The Caucus meeting convened at 9:30 AM, Monday, March 12, 2001 at the Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco, CA. Various concerns of the active members were addressed. There have recently been a lot of problems with racial and gender prejudice in some ports along the coast. These were discussed.

 The manning scale from port to port was brought up. Let’s face it, Southern California has the power and they have a high scale.

  Our active delegates acquitted themselves well and spoke their piece on the mike as did those from Local 23. Tacoma. Both Local 19 and 23 were well represented.

  An ILA vice president and two other representatives were present and we told them that they needed to back up their Charleston, SC. Local that is beleaguered by union busting tactics and members being jailed for lawful picketing.

  Local 6, Warehouse Union had an Informational Picket Line in front of the ILWU Headquarters, Harry Bridges Building on Franklin Street. It was embarrassing to the ILWU members who were staying at the Oasis (also on Franklin) to have to pass the line. There was a vote taken to handle the beef right then and there but the International won the right to handle it in the International Executive Board. The vote was close.

  The main thing of concern to the pensioners was the medical. George Kuvakas, Sr. who helped negotiate the medical in 1961 and was in San Francisco along with Bruce Kreiger at the meeting with the Arbitrator, gave an excellent report in our favor on Thursday morning. He received a rousing round of applause.

 John Johnson and I both left at the close of the morning session on Thursday to return to Seattle. The Caucus continued until Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM.

  The Canadian Locals had a first class turnout for both the actives and the retirees.

Respectfully submitted,

Paul  McCabe
Local 19, Pensioners’ Club