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Conversations with Harry
By Ian Kennedy
In July, I headed south again. I'd skipped a
couple of months because I just couldn't put out for the expense every
month. After I checked into my hotel, I had time to kill, so I wandered the
streets. It was hot and
muggy and by the time I got to the bar I was in need of a good cold beer. I went to the bar and ordered,
then took my drink to the table.
I was finishing my second beer when Bridges and
company walked in, I ordered a round. Harry smiled,
"Well
kid, it's been a couple of months. What's been happenin'?"
I
tell them how I'd been to the convention in April and how mellow everything was.
How there was no choice for International Officers, no
disruptions, no nothing. "Hell, the international officers were elected by default."
"Is this
good or bad?" he asks.
I replied, "I think it's bad. It says to me
that the rank and file aren't concerned about the future of the Union. They're
to involved in there own little worlds. They
are not questioning the leadership, on local or
international levels." " you're being a little hard on your brothers
and sisters." He smiles. "You
are out of a contract fight that took a lot out of you.
And you won. Well, the clerks didn't do so well. But, overall. you won that
battle. A rest is
deserved." He sits back, still smiling.
I'm upset, "That's the point." I signal
the waiter for another round, " We were
in one hell of a fight and by the skin of our teeth, we're still alive.
In less than
two years we go into bargaining again. People coming into the Union
are not aware of what we went through in '34 so they would have all they have today. In both
Seattle and Los Angeles/Long Beach, new pools of "unidentified"
casuals are being formed. Within two years they will be in the Union, running up
big debts
and wont be able to afford a strike or lock-out. We need to educate them right from the get go."
I finish my beer and order another round. I
continue, "The Bush people wanted to
get us. We were lucky they got sidetracked when they figured out that
the federal
employees were a bigger and easier target. But they haven't forgotten
us. If they still have the power, they'll come at us again."
"Any Democrats running for national office
need to be elected, regardless of their
stands on other issues. The Bush people must be neutralized." Jerry Bulcke added.
Harry looks at his empty glass, lifts it
above his head to get the waiter's attention.
"I
expect the employers will go after, or at least settle for four items,
1.
continued weakening of the clerks, 2. Steady men, (doing away with the
hiring hall)
3.
Making the job classifications broader, or doing away with them all together,
and 4.
Getting a co-pay on health benefits, at least for the pensioners and
widows."
Henry Schmidt
interjects,
"The
leadership has to
make
sure these people get the knowledge they need to keep the Union strong. Hit them with the
history, start on day one, don't let up until they know, ya
can't give anything back. Don't ever
think you'll be able to get it back at the next time around, it doesn't
work."
Harry is
getting to his feet, "Thanks kid, we need to know what is going on. It's time for us to be getting on, hope to
see you in a couple more months."
As they head out the door, the waiter rushes
over with the tab. As a pay it, I wonder
who paid
it before I started
showing
up.
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