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On The Contract
The ninety percent vote for the new six-year contract showed
the extent of the victory won by our union.
We defeated the right wing drive to weaken or even destroy
the ILWU. We took on the PMA, the Bush White House, and Republicans in Congress,
the Waterfront Coalition of anti-union world-class retailers and the
pro-corporate media. We won. PMA's Miniace, who was hired to "make
fundamental changes in waterfront labor relations" failed. He failed
because he thought we might be provoked into rash action when he pulled the
lockout. We didn't fall for it.
He failed because he also betrayed his ally, the Waterfront
Coalition by imposing the lockout at the very time the coalition was trying to
get its goods off the ships and to the merchants for the Christmas season. He
failed because he underestimated the solidarity of our membership.
What really broke the anti-ILWU plans of the PMA was the
solidarity of the membership in support of our negotiating committee. The
lessons we have learned throughout the history of our union were not forgotten.
We are still a Harry Bridges union.
Solidarity not only was solid in the union, but included the
AFL-CIO, the Teamsters, the Miners union and its Secretary-Treasurer Richard
Trumka who was with us at the negotiating table.
Waterfront workers around the world also extended solidarity.
Brazil, Japan, Sweden, Canada, Spain and others pledged full support. This has
always been a key to our many victories.
In addition there was broad public support from
environmentalists, Jobs With Justice, and last but not least West Coast Congress
Representatives and Senators, County Commissions, City councils and mayors in
all West Coast ports who opposed Federal intervention. Also, Senator Ted Kennedy
supported us throughout and who’s help was invaluable. That put a serious
crimp in any plans Bush or Miniace may have had to bust the ILWU. That
mobilization of political support for a union struggle is unprecedented in US
labor history. We need to remember that when it comes to voting in 2004.
Equally important, our union's victory is seen as the first
major defeat of the overall Bush far-reaching plans against peace and democracy.
And with the strength of the millions marching against war around the world,
February 15, it looks like he will lose his plans for war in Iraq.
So far the battle against right wing plans to undermine
democracy at home by breaking unions scores in our case to 1 for unionism and 0
for Bush. We hope the score against Bush's war in Iraq comes out the same.
Further on the contract we need to keep our powder dry. As we
go to press, the contract has yet to be signed. The PMA has taken the
technological contract proposals to arbitration. This looks like they want to
arbitrate away the checker jurisdiction we won in negotiations.
This is a clear indication that the PMA is up to its old
tricks. As we learned after '34, the employers will try to chisel on the
contract by fair means or foul. They have six years in which to maneuver. It is
very important then that our members become contract conscious at all times. An
informed membership on the contract will ensure the PMA does not get away with
chiseling. Our labor relations committees face a major responsibility in the
future.
In addition we need to remember that organizing workers is
the fundamental way to protect unionism. Support for the ILWU organizing program
is one of the best ways to guarantee our future.
One of the things to watch is the reduction in pension
funding in the new contract. Pension funding is reduced from 85% to 65%. While
the International officers assure us that funding for our pension fund is not in
danger, we need to be cautious in view of nation-wide corporate efforts to
weaken or cancel pension programs.
We remember the first attack on the ILWU welfare program when
the lifetime benefits for pensioners were canceled. The employers never give up.
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