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Conversations
With Harry
By
Ian Kennedy
I
decided to stay on in San Francisco after the caucus and spend a few days
wandering one of my favorite cities. After all, I'd have to fly back down to
meet
Harry anyway. I wandered through the Haight- Ashberry area remembering my time
spent here in the sixty's and early seventy's. Today one sees men and women all
dressed to the nines, no more tie- dyes, beards, nor drugs (at least, in the
open.) I wandered through North beach, (is it still called that?) And remembered
the fifty's and the beat generation, the small jazz and comedy clubs I used to
hang out at.
The flea bag hotels where you could get a bed in exchange for a joint. Then,
back to the old waterfront and the seedy bar where I meet Harry. When I got
there he was sitting alone at "our" table waiting for me. When he sees
me, he smiles, "well kid, I wasn't sure you would make it." He orders
a pitcher of beer. "I've tried to get these folks to get some of these new
fancy beers that they're making these days, but the boss wont go for it. He says
it's just a fad."
We sip our beer silently for a couple of minutes. "You were at the
caucus?" He asks. " The contract is up in a year. What is the general
feeling amongst the leadership? I understand the PMA have been telling the press
they wanted early negotiations."
"Prior to the last elections, when the PMA were asked about early
negotiations, they said no. since the Democrats did so well in November, they
are singing another tune. Since the caucus, McEllrath has met with CEO and I
understand, has agreed. I haven't heard if he put any conditions on them."
I responded.
Harry ponders this. "Well," he pauses, "In 02, the employers
stone walled the Union. Dragged out negotiations, burned up the Unions' money
and wore our people out. Consequently, the Clerks got a bad deal." Again,
he pauses. "What the Committee has to do is demand the employers hand over
their package at the first meeting, if not before. And if they start
sandbagging, Then send the guys home and start up again at the usual time."
He thinks about what he has just said. "It aint as easy as I make it sound.
The leadership has to make the call."-----"Have you any idea of the
employers demands?" he asked.
I
shrugged my shoulders, "I believe they will go after section one of the
clerks contract. Probably the Longshore contract as well. They'll want steady
utility men that can be moved as they want.
I'm
sure they will be putting computers in all the equipment so that the longshore
side can do the clerks' work. They want the dispatch Hall, computerizing it will
be a first step. And medical benefits have been going up by leaps and bounds.
The easiest target would be the pensioners, they have no vote." I shrug
again, "Just my thoughts."
We
finish off the pitcher and order another. "Well, with the change in
congress the employers probably wont be trying another lock out, but they
will try to push the union into a strike." Harry said.
"We had best be careful, we don't have a strike fund." I responded.
"Hell
kid, don't you know, I've always said, our brothers and sisters strike fund has
always been in their pocket. Just think, if everyone took ten percent of their
checks every week and put into a special account,, by the time the contract is
up they would have all the money they would need to carry themselves for over a
year. So, even five percent would be more then enough." He sat back in his
chair, sipping his beer, a smile on his face.
After a few
minutes, Harry glanced around, finished his beer, got up and smiling down on me
said "Good seeing you, kid, got to go." And as he turned, "Take
care of the tab, will ya?" And he was gone.
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