leadershipof this division and the Caucus hasrepeatedly told the employers that theymust live up to the contract as agreed.We will continue to protect what weachieved in 2008 and prior contracts.With an ever-changing industry andnew technologies, including roboticsthat may reduce our workforce numbersin the future, it’s more importantthan ever that the ILWU and its rankand-filestay abreast of coming changesand analyze our options and strategieswell in advance of future contract bargaining.We must move the industryforward with technology advancementsand more efficient methods tokeep the West Coast ports attractiveand help bring back trade volumesthrough our ports. At the same time,we must remain extra vigilant againstthe employers’ increasing use of superintendentsto perform our work, especiallywhen it is a subterfuge to reducingour ranks. The employers often crypoverty, yet they have hired more andmore superintendents to micromanageour work!The key issues and challenges for thenext three years will be:• Protecting our pension and healthcare benefits;• Ensuring that our Section 1 workis protected for longshore andclerks;• Ensuring that the employers turnover the M&R work that we gainedin 2008;• Protecting our members in regardto the TWIC card;• Fighting for a national health careplan and the Employee FreeChoice Act;• Continuing to build internationalrelations and solidarity.Thank you for your support and Iask for your vote once again.John Kavanaugh, Local 29Brothers and Sisters:My name is John Kavanaugh and Iam a candidate for the Southern CoastCommitteeman position. We have justnegotiated one of the best contracts inthe history of the ILWU, and an effectiveadministration for this contract is crucialduring these harsh economic times.

My experience with the waterfrontbegan in San Pedro, California.I grew up just blocks from the docksand I attended Barton Hill ElementarySchool, Dana Junior High and FerminLasuen High School. I continuedmy education while working on thewaterfront by obtaining a Bachelor ofScience Degree from the University ofSan Francisco and a Masters Degree inBusiness Administration (MBA) fromthe University of Redlands.In 1969, I became a member of theILWU. Container Freight Stations wereopening on the waterfront and moremanning would be required. A shorttime later I experienced a strike lasting105 days. I observed the effectivenessof an organized picket line and witnessedfirsthand the solidarity that wascreated when rank and file membersdemonstrated together. Although, myparticipation was limited to picketing,I realized that actively contributingby serving the union on committeeswould be needed in the future. Sincethen, we have faced many changesand challenges that involve containerization,new technologies, mechanization,on-dock rails, M&R and the lossof container freight stations.In the past our contract in manyways patterned the ILA contract.We have for some time lifted the barthrough contract negotiations, obtainingthe best safety standards and jurisdictionlanguage. We must continueto fight all threats to the well being ofour union.The Coast Committeeman position,I believe, would provide the opportunityto ensure the contractual rightsfor members of the ILWU. My collegecredentials combined with my workexperience have enabled me to effectivelyrepresent our members. I haveserved on the grievance committee,the executive board, and labor relationscommittees. I have been a dispatcher,a business agent and a caucusdelegate in Locals 63 and Local 29. Iworked as a committee member onthe container freight committee, andI also participated on the Safety ComplianceCommittee in Los Angeles andLong Beach. I was one of the first railplanners, and helped establish yardplanning.We find ourselves, through no faultof our own, in tough economic times.We are facing an employer who iscommitted to cutting jobs with theuse of outsourcing tactics. Foreman,mechanics and longshoremen are nowexperiencing what clerks enduredwhen technology came to the waterfront.Effective contract administrationis crucial to our continued success.My goal is to enforce and protectour hard fought contractual rights. Ihave the education, credentials and40 years of experience to get the jobdone. I need your vote.Submitted in SolidarityJohn KavanaughCoast CommitteeNorthwestLeal “Leo” Sundet, Local 8I am your incumbent NorthwestCoast Committeeman. I was nominatedfor a second term by your electeddelegates at the recent Coast LongshoreDivision Caucus held in Seattle.Like the economy at large, theLongshore Division is experiencingthe worst economic downturn in its75-year history. The challenges thatwe are facing are unprecedented. Theemployers are panicking, and they arenot paying attention to the health ofthe industry or the traditional relationshipsthat have moved us forward.Today, everything that the employersdo is directly related to the quarterlybottom line.In 2009, the Negotiating Committeebargained an Agreement thatincluded jurisdictional gains and pension,health, and welfare improvements.We were lucky to completenegotiations before anyone realizedthat a severe economic downturn wasupon us.Our problem now is that the benefitplans are funded only by thosePMA employers that are moving cargoand only to the extent of the volumemoved. As such, cargo and man hoursare effectively taxed on a real-timebasis to pay current and future benefits.The tax, or assessment, is leviedon a per-unit basis. This means thatif only one employer moves one containerwith one longshoreman, thatemployer is responsible for the entirepresent and future cost of the benefitplans for everyone. An employerwho moved cargo during good timesand paid relatively lower unit costsnow pays nothing if that employer nolonger moves cargo. During the 2008contract negotiations, the NegotiatingCommittee made efforts to addressproblems with the assessment process,but those efforts were rebuffedby PMA. Following the end of negotiations,the Coast Committee madeadditional attempts to intercede in theassessment process. Again, we wererebuffed by PMA.In normal times it doesn’t matter.Harry Bridges used to say, wedemand the benefit and leave it to theemployers to figure out how to payfor it. However, this unprecedentedeconomic downturn demonstratesthat the employers’ method of paymentdoes impact us. It impacts us inthat it artificially drives up real laborcosts. That means that we can expectto see increasing efforts by both PMAemployers and non-PMA employersto do everything possible to avoidemploying ILWU longshore workersand clerks.As part of the effort to avoidemploying ILWU longshore workersand clerks, we will see increasingattempts to circumvent our jurisdictionin small ports generally and inthe area of clerk and M&R work particularly.That attack will come usingstimulus money to construct competingnon-union facilities. It will comeusing other unions such as the IAM,IBEW, and the Iron Workers. It willeven come from inside our family asthe employers try to pit us against theOCU, the IBU, and the WarehouseLocals.Protecting our jurisdiction mustbe the primary function of the CoastCommittee in the next three years.Good wages and benefits can only besustained if we protect our right toperform all ship and dock work.INTERNATIONALEXECUTIVE BOARDWashington/PugetSoundHerald Ugles, Local 19It has been an honor to serve onthe following committees and electedpositions:• 2008 Contract Negotiation Comm.• 1997, 2000, 2003 & 2006 GrainHandlers Agreement NegotiationComm.• 2005 Ship Board ContractNegotiation Comm.• Coast Port Security Comm.• Coast Public Relations Comm.• Coast Lost Years Comm.• Co-Chair of Coast Cruise ShipsComm.• Chairman of Puget Sound Area LRC• Convention/Caucus Delegate Local19, 2003 to Present• President Local 19, Aug. 2004 toJan. 2009• Puget Sound District Council Delegate• Past Board of Director WaterfrontFederal Credit UnionAs the ILWU continues to evolve,it is important to adapt to the environmentin which we live and work.We need to realize that the methodswe used in the past, which brought usgreat successes, now require creativethinking, as well as using a varietyof tools and techniques to navigatethe global workplace. We must neverchange our 10 guiding principles; andmust continue to protect our workersand be an outspoken champion forthe working class.The ILWU must continue to reachout globally to our sisters and brothersto join forces to battle the multinationalcorporations. Politically, we must continueto stay active and work to electrank-and-file members to office. As wehave learned in the past, just becausethey are Democrats, doesn’t mean theywill act in our best interests.The ILWU is founded on the principle,“An injury to one is an injury toall.” As rank and file, we are at our bestwhen we carry this motto in our heartsand through our actions. It would bean honor to be your elected representativeto the International ExecutiveBoard and fight to uphold the principlesthat have made us strong.Yours in Solidarity, Herald UglesMax Vekich Jr., Local 52No statement submitted.Conrad F. Spell, Local 23Dear Brothers and Sisters,It’s been an honor and privilege tohave served as an International ExecutiveBoard member for the past sixyears and I am seeking re-election.My longshore career began in 1976as a casual worker on the TacomaWaterfront. I was elevated to “B” statusin 1986, and after receiving “A”registration in 1992 began serving theunion as an elected officer.Listed below are the offices I’ve heldin the ILWU:• Local #23 Executive Board, 1994-present• Local #23 Labor RelationsCommittee, 1997-2000• Local #23 Caucus Delegate,1998-present• Northwest Area Grain Negotiations,1999-present• International Executive Board,2003-present• ILWU Local #23 President, 2004-presentWith your support I will continueto do my best to serve the ILWU.In Solidarity, Conrad SpellOregon/Columbia RiverJames D. Daw, Local 8I was registered as class “B” longshoremenin Local 8 in April of 1980,elevated to Class “A” nine years later.I have been elected to many positionsin Local 8 including Executive Board,Vice President, Earnings Clerk, ConventionDelegate, Longshore CaucusDelegate and Parliamentarian. I haveserved on Local 8‘s Rules committeeand many others. I represented Local8 on the Oregon Columbia RiverOrganizing committee as Secretary-Treasurer during International PresidentDavid Arian’s administration,where we were involved in severalorganizing campaigns. I have workedwith Jobs with Justice and attendedtheir national convention in Miami.As a Longshore Caucus delegateI have been elected as Parliamentarian.I have also served on many CoastCommittee subcommittees such asPort Security, Public Relations, Longshoreand Clerks Technology andJurisdiction. For the 2002 contract Iwas the coordinator for activities withthe ILWU and AFL-CIO, also communicationsand Public Relations.I participated in the 2004 legislativeconference in DC. I was on the 2008ILWU Longshore and Clerks Contractnegotiation committee. I have aseat on the Coast Guard’s AMSC (AreaMaritime Security Committee).These are a few of the positions Ihave held and the committees I haveserved on. I will continue to serve theILWU. If elected to the InternationalExecutive Board (IEB) I will communicatewith all locals prior to andafter IEB meetings. Therefore I ask allILWU members of the Oregon ColumbiaRiver Area for your support andyour vote for the International ExecutiveBoard.George O’Neil, Local 40Brothers and Sisters:It has been an honor and a greatlearning experience representing theColumbia River the last three years onthe International Executive Board.I have been a trustee for the IEBwhich taught me the inner workings ofthe International’s financials. I appreciatethe hard work of the titled officersand how they make sure our money isnot wasted.Also, I served on the sub-committeeto oversee the organizing department.We have made changes, patterning thedepartment after Hawaii’s.In Local 40 I am the Chief Dispatcherand Convention/Caucus Delegate. I’malso on the Oregon Area District Council.We have four members running fortwo positions. I am confident any ofthe four would do a great job. “Pleasevote.” It is too important not to.In solidarity, George O’NeilJohn Philbrook, Local 21The IEB (International ExecutiveBoard) is the highest governing bodyof our great Union and I would behonored to receive your vote for thisposition. I’m a third-generation longshoremanfrom Local 21 in Longview.Since I became registered in 1995, Ihave spent a majority of my personaltime serving the ILWU. I have dedicatedthis time to maintaining andimproving Longshore jurisdiction withproven results at the local level and atthe highest governing body for theLongshore Division; the 2008 NegotiatingCommittee. I believe throughthis experience I am ready to servethe whole International through theIEB. If elected I look to improve communicationwith area locals for inputand actions taken by the IEB. Again,I would appreciate your vote and lookforward to continued service for ourUnion.• August 1995: Registered “B”Longshoreman• Fall 1995 to 1999: SupervisoryCommittee, Lower ColumbiaLongshoreman’s Federal CreditUnion• 1998 to 2001: Secretary/Treasurer,ILWU Local 21• 1999 to present: Board of Directors,Lower Columbia Longshoreman’sFederal Credit Union• 1999 to 2004: Chairman,Longview Longshore Charity GolfTournament, (to date: raised over$10,000 for Cowlitz County RIF(Reading Is Fundamental)• 2002 to 2004: Secretary/Treasurer,Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central LaborCouncil, AFL-CIO• 2003 to 2008: Health and WelfareOfficer, ILWU Local 21• Summer/Fall 2004: Labor NeighborSouthwest Washington AreaCoordinator (Political Action forWashington State Labor Council)• 2005 to 2007: President, Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council,AFL-CIO• 2005 to 2008: President, ILWULocal 21• 2005 to present: Pension &Welfare Committee, AreaRepresentative, ILWU• 2007 to present: Area Chairman,Oregon/Columbia River Area• March-August 2008: LongshoreDivision Negotiating CommitteeRyan Takas, Local 5Fellow ILWU Members:At the 2009 ILWU Convention inSeattle, WA, it was my honor to benominated for International ExecutiveBoard (IEB) Representative for theColumbia River District. As an ILWUmember since 2000, I have had theopportunity to participate in manyfacets of ILWU life. I have been aConvention Delegate three times; VicePresident of the Oregon Area DistrictCouncil; Vice President and BusinessAgent of ILWU Local 5; Lead Negotiatorfor bargaining with Powell’s Booksand Aramark; Jobs with Justice Delegate;“salt” for the ILWU Organizingcontinued on page 14DISPATCHER • July/August 2009 13

Candidate statementscontionued from page 13Department; picket line walker forILWU area standards pickets; hot dogslinger at Bloody Thursday and tonsof other ILWU picnic events. To saythat I am passionately involved withthe ILWU would be the understatementof the year.If elected, I will bring this samelevel of passion and involvement tothe position. I will communicate, asconsistently and thoroughly as possible,the interests and concerns of ourarea to the IEB. I will be an advocatefor all ILWU Divisions by maintainingopen communications with both theleadership as well as rank and file ofeach Local. I will solicit input prior toeach IEB meeting and provide reportbacksafter. I will attend any and allmeetings, pickets, or other events thata Local requests of me and providesupport wherever possible. Regardlessof whether or not I am elected, Iwill continue to give you, the ILWUfamily, my very best.I ask that when you vote in this election,you consider my obvious dedicationto the ILWU and cast your votefor me, Ryan Takas, for IEB Representativefor the Columbia River District.Southern Californiation need. These all translate into badlyneeded jobs. We are in a fight to ensurethat Southern California is the seaportof choice and longshore and warehouselocals must be the labor doingthe work.Everything built from here on outwill have to be greener and more environmentallyfriendly. And jobs are themarker. As Southern California portsare increasingly approached by environmentalists,most of whom are noteven from here, our jobs will be atstake. Our port communities simplycan’t afford to lose a single job. Andwhere we can create jobs, the betterfor everyone. Jobs feed families. Thousandsfeed many families. What oncemay have been a more rhetoricallybased question of employment hastaken on a more simplified direction;housing, feeding, and protecting yourloved ones, the most basic of needs.It doesn’t get any simpler than that.Peter Peyton, Local 63I have been a member of the ILWUsince 1985, coming in as a “B” member.Since then I have served Locals13 and 63 as an Officer and/or ExecutiveBoard member of both Locals.At the Coast level, I created, was amember of, or chaired almost all ofthe major subcommittees within theLongshore Division of the ILWU. Iserved on the 1999 Negotiating Committeeand while working at both theLocal and Coast levels, created budgetsthat made it possible to carry onimportant ILWU programs in the areasof membership education, politicalaction, jurisdiction, and improvementin working conditions.On the jurisdictional front, I successfullyled a campaign against privatizationat the LAXT facility in the L.A. Harborthereby maintaining a harbor areaunion prevailing wage standard andimproving the air quality for the harborarea community and its workers.I worked to develop and thenchaired the ILWU’s Legislative Committee,which built relations in WashingtonD.C. in preparation for the ILWU’s2002 Coastwise Contract negotiations,for which I spent six months in Washingtonwhile the Negotiating Committeefought the Pacific Maritime Associationin San Francisco. I continue tomaintain those relations for the union’sfuture. My work in Washington D.C.includes serving on the Marine TransportationSystem National AdvisoryCommittee (MTSNAC), which advisesthe Secretary of Transportation onnational transportation matters; additionally,I was selected, and continue tobe the Chair for the MTSNAC EducationCommittee.Following the 2006 national elections,I worked on the strategy to helpthe ILWU build its Political Action Fundto be one of the nation’s top 100 politicalaction funds in preparation for the2008 Congressional and Presidentialelections, with an eye to “taking backthe House and Senate” and putting aDemocrat back in the White House.My interest in serving my unionstems from a strong family tie thatincludes family members in Locals 13,63, 94 and the Office Clerical Unit.My goal as a member of the IEB willbe to bring different perspectives to alldivisions on the trials the union facesdue to the changing global economy;with the realization that throughoutits 75-year history our great union hasfaced challenges equal to or greaterthan what we face today.The ILWU, through its worldwiderecognition for strength, democracy,and progressive thought has led thedebate in working-class issues. Withthe proper leadership and resolvefor unity, the ILWU will continueto set the standard for the future ofstrong unions and believes that asmuch as we have a responsibility tothose people who came before us inmaintaining the ILWU tradition, it isthis generation’s duty to forge a newdirection which will lead it to its next75 years of prosperity and respect.John L. Fageaux Jr., Local 63Brothers and Sisters of the ILWU,My name is John L. Fageaux Jr. andI am seeking a position on the InternationalExecutive Board representingthe Southern California area. First Iwould like to thank you for taking thetime to read my campaign statementand for allowing me to share with youmy experience and background.Experience: I am a proud memberof ILWU Local 63 OCU. I amcurrently serving as President of thelocal, a position I have been electedto for eight consecutive terms afterserving two terms as Vice President.I first became a member of the ILWUby way of Local 13 Allied Division inthe 1980s. Since that time I have helda variety of different position in theILWU such as Shop Steward, GrievanceCommittee Member, ExecutiveBoard Member, Vice President andPresident.Accomplishments: While servingas an officer of Local 63 OCU I havenegotiated dozens of contracts, all ofwhich have resulted in substantialgains in wages, health and welfarebenefits, pensions, and most importantlyJOB SECURITY!At a time when a lot of unions arelosing membership by the thousands,under my leadership we have increasedthe size of our membership by over80%. The majority of this growth hascome by way of organizing, which issomething that has always been veryimportant to me and my local. Overthe last few years we have organizedand brought under contract manycompanies including the following:Hanjin Shipping, Hapag Lloyd, ChinaShipping, COSCO Agencies, SupportServices International, COSCO LongBeach, Inchcape Shipping Services,Consolidated Leasing and TerminalsInc., Moran Shipping and InteroceanSteamship Corp, to name a few.Education & Training: I have beenvery fortunate in receiving a great dealof education and training related tolabor and our unique industry. Followingis a partial list of my industryrelated education and training.• Harvard University, Negotiatinglabor contracts 2002• University of Michigan, Negotiatingand Administering the LaborContract 2005• Labor Law and Arbitration Course2003 & 2005• Transpacific Maritime Conference2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007and 2008• International Legislative Conferencein Washington, DC 2004Vision: I believe that it is imperativethat as a union we must be progressiveand forward thinking withoutforgetting who we are and where wecome from. The ILWU has a long andproud history, a history that teaches uswhat we should do and at times moreimportantly, what we shouldn’t do.We must learn from our lessons andMike Mitre, Local 13I am running for the position ofInternational Executive Board determinedto retain and bring back asmuch cargo, discretionary and non-discretionary,as possible. For the ILWU,increased imports means increasedjobs. The fact is, imports will not magicallyreappear on our docks withoutour solid involvement. The ILWU mustbe a presence and lobby in WashingtonD.C., as we must create a relationshipwith the major players in showing thatILWU effectiveness and efficiency is thebest. For our ILWU members and families,the future is directly linked to thejob we do, and how well we do it.The redesign and rebuild of America’sseaports is a no-brainer; seaportinfrastructure and container facilitiesincluding trucking and on-dock rail isa must and will determine the viabilityof our West Coast ports. In the old daysit was the diversification of the fishingindustry, canneries, and shipbuilding.Today, we concentrate our effortsaround containerized imports. Theseprovide jobs and opportunities andgave us big-time employment.We must work hard to attract everysize, shape, and commodity of cargoshipped over the oceans both insideand outside containers. Our townsare the solid environments they arebecause of the richness of our jobs, ourhousing, schools, and good neighbors.The community and ports have helpedbuild and create jobs and infrastructure.Local multicultural, diverse, hardworkingfamilies settled here becauseof the opportunity and our legacy liesin doing our part to protect the foundationof this.I’ve served two previous terms onthe Board and am running again forthe position of the ILWU InternationalExecutive Board. Infrastructureimprovement in our container terminalsbenefits not only longshoremen,but thousands of ILWU workersinvolved at every step of the freight andtransportation super-highway. Oncethe cans hit America, seaport terminalsmove cargo, be it through trucking,rail, or other variety of transportastriveto adapt to the ever-changingindustrial and political climates thatwe live in.In conclusion, I believe I possessthe experience, education and knowledgerequired to perform the duties ofInternational Executive Board Memberat a level expected by our members.Thank you for your support.Fraternally, John L. Fageaux Jr.Luisa Gratz, Local 26Dear Brothers and Sisters:We must prepare together tostrengthen our union, to protect ourunion contracts in all ILWU Divisions,and to protect the rights of our membersagainst employers and corporateassaults. Outsourcing, reduced andloss of work opportunity has causedgreat suffering to our members andtheir families and communities. Wemust work hard to secure our futureby protecting our accomplishmentstoday.I am currently serving our unionon the International Executive Boardas one of three representatives fromthe Southern California area. I am alsoserving ILWU membership as presidentof Local 26, a position I havebeen elected to since 1984. I have alsoserved as a steward, chief steward,president of our stewards’ council andbusiness agent.As president of Local 26 I negotiatecontracts, prepare for grievance arbitrationsand organize new membersinto the ILWU. As a past president ofthe ILWU Southern California DistrictCouncil (SCDC) I have lobbied,prepared legislation, conducted Stateof Calif. and Congressional hearings,and testified on behalf of the ILWU onplant closings, health and safety andother issues of concern to our membership.I am currently secretary-treasurerof the SCDC.Working for our union is challenging.It has been an honor to serve ourunion and members over the yearsand I look forward to continuing todo so.In solidarity and fraternally,Luisa GratzSouthern Cal. MiningIndustryBruce Wade, Local 30To all my brothers and sisters of ILWUand Local 30:I would like to take this time andask you for your vote and support forInternational Executive Board representativefor Local 30. I pledge to dothe best job possible for all the membershipof Local 30, as well as communicatewith our Local 30 Presidentand exchange ideas and informationneeded to keep everyone informed.As to my involvement with Local30, I have been a union safety rep,shop steward, and currently I am achief steward, balloting committeemember, executive board member andnegotiation committee member for theupcoming negotiations of 2009.I would always continue to strivefor rights and solidarity for the unionworking force and for my brothersand sisters of Local 30. I would alsolike to get the word out to ALL ourfellow locals of the ILWU concerningLocal 30 and our upcoming negotiationsfor our contract that is endingNov. 4, 2009, and ask them as well asyou (Local 30) for support and solidarityfor Local 30 during this verydifficult time.I ask you all to remember: “Aninjury to one is an injury to all.”Thank you for your support!Northern CaliforniaRené Ducroux, Local 34My name is René Ducroux and Iam running for the office of NorthernCalifornia Representative to theInternational Executive Board. I amcurrently President of Local 34, whichrepresents Marine Clerks and OfficeClerical Workers in the San FranciscoBay Area and Delta. In 2002 I servedas the Northern California Port PublicRelations Director during negotiationsand the Lockout. I have also servedas the Technology Business Agent forLocal 34 from 2003 through 2008 andas a member of the Coast TechnologyCommittee.These are tough times for all of us,and it is more important than ever toprotect our work jurisdiction and tostay a unifying force representing theinterests of all workers. The body atthe 2009 International Conventioncommunicated many of the challengesthe union faces and provided cleardirection. In the midst of unrelentingattacks by our employers the union isin the process of changing the ways inwhich we handle our business, implementingnew organizing strategies,effectively managing our financialresources and improving our politicaland public relations responses toorganizing, technology, outsourcingand health care for all workers.The challenge now for the InternationalExecutive Board and Officers isto clearly communicate these strategiesand elicit greater participationfrom the rank and file. The successof this union has and always will be afunction of its rank-and-file solidarityboth internally and internationally.As your representative on the InternationalExecutive Board, I will do all inmy power to serve the membership ofthis great union. I appreciate your vote.Melvin Mackay, Local 10I would be honored to serve onthe International Executive Board.I’ve served many terms as a Local 10officer where I’ve been elected by therank-and-file for the past five years.I’ve served as a Business Agent (twoterms/four years), Local ExecutiveBoard member (two terms/two years),and currently serve as President whereI’m now in my second term. I’ve beenworking on the docks for 18 years; 10of them as a mechanic and eight as alongshoreman.I’ve helped Local 10 membersdeal with many challenges, includingcomplicated arbitrations, importantfights over jurisdiction, health andsafety battles, and all sorts of contractenforcement issues. I served onthe 2008 Negotiating Team where I14 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009

helped us win an excellent contractthat preserved our health benefits,expanded our jurisdiction, improvedour pensions, and more.The biggest challenge we’re facingnow is how to cope with the economicdownturn. Companies are seekingconcessions and staffing cutbacks, soit requires us to respond in a wellorganizedand thoughtful manner inorder to protect our contract gains. Ina situation like this, we have to learnhow to cope with the everyday pressureswithout turning against eachother. I’m confident that we can surviveand grow if we work together,stick it out, and stay united.As difficult as things are for us,they’re much worse for the 90% ofworkers who have no union to helpthem. We have a responsibility to helpworkers organize and join the ILWUand other unions—not just to helpothers, which we should—but also toprotect our own gains that are vulnerablein a non-union environment.I take my role as an elected official inour union very seriously, including myresponsibility to keep people informedand to be honest about my views andpositions. If elected, I will work hardto help us unite and fight for social justiceand a stronger union. I would behonored to have your vote.Fred Pecker, Local 6I have been privileged to serveour union in several capacities: as amember of the International ExecutiveBoard, as the Secretary-Treasurerof the Northern California DistrictCouncil, and as an officer of Local 6since 1991. I have also served as a delegate,and on the Executive Board ofthe San Francisco Labor Council, andbeen a delegate to the California LaborFederation, AFL-CIO Conventionsand Legislative Conferences since themid-‘90s. I ask for your support inmy bid for re-election to the ILWUInternational Executive Board. Thankyou for your past support.We are in the worst economic timesthat most of us have experienced inour working lives. Now is the timefor each of us to step up and contribute.Building the ILWU means morethan a monthly dues payment; ourunion is built on sweat equity. Ourtime, intelligence and effort will see usthrough the rough. It is our duty toset the table for those who come afterus the way our predecessors lookedout for us—leaving things better thanthey found them—giving us a gift. Itis up to us to stand up and struggle forour future and that of the generationsto come.With your support I will continueto be a strong voice for our membershipin Northern California, andsupport the ILWU from San Diegoto Alaska to Hawaii. I will continueto work with all of the divisions ofour union—Longshore, Maritimeand Warehouse—to assist in buildingour strength and ability to supporteach other. Si se puede, yes wecan. Vote Fred Pecker for IEB No. CA.Marc Anthony Cuevas, Local 54I started casual longshoring in 1976and was registered in 1998. Throughcircumstance and opportunity, it hasbeen my honor to serve this union inseveral capacities. I represented smallports on the 2008 negotiating committee.I am presently on the EducationCommittee and serve as an alternate tothe Budget Committee. I was presidentand business agent of longshore Local54 where I currently serve as Auditor,Trustee and Caucus Delegate. Myunion activism started on the picketline at USS-POSCO in Pittsburg, CAwhen I was 17. My traveling partnerand I protested the WTO at the “Battlein Seattle.” I worked with the ILWUpolitical action team that was sent tothe battleground state of Wisconsin in2004.Brothers and sisters, we have beenwarned; once again tough times arecoming. Hard decisions have to bemade that will change our union andaffect what we do in the future. Wehave enough strength and leadershipto maintain our place on the WestCoast. In the future, the coast-widecontract will have to adapt or it mayfail us. We must not allow our contractor us to become obsolete. Developmentsin technology, economics andthe environment bring many changeswhich we must learn to live with. Thegreatest difficulty we face though, maycome from within. Attitudes of entitlementand invulnerability may blind usor block us from being vigilant. Thisunion is worth protecting and fightingfor, but our energies need to be sharplyfocused and not wasted. We cannotafford the luxury of ill-considered ideasor half-executed efforts.Organizing must remain a core goal.Ongoing education is the key to passingon our union inheritance and preparingour newer brothers and sistersto face an uncertain and global future.This generation of elected representativesmust be visionary and shrewd,tireless and tenacious. Challenges havealways been there and always will be.As we move forward let us be proud ofour past but not restricted by it.I bring patience, perseverance and asense of realistic optimism to the table.I will represent with passion and compassion,with commitment and integrity.I will strive to replace disharmonywith unity. I would be honored toreceive your vote for IEB. Please vote;it is the duty, honor and responsibilityof a democratic organization.AlaskaDebbie “Mouse” Manowski, RN,Local 200I would like your vote and an opportunityto represent Alaska on the ILWUExecutive Board. I have been an ILWUunion member of unit 2201 since1988. I have been involved in all butthe very first contract negotiations andeither an officer or steward since 1990.Having been involved with such adiversified unit (representing radiology,clerical, laboratory, dietary, and environmentalstaff, physical/occupationaland respiratory therapists, pharmacistsand nurses) I feel that I could representthe diversity of Local 200. I havebeen serving on the Alaska Local 200E-board for 15 years and have been theSecretary-Treasurer for the last threeyears. I have served as a delegate toInternational conventions.Dennis L. Young, Local 200Brothers & Sisters,As a rank and file member of theILWU Alaska Longshore Divisionsince 1989 I have had the opportunityto hold various elected offices:Local level – Dispatcher, Secretary/Treasurer, Vice-President, Presidentand State level – Area committeeman,President and Trustee. The IEB Alaskaseat is an integral elected position forour region related to our constituenciesto the International thru Conventionaction. Further, I hope to representour region to ensure that Alaskahas a unified voice and promotethe progressive rank and file valuesthat make up our great union whilerespecting the autonomy of the variouslocals and units.Born and raised in Alaska, I believethat I understand the various industriesthat impact our labor forcestatewide and have participated inpolitical action locally, statewide andnationally for the ILWU. We need foreveryone to work together to continueto strengthen the ILWU presence,spreading the word that we aregoing to continue to grow our greatunion throughout the State of Alaska.If elected as your representative I willpromote coordinated efforts to continuethe organizing efforts that weattempted in the recent past and thoseyet to come. This can only come uponthe unified strength of the Alaskaregion and the mobilization of everylocal and unit membership.I humbly and respectfully requestyour support for IEB Alaska representativefor the next three years, promisingto uphold the Constitution andTen Guiding Principles of the ILWU;always having an open ear for the rankand file while representing the actionsfrom convention on your behalf.In Solidarity, Dennis YoungCanadaTom Dufresne, Local 500No statement submitted.IBUAlan Coté, IBUI am honored to be the nominee forInternational Executive Board representingthe Inlandboatmen’s Union ofthe Pacific, the Marine Division of theILWU. This will be my second termon the IEB and having some experi-ence will be very helpful in what is acritical time for all of the divisions ofthe ILWU.We made some changes at ourconvention especially concerning theorganizing department. As a boardmember I wholly support future organizingefforts and the completionof the Rite Aid contract campaign.Realizing, however, that money willbe tight, we must be very thoughtfulabout selecting targets and allocatingour resources. I am confident that weare up to that challenge and we willsee success in organizing.I also support the outreach tointernational unions. The IBU hasalso begun an international programincluding participating in a sisterport relationship with Sydney, Australia,Locals 19 and 52. We are alsoactive with the ITF Seafarers Sectionwhich broadens our coalition withmany maritime unions. There canbe no doubt that this outreach willstrengthen our union.I plan to attend the AFL-CIO conventionthis year and hope to see achange for the good as relates to representationand inclusion of all the affiliates.Hopefully the new leaders of theAFL-CIO will unify labor and revitalizethe movement. I have heard loudand clear as we all have at conventionor caucus that the status quo cannotstand if we are to truly have a voice inthe national labor arena.Knowing that this will be a pivotalthree years for the ILWU and theMarine Division and that we will facemany challenges due to the economy,the health care crisis and pensionfunding, now is the time to unifywithin the ranks, support our leadersand work even harder to maintain thelegacy given to us by our founders. Ithank you for your support.HawaiiDouglas Cabading, Local 142(Pineapple)My name is Douglas Cabading(known as Doug to many). I am a contenderfor the IEB seat for Pineapple. Iam interested in this seat to voice andsupport the pineapple and all otherindustries. I have concerns of the wellbeing of our members.I have experience in leadership:Membership Service Chairman forUnit 2306, Unit 2306 1st Vice Chairman,Unit 2306 Chairman, MauiDivision Assistant Sports coordinator,sits on pineapple industry negotiations,Maui division Trustee (current),sits on the Local Executiveboard, delegate to the Local Conventionand delegate for the pineappleindustry at the International Conventions,also was part of the constitutioncommittee for both conventionsHarold Gouveia, Local 142(Pineapple)Aloha, fellow union members. Myname is Harold Gouveia and I wouldlike to be your next InternationalExecutive Board Member RepresentingHawaii’s Pineapple Seat.I am currently the chairman of Local142/Unit 2307—pineapple industry.I have been a union member in goodstanding for the past 31 years. I havepreviously served as a union steward,union vice chairman and representedthe union membership on varioussafety committees. The welfare of ourmembers is always my utmost priority.My energy and vision is for pineappleto stay in the United States as long aspossible while maintaining fair treatment,pay and benefits for our members.I am not afraid to fight for you,your rights and your benefits as unionmembers. I have been and will continueto be a strong, conscientious,vocal and attentive supporter of ALLmembers of Local 142 and ask for yourvote to represent you. The Union ishere for your protection and to keepa balance of fairness for our rank andfile. I want to be a part of the decisionmakingboard that takes care of you…..our members.I live on the island of Maui and am athird-generation employee of the pineappleindustry. Now more than ever, itis important to be aware of what is happeningin our economy and our countryas a whole and to make decisionsthat will benefit our union members.Again, my name is Harold Gouveia andI would like your vote for the positionof International Executive Board Member– Hawaii – Pineapple Seat.Francis Kamakaokalani, Local142 (General Trades)No statement submitted.Aurora Raposas, Local 142(Sugar)No statement submitted.Samuel Kaaihue, Local 142(Longshore)I have been a longshoreman at thePort of Kahului on the Island of Mauifor nearly 29 years. Within the past fewyears I have served as a unit delegateand chairman for Unit 2201, MaulLongshore Division. During that timeI have attended the 2006 and 2009ILWU International Conventions.With my extensive knowledge andyears of hard work and dedication, itwould be an honor and privilege to beelected as an International ExecutiveBoard Member, to represent all longshoreworkers in the State of Hawaii, andall my brothers and sisters of the ILWU.Aloha and Mahalo!Cyrus Kodani, Local 142(Tourism)No statement submitted.DISPATCHER • July/August 2009 15

YHEALTH CARESINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE (HR676) (R-7)RESOLVED: That the ILWU once again endorsesHR676, the “United States National Health CareAct;” andThat ILWU calls on the AFL-CIO and Changeto Win to join with and support other concernedorganizations in educating and mobilizing broadpublic and political support for single payer healthcare; andThat the ILWU calls on the AFL-CIO and CtW topersevere for passage of single payer health careto meet the needs of our members, our families,and all America, and not endorse or support anyfallback program of mandated insurance or publicoption plans which include the wasteful, for-profitinsurance industry; andThat ILWU calls on the AFL-CIO and CtW toactively lobby the White House and Congress forpassage of single payer health care; andThat ILWU calls on the AFL-CIO and CtW tohelp organize and financially support a “Healthcareis a Human Right” Solidarity March and Rallyin Washington, DC.ENDORSING SINGLE-PAYER, UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE (HR676-SB840) (R-12)RESOLVED: That the ILWU 34th International Conventionwholeheartedly endorses CongressmanConyers’ bill HR 676, “Expanded and ImprovedMedicare for All,” a single payer health careprogram; andThat the ILWU 34th International Conventionwholeheartedly endorses California State SenateBill 840 (authored by termed out Senator SheilaKuehl), which would provide for single-payerhealth care for all in the State of California (wherepresently 7 million people are without health insurance);andThat the ILWU 34th International Conventionwill work with other unions and communitygroups to build a groundswell of popular supportand action for single payer universal health careuntil we make what is morally right for our nationinto what is also politically possible.UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, PENSIONS, SICK LEAVE,FAMILY LEAVE (R-25)RESOLVED: In finding long-term solutions to thiseconomic crisis, we need to rationally consider thesocial programs adopted by other countries andreject the propaganda of the right wing that seeksonly to protect their property and wealth; andThat this Convention of the ILWU supports theestablishment of a universal health care system inthe United States which can be based on many successfulmodels such as Canada’s single payer system,Great Britain’s government run health caresystem, or France and Germany’s government regulationof private health insurance companies.HEALTH CARE FOR ALL (R-27)RESOLVED: That this Convention of the InternationalLongshore and Warehouse Union supportscomprehensive health care reform, includingconsideration of a single payer system, that willensure access to quality health care for everyonein the U.S. without compromising the employerbasedsystem; andThat this Convention encourages each ILWUmember to promote wellness for themselves andtheir families and participate in chronic diseasemanagement.UNION BUSINESSSTATEMENT OF POLICY ON CONVENTIONLOCATIONS (C-1)The Titled Officers and the International ExecutiveBoard recommend that Article XI, Section 1.A ofthe International Constitution be updated to reflectthe current Convention schedule. The revisedsection will read:16 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009Programs and PoliciesAdopted by the 34th ConventionSECTION 1. A Convention of the Internationalshall be held every three (3) years beginning at 10a.m. on the second Monday following Easter Sunday.However, the International Executive Boardmay authorize a different Convention locationand starting date, which shall be no earlier thanMarch 1st nor later than June 30th of the year inwhich the Convention is to be held.Conventions will be held on the following rotationalbasis in a host city of each area enumerated,except when granted an exception by theInternational Executive Board as stated above:1. Southern California Area, 20122. Hawaii Area, 20153. Oregon/Columbia River Area, 20184. Northern California Area, 20215. ILWU Canada, 20246. Washington/Puget Sound/Alaska, 20277. Southern California Area, 2030STATEMENT OF POLICY ON THE POLITICALACTION FUND (C-2)Several years ago the Titled Officers, based onlegal advice, stopped diverting part of the Internationalper capita into the Political Action Fund(PAF). At that time we began a campaign of solicitingour members for voluntary contributions tothe PAF. Since then our members have respondedby digging deep into their pockets and have providedthe PAF with substantially more funds thanwas ever collected through the diversion of the percapita. As a result our voice is heard throughoutthe halls of Congress and our position on issues istaken under serious consideration.We believe that Article X, Section 2 of the InternationalConstitution should be amended todelete the language referring to the “diversion”as that language is no longer appropriate. This is ahousekeeping amendment and will have no effecton how the PAF is currently operating. The revisedsection will read as follows (language to be addedis underlined and language to be deleted has aline through it):SECTION 2. The International shall establisha Political Action Fund, which shall consist exclusivelyof voluntary contributions. The union willnot favor or disadvantage any member becauseof the amount of his/her contribution or the decisionnot to contribute. In no case will a member berequired to pay more than his/her pro rata shareof the union’s collective bargaining expenses.Reports on the status of the fund and the usesto which the voluntary contributions of the membersare put will be made to the InternationalExecutive Board.The voluntary contributions to the Political ActionFund shall be collected as follows:Up to One Dollar and Fifty Cents ($1.50) ofeach March and July’s per capita payment to theInternational Union shall be diverted to the PoliticalAction Fund where it will be used in connectionwith Federal, state and local elections. Thesedeductions are suggestions only, and individualmembers are free to contribute more or less thanthat guideline suggests. The diverted funds will becontributed only on behalf of those members whovoluntarily permit that portion of their per capitapayment to be used for that purpose. The TitledOfficers may suspend either or both diversions if,in their judgment, the financial condition of theInternational warrants suspension.For three consecutive months prior to each diversioneach dues paying member of the union shallbe advised of his/her right to withhold the contributionor any portion thereof otherwise made inMarch and July Those members expressing such adesire, on a form provided by the InternationalUnion, shall be sent a check in the amount of thecontribution or less if they so desire, in advance ofthe member making his/her dues payment to thelocal union for the month in which the diversionoccurs.Those members who do not wish to have anyportion of their per capita payment diverted to thePolitical Action Fund, but wish to make politicalaction contributions directly to either the PoliticalAction Fund or their local union, may do so in anyamounts whenever they wish.STATEMENT OF POLICY ON TITLED OFFICERSSALARIES (C-3)The Titled Officers and International ExecutiveBoard recommend that the Titled Officerscontinue to be compensated on the same basisas is presently provided for in the InternationalConstitution, Article VI, Section 13. In accordancewith that section, which permits the Titled Officersto suspend or postpone their salary increase, theTitled Officers have elected to suspend their May1, 2009 salary increase due to the economic andfinancial difficulties thrust upon our members andaffiliates. Section 13 should be updated to reflectthe May 1, 2009 salary levels as follows:SECTION 13. The titled officers shall receivesuch salaries as may be provided for by action ofthe Convention.The salary of the International President shallbe One Hundred Seven Thousand Eight HundredSeventy-three Dollars and Fifty-eight Cents($107,873.58) per annum, and the salary of theother titled officers shall be One Hundred FourThousand Eight Hundred Seventy-Seven Dollarsand Eighty-four Cents ($104,877.84) per annum.Commencing May 1, 2010 and effective each May1 thereafter, the annual wages of the titled officersshall be adjusted by a percentage equal to theaverage of the increase in percentage terms in thebase rate of pay in the ILWU’s three major industries—Longshore,Northern California Warehouse,and Local 142’s major hotel agreements (Tourism)- during the previous calendar year. The titled officersshall have the authority to suspend or postponeany salary increase to which they are entitledpursuant to Article VI, Section 13 based on the financialsituation of the International Union. Further,they shall have the authority to reinstate anyor all suspended or postponed increases withoutretroactivity at any time between Conventions.This recommendation updates the titled officers’salaries to their current rates.STATEMENT OF POLICY ON OFFICERS AND STAFFPENSION PLAN (C-4)The ILWU Pension Plan for Officers and Staffemployees is a multi-employer plan covering theofficers and the administrative and field staff ofthe International, the officers and administrativestaff of the Coast Pro Rata Committee, andthe administrative staff of the ILWU-PMA BenefitPlan’s Office, including the Welfare Area Directorsand the ADRP Coordinators. These three employerseach contribute to the Plan, an amount equalto about $1,700,000 per year. The InternationalUnion’s share of this total is about $590,000 or 35%.The participants of the Plan are presently accruingbenefits at the rate of one hundred andfifty dollars ($150) per month per year of service,the maximum benefit is $5,250 per month ($150 x35 years); normal retirement age is 62; early retirementis available at age 55; and surviving spousesare entitled to fifty-five percent (55%) of the participant’sbenefit as of the participant’s date ofdeath if the participant is retired or seventy-fivepercent of the participant’s benefit if the participantis active. While the Plan is administered betweenConventions by the International ExecutiveBoard, any changes in benefits are subject to Conventionaction.It is the policy of the International Union tokeep the benefits available under the Officers andStaff Pension Plan in line with those benefits availableunder the longshore industry pension plan.We, therefore, recommend the following changesto the Officers and Staff Pension Plan to bring itin line with the pension improvements recentlynegotiated in the longshore industry pensionplan. These improvements will increase the minimumpension contributions by $500,000 whenfully phased in (in 2013). The ILWU’s share of the$500,000 increase will be $175,000.

Retiree Benefits: We recommend that the benefitfor retirees under the Officers and Staff PensionPlan, except for those who retired from terminated-vestedstatus, be increased, over six years,from $80 per month per qualifying year to theamounts listed in accordance with Table 1. Note,this phase in schedule is identical to that providedunder the recently negotiated longshore contract.Surviving Spouses: We recommend that thebenefit for surviving spouses of active employeesand those who retired after June 30, 2008 be increasedto seventy-five percent (75%) and that forother employees be increased in accordance withthe schedule listed in Table 2. Again, this recommendationwill maintain parity between retirees underthe Officers and Staff Pension Plan and the retireesunder the longshore industry pension plan.Accrual Rate: We recommend that the benefitaccrual rate and the maximum monthly benefitunder the Officers and Staff Pension Plan be increasedfrom $150 per month per year of service to$180 per month per year of service in accordancewith the schedule listed in Table 3. Again, thischange brings the benefit for active participantsin line with those benefits under the longshore industrypension plan.We also recommend that the plan provide twoearly retirement windows, the first one from August1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 and the secondone from August 1, 2012 through January 31,2013 for individuals who are at least 59-1/2 yearsold and have at least 13 years of service. Individualswho meet these requirements and who retireduring these windows would receive an unreducedpension benefit, that is, there would be noactuarial reduction for early retirement.Finally we recommend that the maximumyears of service under the Plan be increased from35 to 37 and that the bridge benefit (which is payableonly to individuals with 25 or more years ofservice) be increased by 25% (from $400 to $500per month for those retiring age 62 or later) andbe extended to survivors of actives or pensionerswho die on or after July 1, 2008. The bridgebenefit is payable only until the individual’s socialsecurity normal retirement age. Both of these improvementsare the same as the benefits under thelongshore industry pension plan.All together, these changes will increase, oversix years, the annual pension contribution fromthe International by $175,000. This increase hasbeen factored into the International’s budget forthe 2009 – 2011 budget cycle. It is anticipated thatfor the 2012-2014 budget cycle there will be noneed to increase the pension contribution rate.STATEMENT OF POLICY ON IEB Wages (C-14)Article VI, Section 13 of the International Constitutionprovides that, among other things: “ExecutiveBoard members when attending meetingsof the Board shall be paid One Hundred Dollars($100) per day wages.” This amount has been ineffect since 1983. Therefore the Titled Officers,the Trustees and the International Executive Boardrecommend that the wages paid to IEB membersbe increased to $150 per day and that the appropriatesection of Article VI, Section 13 be amendedto read:“Executive Board members when attendingmeetings of the Board shall be paid One Hundredand Fifty Dollars ($150) per day wages.”CREATING A FRATERNAL DISTRICT COUNCILDELEGATE (C-20)RESOLVED: That the 2009 Convention shall establisha fraternal delegate from each District Councilfor future Conventions, andThat the delegate costs shall be borne by theindividual District Councils.INCREASE UNION POLITICAL ACTION TO REVERSETHE DAMAGE OF THE BUSH PRESIDENCY (P-4)RESOLVED: That this Convention of the ILWU callsfor the continued support of the InternationalPolitical Action Fund by individual contributions orpayroll deduction; andThat the ILWU continues efforts at all levels ofthe union to educate and involve the rank and filein Union Political Action at the community, state,and national levels.TORGANIZINGSTATEMENT OF POLICY ON REVISING30 PERCENT ORGANIZING MANDATE (C-17)In 1997 the International Convention adopteda resolution, Commitment to Organizing, thatmandated thirty percent (30%) of the International’sper capita income be reserved for organizing.The rationale for this mandate was to have adequatemonies to fund expenses for organizing.After a thorough review of the organizing programby a sub-committee of the International ExecutiveBoard, this International Executive Board recommendsthat the 1997 30% mandate be changed toauthorize organizing expenses up to thirty percent(30%) of the per capita income.ORGANIZING THE UNORGANIZED ANDMOBILIZING OUR MEMBERSHIP (P-5)RESOLVED: That this Convention of the InternationalLongshore and Warehouse Union stronglysupports passage of the Employee Free Choice Actand encourages ILWU members to lend their supportindividually and through their locals; andThat this Convention also supports the principleof organizing our rank-and-file and urgeseach ILWU member to get involved in the union,be educated and informed about union businessand national and world affairs, and embraces theILWU motto (“An Injury to One is an Injury to All”)by supporting other workers in their struggle forjustice.ORGANIZING OF ALCATRAZ CRUISES (P-6)RESOLVED: That the ILWU fully supports the effortsof the ILWU organizing department in securingrepresentation of the Alcatraz Cruises workersby the IBU/ILWU.THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZING (P-8)RESOLVED: The ILWU International maintain organizingas a top priority of the ILWU, andThat the ILWU continues to put its moneywhere its goals are, andThat should austerity measures become necessarydue to the current world economic meltdown,funding for organizing be a core function of ourInternational Union.SUPPORT OF THE EMPLOYEEFREE CHOICE ACT (R-14)RESOLVED: That the ILWU does everything in itspower to make the Employee Free Choice Act thelaw of the land, including but not limited to pressingour allies in the halls of Congress to quicklypass this legislation which is vital to the long termsurvival of our local.SOLIDARITY AT HOMEABOLISHING DETRIMENTAL BUSHADMINISTRATION NLRB RULINGS (R-2)RESOLVED: That the ILWU International Officerswork with the Locals to compile this list and formallysend a Request to Vacate the NLRB rulings tothe U.S. Labor Department Secretary, Hilda Solis.LEGISLATION CREATING VACATION PROTECTIONSAND U.S. MINIMIM PAID TIME OFF (R-5)RESOLVED: The ILWU will seek out other groupsand coalitions already involved in paid vacationprotections and minimum paid leave legislationcampaigns to work together in championing thoseefforts; andThat the ILWU will support legislation to passcomprehensive paid vacation protections and minimumannual paid leave legislation for all workers;andThat the ILWU will use its lobbyists in WashingtonD.C. to promote and advance such legislation;andThat the ILWU will use its influence in theLabor Movement to build additional support forthis legislation.SUPPORT OF IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND INSUPPORT OF MAY DAY MARCHES (R-13)RESOLVED: That the 34th International Conventionendorse and encourage participation in theMay Day marches and other protest activities incities within our jurisdiction; andThat the 34th ILWU International Conventioncalls upon the members of Congress within ourgeographical jurisdiction to advocate for the followingreforms in regards to immigration:1) Legalization and equal rights forimmigrant workers;2) Stop ICE from their brutal raids onimmigrant workers;3) No “guest worker” programs;4) A moratorium on deportations; and5) Streamline the visa application process.SUPPORT OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF AMERICANTROOPS FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ANDTHE REINVESTMENT IN THE HUMAN NEEDS OFAMERICAN PEOPLE (R-15)RESOLVED: That the 34th ILWU Convention demandsthat the United States immediately begina complete withdrawal of armed forces from Iraqand Afghanistan, andThat the 34th ILWU Convention calls for an endto private war profiteering and that contractors beheld responsible for their crimes while engaged incontracted activities; andThat the 34th ILWU Convention expresses itssolidarity with all Iraqi unions in their efforts to organizeand establish free and independent unions,andThat the 34th ILWU Convention supports Iraqi laborefforts to protect the national sovereignty ofits oil, other natural resources and public assets;andThat the 34th ILWU Convention calls for a reversalof the current federal funding priorities thatcreate austerity for labor by investing in unendingwar while at the same time taking funds fromeducation, health care, environmental safety andother human needs; andThat the 34th ILWU Convention calls for fullrestoration of the fundamental constitutional,civil and human rights that have been suspendedin order to pursue the “war on terror” and thatILWU Local 6 advocates for (1) the elimination ofthe practices of rendition, torture and warrantlesssurveillance, (2) the closing of the prison at GuantanamoBay and (3) the repeal of the Military CommissionAct and the Patriot Act; andThat the 34th ILWU Convention attempts toestablish relationships with organizations of veteransand military families and build a network ofunion members who are vets or in military families,andThat the 34th ILWU Convention communicatesto other locals and state and regional bodies, andthe AFL-CIO, the existence and significance ofthese issues and encourages those bodies to undertakeappropriate education and solidarity actionsin line with these resolutions.RACIST OPPRESSION AND THE DEATHPENALTY (R-32)That the ILWU reaffirms our opposition to thedeath penalty, supports Martina Correia’s lawsuitand demands freedom for these innocent victimsof government repression.ILWU SUPPORTS WOMEN’S RIGHTS (R-42)RESOLVED: In the Home: that the ILWU dedicatesitself to committing resources in the political battlefor legislation in Congress and at the State levelsto guarantee health care for children and childcarefor working families, and supporting the creationof Domestic Violence Information Centers sowomen can get the facts they need to combat theall too common violence and rape crisis womencan be subject to; andIn the Workplace: that the ILWU and all itslocals commit themselves to guaranteeing in allour labor contracts that women be paid the samewages as their male counterparts, that the “glassceiling” for women be abolished so women can bepromoted according to their abilities and not deniedadvancement because of their gender, thatharassment will not be tolerated in the workplaceand when encountered will be adjudicated immediately;andIn the World: that our union supports the nominationof Sonia Sotomayor for Justice of the UnitedStates Supreme Court and that we also dedicateourselves to appointing more than two women tothe Supreme Court and that the ILWUDISPATCHER • July/August 2009 17

stands against North Korea’s show trial of Americanjournalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, and thatwe hereby demand that the Afghan governmentof Hamid Karzai immediately revise the Shia FamilyLaw wherein girls are not allowed to attendschool and women are not permitted to leave thehome or receive medical care without their husbands’permission and must submit to sex upontheir husbands’ demand, and that the ILWU willuse every political influence possible to demandthat rape kits in Los Angeles and other cities beanalyzed and not allowed to languish on evidenceroom shelves while the guilty go free.SOLIDARITYWORLDWIDESISTER PORT SOLIDARITY BETWEEN THE MARI-TIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY BRANCHAND THE INLANDBOATMEN’S UNION, PUGETSOUND REGION AND ILWU LOCALS 19 AND52 (R-1)RESOLVED: The port of Sydney, represented by theMaritime Union of Australia, Sydney Branch andthe port of Seattle represented by the InternationalLongshore and Warehouse Union Local 19, Local52 and the Inland boatmen’s Union of the Pacificbe united in solidarity as “Sister Ports.”COMMEND SOUTH AFRICAN DOCKERS (R-30)RESOLVED: That this Convention direct the TitledOfficers to send a solidarity message commendingour brothers and sisters in the South Africandockworkers’ union (SATAWU) for their exemplaryaction; andThat the ILWU demands an immediate end tothe continuing Israeli siege of Gaza which is blockingfood, medical and construction supplies torebuild their houses from rubble.FREE THE CUBAN 5 (R-33)RESOLVED: That the Convention delegates instructthe International President to write a letter toPresident Obama, urging President Obama to lookinto the case of the Cuban 5, and immediately allowtheir wives and families to visit them and moveto free them so they can return to their families.CHANGE US-CUBA POLICY AND RESTOREDIPLOMATIC RELATIONS (R-38)RESOLVED: That in that spirit, we call for an end tothe senseless travel ban that is counterproductiveand unnecessary; andThat now is the time to demonstrate to theCuban people that the American worker is interestedin building a new and lasting relationshipbased on diplomacy, dignity, respect and mutualdialogue, in solidarity together to make this hemispherea more peaceful place.i SUPPORTING OURi BROTHERS & SISTERSOPPOSITION TO NATIONAL IDENTIFICATIONCARDS AND OTHER ASSAULTS ON WORKERPRIVACY (R-4)RESOLVED: That the ILWU actively and staunchlyoppose any future implementation of a NationalI.D. Card or Worker I.D. (such as TWIC) and anysimilar program.SUPPORT FOR LOCAL 30 (R-6)RESOLVED: That we, the rank and file of Local 30,petition the ILWU for the following: The Internationalprovide support in all forms necessary be itinternational representation, economic, and legalas well as research assistance in our upcoming 2009contract negotiations.NEW CHARTER CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS (R-8)RESOLVED: That all new charters shall have atleast one ILWU titled officer or a representativeappointed by the International President assistingthroughout contract negotiations for the firstcontract.SUPPORT APM TERMINALS PACIFIC WORKERS(R-18)RESOLVED: That the 34th Convention of the InternationalLongshore and Warehouse Union stronglysupports the APM Terminals Pacific workers intheir fight to keep their jobs and union jurisdiction;andThat the ILWU International provide full supportto negotiations in process at APM TerminalsPacific in Oakland, California.SUPPORT FOR LOCAL 20 (R-20)RESOLVED: That all the locals within the SouthernCalifornia region be made aware of Local 20’s situation;andThat these locals and the International Officerssupport Local 20 be it through letter campaigns orattending rallies of support; andThat the ILWU International helps Local 20with arbitration needs by allocating Internationallawyers to assist in arbitration if the need arises.SALUTE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HAWAII ILWUHOTEL WORKERS (R-22)RESOLVED: That this ILWU Convention recognizesthe accomplishment of Local 142 hotel units andtheir unit officers in improving the lives of thousandsof hotel members.SUPPORT PACIFIC BEACH HOTEL WORKERS (R-26)RESOLVED: This Convention of the ILWU thanksZenkowan, RENGO, Service Rengo, ITF, Labor Now,the AFL-CIO, Canadian unions, and the many otherorganizations for their solidarity and support inthis struggle for justice at the Pacific Beach Hotel.SUPPORT OF RITE AID NEGOTIATIONS (R-36)RESOLVED: That the delegates to this 34th ILWUConvention rise to congratulate the Rite Aid workersfor their ongoing courage and diligence in theline of fire and their commitment to achieving ajust collective bargaining agreement; andThat we inform Rite Aid Corp. that their employeesare not alone and that we work and live inmost communities where Rite Aid stores are openfor business; andThat our support for Rite Aid’s ILWU workforcetake whatever form may be necessary in order toachieve the goal of a fair and just union contract.TENDING OURTRADITIONSLABOR EDUCATION (P-3)RESOLVED: That the ILWU work jointly througheducation and political action committees to introduceand encourage federal legislation requiringlabor education in history and social studies for allpublic schools at all grade levels; andThat the ILWU shall assist in the developmentof these educational programs, including the developmentof educational materials and resourcesin order to assure quality labor education.75TH ANNIVERSARY GENERAL STRIKECOMMEMORATION EVENTS (R-16)RESOLVED: The 2009 ILWU Convention endorsesand supports these two conferences and processionand the Southern California 75th Anniversaryprograms and urges representation from all ILWUlocals to participate in and for the Internationalto publicize and support Local 10’s, Local 34’s andLaborfest’s 75th Anniversary General Strike CommemorationEvents.113 STEUART STREET (R-17)RESOLVED: That the ILWU Convention calls for 113Steuart Street to become a landmarked labor historymuseum, labor education and training centerand calls for good union jobs for working peopleon projects that restore our cities and serve theneeds of our people and not the greed of duplicitousdevelopers.CELEBRATE 60th ANNIVERSARY OF 1949 LONG-SHORE STRIKE (R-21)RESOLVED: This Convention of the ILWU celebratesthe 60th anniversary of the 1949 strike and the ac-complishments of the Hawaii longshore groupingover the last 60 years.REAFFIRM THE PRINCIPLES OF RANK ANDFILE UNIONISM (R-23)RESOLVED: To this end, we urge the Internationaland all ILWU locals to develop programs to educateour members and train future leaders in theprinciples of ILWU rank and file unionism.UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON LABORARCHIVES (R-34)RESOLVED: That the Washington labor communitysupports a campaign to raise funds to create theWashington Labor Archives (WLA) at the Universityof Washington Library; andThat the WLA will combine the dozens of laborcollections already housed in the library with newcollections that will be added in the years aheadand that the WLA will be managed by a professionallabor archivist who will be employed by theHarry Bridges Center for Labor Studies at UW; andThat the labor archivist will supervise the developmentof the Labor Archive, adding to andorganizing the historical materials already depositedin the Special Collections Library, that the laborarchivist will also work with unions, advisingthem on records management and arranging forthe donation and processing of materials to theLabor Archive and, in addition, the labor archivistwill develop educational projects and materialsthat will be widely accessible to union members.Schools, and the general public and will be botha repository and a vehicle for teaching about thevital history and vital presence of unions in our region;andThat the Washington labor community will assistin fundraising $100,000 per year to pay salaryand benefits for a labor archivist and also fundan ongoing program of labor heritage and laboreducation events that will guarantee at least fiveyears of funding until the WLA is able to have apermanent endowment in place and is able to attractgrants from foundations and governmentalsources; andThat the International Longshore and WarehouseUnion request from all ILWU Locals to makefinancial contributions to assist in this worthwhileeffort.B FAREWELLSIN MEMORY OF AH QUON McELRATH (R-24)RESOLVED: That this Convention of the InternationalLongshore and Warehouse Union honorsthe life of Ah Quon McElrath, labor icon and socialadvocate; andThat the Convention reaffirms the ILWU’s commitmentas a progressive union that organizes theunorganized, fights for social justice, and promotessolidarity; andThat the Convention urges locals and membersto contribute to the Ah Quon McElrath Fund forEconomic and Social Justice.JACK WYATT, SR. (R-37)RESOLVED: That this 34th Convention of the ILWUrecognize Jack Wyatt Sr. for more than four decadesof membership in the ILWU, the majority ofwhich were in service to this great union; andThat the ILWU congratulate Jack on his muchdeservedretirement and thank his family for lettingus have him all these years.RICHARD CAVALLI (R-40)RESOLVED: That ILWU Local 34 and the 2009 ILWUConvention thank Richard Cavalli for all his yearsof service to and sacrifice for the InternationalLongshore and Warehouse Union.JOHN TOUSSEAU (R-44)RESOLVED: That ILWU Local 63 and the 2009 ILWUConvention thank John Tousseau for all his yearsof service and sacrifice for the International Longshoreand Warehouse Union.The full text of all constitutional amendmentsand resolutions is online at www.ilwu.org/about/Convention/2009/Resolutions/18 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009

IN MEMORIAMMarvin Stanley RicksOct. 22, 1911 - June 10, 2009Local 8 veteran Marvin Ricks, one of the last survivors of the great maritimestrike of 1934, died June 10 in Beaverton, Oregon at the age of 97. Ricks wasa 22-year-old Portland dock worker in May of 1934, when thousands of longshoremenwent on strike, shutting down every U.S. port on the Pacific Coastfor three months. Ricks was a young member of a union “riot squad” duringthe 1934 strike, fighting scabs and defending picket lines along the Portlandwaterfront. He was also one of 28 Portland longshore activists falsely chargedwith killing a scab three weeks after the strike ended. Their case became a causecelebre. Once freed, Ricks returned to the waterfront. He became a walking bossaround 1939, a gear man a decade later and a pensioner in 1976. ILWU historianHarvey Schwartz interviewed Ricks in 2001. Below is an excerpt from thatinterview, which appeared in The Dispatcher in September 2003.Photo credit: Michael MunkSeveral ships were still workingthe morning the ’34strike started. One of myfirst jobs was to go around witha bunch of men to every shipin the harbor that was workingand tell the gangs that everybodywas out and they’d better get offthe ship right now. We talkedmost of them into leaving. Somegangs didn’t quit, but we didnothing at the time because wewere just four men per groupmaking the rounds. As thestrike got going, the things wedid were considerably different.When we got organized, then thoseguys who were working the ships hadbeen warned. That’s why the employerskept the strikebreakers on boardship, or on the grain docks, or out atTerminal 4. That way, those men didn’thave to come back-and-forth, becausethey had a little problem getting backand-forth.One night the phone rang. It wasthe fellow that ran the beer joint up on23rd and Burnside. He says, “Hey, I’vegot two guys in here that sound likescabs.” We said, “Okay, we’ll be there.”We walked in. Here are two fellas sittingdown, drinking. We knew themboth.We said, “Well, hi fellas. We knowyou’re too drunk to drive home. We’llsee you get home safe.” Meanwhile,you have a wrist-lock on each one, soif they make a sound you could breaktheir arm. We led ’em out. You go asgood pals, you’re helping the twodrunks. We got ’em outside, talked to’m by hand a little while, and turned’em loose.You might say I was in a flyingsquad—we called it a “riot squad.”These were squads made up of footballplayers, boxers or wrestlers, thesingle men that didn’t have much tolose. There were four squads of us onthe shift I was on. If there was troubleat a dock, they called for us and herecome 40 men down there in a hurry.Throughout the strike, we kept 10pickets at every gate, at every dock onthe waterfront. We kept them 12 hoursa day, seven days a week. Well then, wehad these 40 men that could go anywhereat any time to reinforce. And wedid make a difference.When the strike started, nearly allthe regular police were our friends.They were working men. Then, prettysoon, you found all the good guysuptown, directing traffic, and you hadevery bad one on the waterfront, plus abunch of special police they stationed atTerminal 4. The July 11 tragedy, whenthe police opened up shooting nearTerminal 4, was completely unnecessary.They claimed they only used riotguns, but Elmus “Buster” Beatty had a.45 slug in his neck and was off for ayear. Four pickets were shot that day,two critically.We did have someone in the policedepartment who sent us a list everyweek of all the special police that werehired, including addresses. So therewere specials who happened to runinto unfriendly people in the streets.Then we had this detective who usedto tell us this and that. Once he says,“They’re moving a bunch of scabs inthe morning. We have orders to takethem to point X. At point Y, the HarborPatrol is to pick them up and guardthem the rest of the way. Somebodyforgot there was one block in betweenthose two points.”“I will see to it that we protectthem only to the point that we weretold,” the detective said, “and thatnone of the Harbor Patrol go beyondthat point.” So there was quite a bit ofmonkey business out in the street thatmorning in that one block. There werepolice on both ends, but none made amove because they hadn’t any orders.That is what you call having friends.I was on the soup bumming detailfor a while. One of my duties was to goup to the Good Eats Cafe on Burnsideat 10 o’clock at night when they closed.They gave us whatever coffee and soupthey had left over. We had bummingcommittees for rooms, food, produceand everything because you couldn’tget much help from other unions. In’34 what unions you had were veryweak. We were what got unions going.After the strike, the work paid 95cents an hour. I made $210 the first21 days. That’s $10 a day. I was workingpretty steady. I remember 21 daysbecause on the 22nd day I got arrested.What happened was that a bunch ofour men who were provoked by anemployer agent raided this companyunion scab hall. A shot was fired and ascab named James Conner was killed.The Memory Keeper: Marvin Ricks was a regular speaker at ILWU Local 8’sannual Bloody Thursday tribute at Portland’s Oaks Park, often reminding youngerunion members of the sacrifices their brothers and sisters made to win their union.L-R, Marvin Ricks; former State Senator Frank Shields; Local 92 member Doug Carey.When I got arrested I said, “Whatfor?” They says, “Murder.” I thought,“Ah, what a relief.” This might havebeen for assault and batter, kidnappingor sabotage, but when they said murder,I knew I didn’t do it. I wasn’t there.I’d gone to the dentist that day. He waslate and I was waiting alone at his officewhen the shooting took place. But Icouldn’t prove it. He had no secretary.In the ’30s, you did well to supportyourself let alone a secretary. Anyway,they picked up everybody that any ofthe scabs saw or thought they saw.I was taken to jail. You weren’tallowed to call out for 24 hours. I disappear,wiped off the face of the earth.When they questioned me, there wasthe assistant district attorney, “Big Bill”Browne, the head of the police RedSquad, two policemen and two detectives.You’re this scared 22-year-old kidwith six people throwing questions atya and you haven’t even been allowedto call out. Well, one thing, being as Ihadn’t been there, I could tell the truth.I didn’t get confused in my story.They took us down to the City Jailand threw us into the bull pen wherethe drunks had been heaving their gutsout. It was horrible. They were pickingup two, three, four longshoremen aday. We got watery mush for breakfastwith two slices of moldy bread and alittle thin soup at lunch and dinner. Theonly thing you could buy was MilkyWay candy bars. It took me 20 yearsbefore I could eat another one. Aftera week they moved us to the CountyJail, where the food was good and theylet the union or your wives or friendsbring food in to you.There were 28 of us charged. Aquirk in the law let them charge us all.Once there were 32, but we provedthat four of us weren’t there. When westarted having our preliminary hearingsat City Hall, they hauled us downand back in the Black Maria. They’dtake us out ten at a time on a chain. Weonly shaved on shave day, so the publicgot to see these ten unshaven, roughlookingcharacters on the chain.In a while some kid that hadscabbed broke down and told the policehe’d seen another scab, Carl Grammer,shoot Conner. The cops found the gun,too. It matched and they had proofthat Grammer did it. So we finally gotturned loose.When the strike was over I washappy to have a little money to spend,which before I didn’t have. I owed thekid at the service station $2 and I couldpay that off. Today, The Oregonian sayswe are upper middle-class on accountof our good wages. Years ago we werelooked down upon and called Communisticbums. I used to be against theidea of Wobblies, and against Communism,but now I think they did morefor the union and getting organizedthan anyone.You have to have a radical. Therest of you may hate your conditions,but you go along, whereas you needsome no-good so-and-so to stir it upand get you going. I think nearly all ofour early top leadership was a little biton the Wobbly side, whether you couldprove it or not. Now I don’t knowabout Harry Bridges, but it takes someonelike him to get out and do the job.I also feel we have to organize tostay alive. You just can’t stand alone.You need people to back you whenyou have trouble. Taking in the salespeople at Powell’s Books, which we didrecently in the new Local 5, hits mysense of humor as a good thing. It wasgetting two completely opposite typesof workers together.DISPATCHER • July/August 2009 19

TRANSITIONSNEW PENSIONERS:Local 10: Lon D. Harvey; Local 13:Frank A. Lopez, Anthony G. Young,Joseph R. Meave, John H. Herron,James E. Greer, Daniel Masing, CharlesE. Walker; Local 19: Daniel O. Neville;Local 34: Carl Zenn; Local 40: RichardE. Tapper; Local 52: Dave W.Davidson, Gerald Rooker; Local 63:Stanley D. Winter, James G. Horan,Norm Walden, John R. Tousseau,Ronald L. Richardson, Dag L.Kolderup, William B. Shuck; Local 91:Charles S. Villeggiante Jr., Larry R.Wright; Local 92: Raymond A. Ramey;Local 94: Richard A. Madalena,Johnny L. BergDECEASED & New Survivors:Local 4: Wesley Pfeifer, TheodoreVeitenheimer (Florence); Local 6:Wilhelmina Heide; Local 7: Earl M.Thomas Sr.; Local 8: Marvin S. Ricks;Local 10: John H. Mackeral, LeroyGriffin; Local 13: Vernon L. Bennett,Paul L. Biller; Local 19: Edgar W.Rodenburg, Oliver Hunter; Local 21:Elmer D. Hendrickson; Local 23:Roger W. Eriksen (Geraldine), Keith L.Stevens, James E. Lewis; Local 32:Frank E. Johnson; Local 34: James P.Clomon, Ron D. Remington; Local63: Randy M. Meikle; Local 98:Lenzie J. ShellmanDECEASED SURVIVORS:Local 8: Gladys M. Sanders, ShirleyR. Wonner; Local 10: Emma L.Randolph, Dorothy C. Anderson,Mary C. Calegari, Elaine Carson;Local 13: Lola M. Turner, FlorineAllen, Marion G. Miller, Virginia Ortiz,Shirley Suggs, Genevieve M. White,Helen M. Grassi, Ozell McMahan,Barbara Walker, Lillian Johnson,Sarah M. Dennis; Local 18: BarbaraA. Rendon; Local 23: Lenora JeanDobiash; Local 29: Ercilia Munoz,Patricia A. Rodriguez; Local 52:Florence HughesA Helping Hand......when you need it most. That’s what we’reall about. We are the representatives ofthe ILWU-sponsored recovery programs.We provide professional and confidentialassistance to you and your family for alcoholism,drug abuse and other problems—andwe’re just a phone call away.ADRP—Southern CaliforniaJackie Cummings870 West Ninth St. #201San Pedro, CA 90731(310) 547-9966ILWU LONGSHORE DIVISIONADRP—OregonBrian Harvey5201 SW Westgate Dr. #207Portland, OR 97221(503) 231-48822008 Bound Dispatchers AvailableHandsome, leather-bound, gold-embossed 2008 editions of The Dispatcherare now available. A year’s worth of ILWU history makes a great gift orfamily memento. Supplies are limited, so order soon. A small number ofback-issues are also available at $25 each. Cost is $70 each, includingshipping. Email orders toeditor@ilwu.org, or make yourcheck out to ILWU and mail to:Editor, ILWU Communications,1188 Franklin Street,San Francisco, CA 94109.ADRP—Northern CaliforniaNorm McLeod400 North PointSan Francisco, CA 94133(415) 776-8363ILWU WAREHOUSE DIVISIONDARE—Northern CaliforniaTeamsters Assistance Program300 Pendleton WayOakland, CA 94621(510) 562-3600ADRP—WashingtonDonnie Schwendeman3600 Port of Tacoma Rd. #503Tacoma, WA 98424(253) 922-8913ILWU CANADAEAP—British ColumbiaJohn Felicella3665 Kingsway, Ste 300Vancouver, BC V5R 5WR(604) 254-7911ILWU BOOKs & VIDEOsBooks and videos about the ILWU are available from theunion’s library at discounted prices!BOOKSSolidarity Stories: An Oral History of the ILWU. By Harvey Schwartz. An inspiring collectionof first-hand accounts from ILWU union leaders and rank-and-file workers. $17.00.A Spark Is Struck: Jack Hall & the ILWU in Hawaii. By Sanford Zalburg: A high quality re-issueof the informative epic account of Jack Hall and the birth and growth of the ILWU in Hawaii$13.50 (paperback).Along the Shore/Por la Costa—ILWU Coloring Book. A bi-lingual English/Spanish coloringbook about waterfront workers and their union. Originally developed by the CaliforniaFederation of Teachers’ Labor in the Schools Committee in consultation with memberPatricia Aguirre and the ILWU Local 13 Education Committee. Meets K-3 classroomstandards for History and Social Studies. Two (2) for $5.00The Legacy of 1934: An historical exhibit by the ILWU. Produced as a catalogue to accompanythe new traveling historical art exhibit about the origins of the ILWU in the 1934 maritimestrike, this brief but vivid publication stands on its own as a pictorial history of the coastwisestrike and an account of the extraordinary sacrifices and democratic principles of thefounding members of the union. Two (2) for $5.00Harry Bridges: The Rise and Fall of Radical Labor in the United States. By Charles Larrowe.A limited number of copies of this out-of-print and useful biography are now availablethrough the book sale by special arrangement with Bolerium Books in San Francisco, whichspecializes in rare publications and documents about radical and labor history. $10.00The ILWU Story. This book unrolls the history of the union from its origins to the present,complete with recollections from the men and women who built the union, in their ownwords, and dozens of rare photos of the union in action. $5.00The Big Strike. By Mike Quin. The classic partisan account of the 1934 strike. $9.00The Union Makes Us Strong: Radical Unionism on the San Francisco Waterfront. By DavidWellman. The important new study of longshoring in the ILWU. $20.00 (paperback)A Terrible Anger: The 1934 Waterfront and General Strike in San Francisco. By David Selvin.Perhaps the most comprehensive single narrative about the San Francisco events of 1934.$16.50The March Inland: Origins of the ILWU Warehouse Division 1934-1938. By Harvey Schwartz.A new edition of the only comprehensive account of the union’s organizing campaign inthe northern California warehouse and distribution industry. $9.00VIDEOS“Eye of the Storm: Our Fight for Justice and a Better Contract.” A 58-minute DVD featuredocumentary film produced and directed by Amie Williams, Eye of the Storm tells the storyof the 2002 longshore lockout on the West Coast. DVD Version $5.00“We Are the ILWU.” A 30-minute color video introducing the principles and traditions ofthe ILWU. Features active and retired members talking about what the union meant intheir lives and what it needs to survive and thrive, along with film clips, historical photosand an original musical score. DVD or VHS version $5.00“Life on the Beam: A Memorial to Harry Bridges.” A 17-minute DVD of the original videoproduction by California Working Group, Inc., memorializes Harry Bridges through stillphotographs, recorded interviews, and reminiscences. Originally produced for the 1990memorial service in San Francisco. DVD $5.00ILWU BOOK & VIDEO order formORDER BY MAIL___ copies of Solidarity Stories @ $17 ea. =___ copies of A Spark Is Struck @ $13.50 ea.=___ copies of Along the Shore @ two for $5.=___ copies of The Legacy of 1934 @ two for $5 =___ copies of Harry Bridges @ $10 ea.=___ copies of ILWU Story @ $5 ea. =___ copies of The Big Strike @ $9.00 ea. =$_____$_____$_____$_____$_____$_____$________ copies of The Union Makes Us Strong @ $20 ea. = $________ copies of The March Inland @ $9 ea.=___ copies of A Terrible Anger @ $16.50 ea.=___ copies of Eye of the Storm DVD @ $5 ea. =___ copies of We Are the ILWU DVD @ $5 ea. =___ copies of We Are the ILWU VHS @ $5 ea. =___ copies of A Life on the Beam DVD @ $5 ea. =Total Enclosed$_____$_____$_____$_____$_____$_____$_____No sales outside the U.S.We regret that U.S. Customs and postal regulations create too great a burdenfor our staff to maintain book sale service to our members and friends outsidethe United States.Name____________________________________________________________________Street Address or PO Box __________________________________________________City ______________________________________________ State_______ Zip________Make check or money order (U.S. Funds) payable to “ILWU” and send toILWU Library, 1188 Franklin Street, San Francisco,CA 94109Prices include shipping and handling.Please allow at least four weeks for delivery.Shipment to U.S. addresses only20 DISPATCHER • July/August 2009