ACTiON: S.F. retail clerks strike Macy's

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In addition to these takeaway pro- lies and picket lines have been held with posals, the employers offered a 20-cent- over 1000 people on July 19 and July You have said NO to glorified law clerks who seek to deny your right to Over 3000 pot-banging, whistle-blowing, chanting, and marching union members have drawn the line—Local 1100 says, 'The buck stops here!"

Why should profit-fat corporations be allowed to force concessions from working people, who are already hard-pressed to make ends meet? Why should peaceful pickets be denied the right to walk on the sidewalks of San As an active feminist, I know from personal experience that Local always extended its hand to help organize support on issues ranging I also know that Local 1100 and its president, Walter Johnson, have unfailingly come to the aid of striking unions like the coal miners in 1978, the oil workers in 1980, and the Greyhound workers in 1983.

Local 1100 practices solidarity as a matter of principle in its relations with Macy's and Emporium have money. But the just cause and determination of Local 1100 members can overcome anything scab money can buy. Local 1100 can convince and inspire working people that we are a force more powIt's time for the whole labor movement to respond to the employers' campaign to isolate and divide oně union from another. It's time for labor, Blacks, women, Latinos, and gays to recognize that justice is a common cause. It's time for all of us to recognize that today the Macy's and EmpoThe San Francisco General Strike began on July 16, 1934. Many of the gains won for the labor movement in that fight still remain. I believe the picket lines at Macy's and Emporium can revive the powerful traditions that made labor strong. The retail clerks represent the interests of all working people in their fight for a decent contract. A united Bay Area labor movement has the power to stop the takeaway drive of Macy's and Emporium.

I have been proud to walk on your picket lines. I pledge the full support my campaign to help spread your message far and wide.

By FRANCES SHAW and BEN WIESE SAN FRANCISCO—On July 7, 2100 members of Department Store Employees Union Local 1100 went on strike here against Macy's department store. The strike also includes four warehouse facilities in the city and in South San Francisco.

The Emporium-Capwell department store, in a show of employer solidarity with Macy's, locked out 1200 members of Local 1100 on July 10. EmporiumCapwell, which is part of the wealthy conglomerate of Carter, Hawley, and Hale, sought to divide the Local 1100 membership with the lock-out, hoping to pit Macy's workers against Emporium workers. But their lock-out has only strengthened the resolve of Macy's and Emporium employees to stand together in this fight.

On July 23, 10 Local 1100 members were arrested for peacefully picketing in front of the doors of the two department stores—a violation of an undemocratic court injunction. Among those arrested were Walter Johnson, president of Local 1100 and Dick Williams, Local 1100 secretary-treasurer.

Takeaway demands

The main issues that led to the strike and lock-out are the employers' demands for concessions. The two major takeaway demands are a two-tier wage and benefit package and an employer-controlled health plan. The two-tier plan proposed by the department store owners would place all new Karen Shieve, picket captain, being taken away by police on July 23.

hires at a lower wage scale, with straight time for Sunday and holiday work and no night premium pay. (Present employees get 10 percent extra for night premium pay and double-time pay for Sundays and holidays.)

Macy's and Emporium want to use the lower-paid workers in the two-tier system as a dead weight to pull down the wages and benefits of all employees. Two classes of union membership would be created that could be exploited to full advantage by the bosses. For Local 1100 to accede to the employers' demand for a two-tier wage system would greatly weaken the union, if not deal it a mortal blow.

The other major takeaway sought by the department stores is a company-controlled health plan that would mean a reduction in health coverage while imposing a large increase in employee payments. Under the old contract, members (including dependents) paid no more than $3 per month. The employers' demand is for employees to pay up to $30 per month.

SOCIALIST ACTION .::291.090; 142 19 004/2621926 00 97199 ON STRIKE DEPARTMENT STORE EMPLOYEES 10C100 ZANCIS SNANDL 0/3AM003 per hour wage increase for the first year 21. and a 15-cent-a-year increase for the second and third years of the contract. This proposal amounts to less than 2 percent a year over three years-much less than the pay lost by Local 1100 members over the past three years due to inflation, and less than half the current "low" inflation rate of 5 percent.

"Not less, but more in '84"

The Local 1100 membership, under the slogan of "Not less, but more in '84" recognized the takeaway demands as a serious attack on their union. Local 1100 is a small but union-conscious workers in a sea of nonunion stores. Together Macy's and Emporium have over 40 stores in Northern California. Only four stores are union. Three of these four stores are now on strike or locked-out.

Since the strike and lock-out began, union members have maintained militant and effective picket lines at the Macy's and the two Emporium stores. Business at all three stores is down 60 to 80 percent. There are 20 to 25 pickets at each door. (Macy's has 6 doors.) And they are hard to ignore.

Union members and supporters have been using whistles, tambourines, bullhorns, and chanting and singing enthusiastically. At the super-profitable Macy's store alone, $4 million in sales have been lost in the first two weeks of the strike. The strike will be won if the pickets continue to have this kind of impact.

Local 1100, with 5500 members, is the second largest union in San Francisco. The union has an excellent record of supporting other unions and progressive causes. Support for the coal miners' strike of 1978-79, the 1980 oil workers' strike, the 1980 San Francisco hotel workers' strike, the 1983 Greyhound strike, women's rights, gay rights, and opposition to South African apartheid and the death penalty are just a few examples of the progressive record of Local 1100.

First amendment under attack In response to the highly effective picket lines, the employers moved quickly to obtain a court injunction that bans all picketing in front of the doors and all noisemaking devices.

The Labor Committee for the First Amendment has been formed by the many friends of Local 1100 to fight this undemocratic and unconstitutional injunction. Among the endorsers of the support committee are leaders of the central labor councils in the Bay Area and leaders of the Teamsters, the Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the Building Trades Council. Two mass ral• C0I0VIPS:OCL *100 The giant retail conglomerates of R.H. Macy's and Carter, Hawley, and Hale have jumped on the takeaway steamroller that is rolling throughout the country. They are relying, like every employer, on court injunctions, cops, and friendly politicians to defeat the The unions were built in defiance of court injunctions against picketing. The unions were built in defiance of police strikebreaking. The great strike battles of the 1930s were won because the full power of striking workers and their allies was unleashed in defiance of the courts and the police. The fact that Don't shop Macy's. Don't shop Emporium. On strike, shut it down. San Francisco is a union Macy's and Emporium hoped to divide Local 1 ship has closed ranks and become as one.

You have said NO to the two-tier wage proposal rate and unequal classes of union members.

peacefully picket.

Francisco?

childcare to the ERA.

other unions and progressive causes.

erful than all the corporations.

rium picket lines are our common ground.

In solidarity, department store employees in San Francisco are unionized is a result of the great labor battles fought during the 1930s.

To win this strike Local 1100 members and their supporters cannot submit to union-busting injunctions. Because of the broad support for Local 1100, the members have so far been able to successfully defy the injunction. But if the injunction-wielding judges, the mayor, and her police are allowed to stop effective picketing, the union will suffer a serious setback.

A determined fight can inspire the San Francisco labor movement to bring the full weight of its power into the battle. Every time our picket lines are attacked by the police, every time one of us is arrested, more and more unionists and others can and should be mobilized to march on the picket lines and demonstrate in support of the strike.

A victorious and speedy end to the strike can be ensured if the Local 1100 strike becomes a rallying cause for the labor movement in the Bay Area. A victory for Local 1100 would set an example for all working people that could help turn around the current defensive stance of the labor movement against takeaways into a new offensive to improve and advance living standards for working people.

NO TO ALL TAKEAWAYS! NO TO THE EMPLOYERS' TWO TIERS!

NO TO THE UNDEMOCRATIC INJUNCTION!

YES TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE RIGHT TO PICKET IN FRONT OF THE DOORS!

1100 from Socialist Action can didate for San Francisco Board of Supervisors

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island of organized department store courts and the police. The fact that PICKET IN FRONT OF THE DOORS! Socialist candidate supports strike Statement to strikers by Sylvia Weinstein

AUGUST 1984 MACYS S.F EMPLOYEES