Labor Briefing

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Socialist Action is a national organization of activists committed to the emancipation of workers and the oppressed. We strive to revitalize the antiwar, environmental, labor, anti-racist, feminist, student, and other social movements with a mass-action perspective. Recognizing the divisions that exist on the left and within the workers’ movement, we seek to form united front type organizations around specific issues where various groups have agreement. In this way we seek to maximize our impact and demonstrate the power and In the process we hope to bring activists together from different backgrounds into a revolutionary workers’ party that can successfully challenge the wealthy elite—whose profitdriven system is driving down living standards and threatens all life on this planet.

We are active partisans of the working class and believe in the need for independent working-class politics—not alliances with the bosses’ parties. That is why we call for workers in the U.S. to break from the Democratic and Republican parties to build a Labor Party SOCIALIST ACTION Closing news date: Jan. 6, 2018 Socialist Action (ISSN 0747-4237) is published monthly by Socialist Action Publishing Association, P.O. Box 10328, Oakland, CA 94610. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Socialist Action, P.O. Box 10328, Oakland, CA 94610. RATES: For one year (12 issues, 1st-class mail): U.S., Canada, Mexico — $20. All other countries — $30. Money orders and checks should be in U.S. dollars.

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2 SOCIALIST ACTION JANUARY 2018 Overcoming Hang-Ups—A New York Times story about a Communications Workers of America contract settle­ ment after a long, often bitter fight opened: “Stemming the tide of rising economic insecurity for service work­ ers, a major union has won significant job protection and increased pay for about 20,000 AT&T wireless employ­ ees, as well as a commitment to bring work back from overseas.”

One Game Ends So Another Can Be Played — Amalgamated Transit Union 1005 represents 2500 bus driv­ ers, light rail operators, technicians, and mechanics in the Twin Cities. Af­ ter months of stalling beyond contract expiration, the Metropolitan Council finally made an offer to Local 1005 in November. It included a major takeaway—increased hours for part-time drivers.

Since it would delay promotions to full-time, this was no favor for most part-timers, and the deal was over­ whelmingly rejected by the member­ ship. The union then put the Council on notice—if no satisfactory agreement was in place by the first weekend in February they would strike.

That just happens to be when the Su­ per Bowl is scheduled to be played in Minneapolis attracting tens of thou­ sands of out-of-town visitors. This seemed to have a salutary effect. The Council dropped their part-time con­ cession demand, agreed to three an­ nual 2.5 percent raises, and accepted effectiveness of mass action. based on the trade unions. designed, and laid out entirely by volunteer labor. Name City State Phone E-mail union proposals for increased security measures to protect drivers from as­ saults and to establish adequate num­ bers of restroom facilities for drivers. It was approved by 82 percent of the ranks.

Tending to Their FLOC—Whether or not you had a decorated once-living tree in your living room, you may ap­ preciate a mostly inspiring holiday story first reported by the prolific Mike Elk in The Guardian about a victory by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee. Among their mostly Latino members in North Carolina are workers planting and cutting Christmas trees.

It was discovered that one employer, Hart-T-Tree Farm, not only stole some of their wages but also exposed them to dangerous conditions including toxic chemicals. In addition to commitments to correct these complaints, the union won $330,000 in back wages owed to 54 workers.

Once Joint, Now None—One of the few substantial victories for workers during the Obama era National Labor Relations Board was the 2015 Brown­ ing Ferris decision. It established a principle of “joint responsibility” of corporations with their contractors and franchises in collective bargaining.

Among many potential advantages, that decision opened a clear legal path for the 15 and a Union movement for winning recognition and contracts in franchises of huge fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Burger King.

In December, by a 3-2 vote, the now Republican board majority reversed Editor: Michael Schreiber Canada Editor: Barry Weisleder Subscribe now!

Address Zip that decision.

Moving With the Speed of Ivy—In November 2016, the Harvard Gradu­ ate Students Union appeared to lose a certification election at the world’s wealthiest university after more than 300 votes were rejected as invalid. But the union convinced the NLRB field of­ fice that Harvard had supplied them with incomplete and inaccurate lists of grads in the bargaining unit.

A new election was ordered, and the employer appealed that ruling to the national board. In December 2017, the NLRB commissioners upheld the new election order. No new date has yet been announced. 655 Still Growing—United Food & Commercial Workers 655 claims to be the biggest local union in Missouri. They augmented their numbers with two organizing victories in December. Fourth International.

• Buffalo, NY: [email protected] • Chicago: P.O. Box 578428 Chicago, IL 60657, [email protected] • Connecticut: (860) 478-5300 • Duluth, Minn.: [email protected]. www.thenorthernworker.blogspot.com • Kansas City: [email protected] (816) 221-3638 • LOUISVILLE, KY: [email protected], (502) 451-2193 • Minneapolis/St. Paul: (612) 802-1482, [email protected] • New York City: (212) 781-5157 • Philadelphia: (267) 989-9035 [email protected] Facebook: Red Philly (Above) Twin Cities transit drivers demand protection against what the union calls an “epidemic” of physical assaults against them by passengers.

Bon Apetit Food Services already had UFCW contracts at several St Louis lo­ cations and didn’t contest the union’s claim to represent 300 workers at the Washington University campus. They promptly negotiated a contract, pro­ viding raises ranging from 11 to 14 percent over three years.

Their other win was a much smaller unit but a breakthrough of sorts; a Dol­ lar General store in suburban Jefferson City voted 2-1 to unionize. This was the first union victory at any of the compa­ ny’s more than 14,000 U.S. stores. n If you have a story suitable for Labor Briefing please contact billonasch@ kclabor.org For info about Socialist Action and how to join: Socialist Action National Office, P.O. Box 10328, Oakland, CA 94610, (510) 2689429, [email protected] Socialist Action newspaper editorial offices: [email protected] Website: www.socialistaction.org WHERE TO FIND US • Providence: [email protected] (401) 952-5385 • Salem, Ore.: [email protected] (971) 312-7369 • San Francisco Bay Area:

P.O. Box 10328, Oakland, Ca 94610 (510) 268-9429, sfsocialistaction@ gmail.com • WASHINGTON, DC: [email protected], (202) 286-5493 National Office [email protected] (647) 986-1917 http://www.socialistaction.ca/

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