The Working Press, Volume 1, Issue 6, June 1998: “Building the Road to Union Cities”

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The Labor Coalition, Midstate Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO

Labor Coalition
Endorsement of AFL-

ClO program
In 1997, The Labor Coalition endorsed the
AFL-CIO Union City initiative. It is the hope
that each and every Local Union in Tompkins,
Cortland and Schuyler counties will adopt the
Union City initiative. Together, we can
BUILD A UNION CITY.

Step 1. ORGANIZING FOR
CHANGE, CHANGING TO
ORGANIZE
Promote organizing as the entire labor
movement's top priority and get half of the local
union to sign up for the AFL-CIO “Changing to

Organize” Program.

Step 2: MOBILIZING AGAINST
ANTI-UNION EMPLOYERS
Recruit and activate at least 1% (one percent)
of union members in the area for STREET
HEAT, AFL-CiO’s new solidarity and rapid
response team. Members pledge to help
defend and support workers involved in

organizing and contract campaigns.

Are YOU ready to commit to
STREET HEAT?

Inside the Working Press

Page 2:
Local News: Campaigns and Contracts

Page 3:
General Information

Page 4: e4
Labor Coalition Meetings

109 West State

Step 3. BUILDING POLITICAL
POWER AND COMMUNITY
COALITIONS
Organize grassroots lobbying/political
action committees fo work on local, state
and national issues, build community
alliances and support political candidates

who champion working families.

Step 4. PROMOTING
ECONOMIC GROWTH,
PROTECTING OUR
COMMUNITIES
Organize community allies in support of
economic development strategies that
establish worker and family-friendly
community standards for local industries

and public investment.

Step 5. EDUCATING MEMBERS
IN POCKETBOOK ECONOMICS
Sponsor the new AFL-CIO Economics
Education program for at least a majority
of local unions in the area.

Step 6. GENERATING
SUPPORT FOR THE RIGHT TO
ORGANIZE
Persuade city or town council and/or
county bodies to pass resolutions
supporting the right of workers to organize
and insist candidates do likewise as a

condition of endorsement.

Step 7. MAKING SURE OUR
LEADERSHIP MIRRORS FACES
OF OUR MEMBERS
Work to make sure that all official CLC
bodies - executive board, committees,
Officers, delegate bodies-are as diverse as
the membership represented by affiliated

focal unions.

Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-277-5670

June 1998

Step 8. ENCOURAGING ALL
LOCAL UNIONS TO INCREASE
THEIR MEMBERSHIP
Reach an annual membership growth rate
in the Central Labor Council (CLC)
jurisdiction of three percent (#%) by the

year 2000.

UNION CITIES - STRONG
COMMUNITIES

The mission of the AFL-CIO
(including its affiliates, their
Local Unions and _ State
Federations and Central Labor
Councils) is to improve the lives
of working families-to bring
economic justice to the
workplace and social justice to
our nation. By organizing
workers and building a broader
American labor movement. By
creating a stronger political
voice for workers. And by
changing the labor movement.

Organize...
- Mobilize...
Jobs!

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Organizing Locals

Coalition Unions affiliated who
are actively organizing are:
Local Union

Contact
SEIU 200A
Coert Bonthius 275-0910
UAW 2300
Harry Evans
UBC 603
Kathy Thomas 257-9586
IBEW 241

Gary Kirton 272-2809
Bricklayers Local 8

Mark Babbage 273-3050
CSEA Region 5
Will Streeter
UA 267

Paul Fingland 315-437-2951
SEIU 200B

Bob Tompkins 315-424-1750
Asbestos Workers 30

Brian Urquhart 315-475-1246

Phone

272-4108

800-559-7975

CSEA

June 24 has been designated by the
AFL as Right to Organize Day of Ac-
tion and an event is being organized in
Syracuse around a CSEA organizing
drive in the Town of DeWitt. Will
Streeter is asking for support for the
workers. Call the Syracuse Labor
Council for more information 315-422-
3363.

UAW 802

Mark Keith reports that Monarch Tool
IS Feorganizing its management struc-
lure. Members are receiving Health
and Safety training in Lock out/T ag out
and respiratory training,

SEIU 200A

Continuing their organizin
g Campaign
at St. Joe's Hospital in Elmira. They

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veer LOWN, Sialkot. The Foulball Campaign, developed to monitor and encourage all
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APWU 1151 -

ike Oates reports that a nation e
ise of the US Postal Service nes
ing privatization by Emery meter C
non-union company) was recently eld.
Their current contract expires on
November 20. The unfair labor practice
against the downtown {thaca post office

is awaiting a final ruling.

IBEW 961

Dan Addy reported on the effects of
deregulation. The Milliken Station facility

is to be sold. Town of Lansing residents
will feel the immediate effect with a hefty
increase in school taxes. The Meter
services department may experience an
impact to current jobs.

Labor Party News

Howard Botwinick reported on the up-
coming Labor Party convention. The
Labor Party is seeking endorsement
from Local Unions.

Union Cities Conference

The recent conference held in Albany
was highly successful with over 50 rep-
resentatives from the Northeast partici-
pating. One potential outcome is the
regular meeting of Central Labor Coun-
cils to discuss collective actions.

The National CLC conference is sched-
uled for July 31 - August 1 in Chicago.

Steering Committee
Meeting

The Steering Committee will meet on

Tuesday, June 30 at 6:30 at the Coali-

tion offices at 109 West State Street.

The agenda will include discussion on

He upcoming Steering Committee elec-
ns.

Affiliated members interested in being

On the Steering Committee should con-
tact Kathy Thomas, 257-9586.

Building Trades
Bricklayers 8

Mark Babbage was re-clectey
dent of Local 8 during recent

Presi.

Carpenters 603

Carpenters 603 recently held an Ap.
prentice and Service Awards Dinner
Four graduating apprentices were hon.
ored. Service pins were distributed to
members. Three families with over 80
years of collective service were honored
with special awards.

WORKING WOMEN CELEBRATE F
THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF [

THE DECLARATION OF_
SENTIMENTS IN SENECA FALLS f

A Statewide rally for working}
women sponsored by the Work-E
ing Women’s Department at theP
AFL-CIO, CLUW and _thep
Rochester and Midstate Central
Labor Councils will be heldE
Thursday, July 17 at 1:00PM ing
Declaration Park, 136 Falls}
Street in Seneca Falls, NY. E

More information is available}
at: 3
hitp://www.celebrate98.com}
http://www.unps.gov/worie
http://www.greatwomen.org.>
http://www.hws.edu/~forum98 :

This event will culminate af
week-long celebration on the)
contribution of women. Speak-f
ers for the week include Hillary p
Clinton and Alexis Herman. fF

Call Kathy Thomas for further
information at 257-9586. Wef
are looking for support from
local unions for T-shirts mark-|
ing the event. Union Brothers
are encouraged to support ape)

attend this event as well. }

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Health and Safety News ttee

Tuesday, June 30 6:30PM at
Coalition Office

Repetitive Strain Injury: A
FREE CLINIC
DATE:
THURSDAY, JUNE 18
TIME: 4PM-7PM
WHERE:

2-4 Pulteney St., Bath, NY
AFGWU Local 1013

LABOR IS BACK - THE DEFEAT OF PROP
226

DEFEAT OF THE PAYCHECK DECEPTION ACT IN
CALIFORNIA - A MAJOR VICTORY FOR LABOR

Dr. Michael Lax, Medical Director of
the CNY Occupational Health Clini-
cal Center (CNYOHCC) will con-
duct a health screening for repetitive
strain injury. Also available will be
Greg Siwiniski, Certified Industrial
Hygienist with the CNYOHCC, who
will conduct individual consultations
on workstations; and Arlene Small,
Physical Therapist, who will consult
with clinic participants on helpful
stretches.

The following is a memo from AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney to all
Labor Activists...."A moder political miracle, the defeat of Califomia Propo-
sition 226 by an overall 54 to 46% margin, sprang from the voters strong
sense of fairness and union members’ unprecedented mobilization against
a right-wing effort to silence the voices of working men and women in our
nation’s political system. Union members rejected the proposition with a
resounding 71 to 29 percent vote. Even more, we gained new strength and
momentum for a pro-working family agenda heading into the fall elections.
More than 24,000 new union member political activists emerged in Califor-

nia in the course of this campaigning.

Anyone who is concerned that their
job may be putting them at risk for
carpal tunnel syndrome or other hand/
wrist/shoulder problems, or thinks
they have symptoms of such an injury,
is welcome to come in for a free con-
sultation. Refreshments and general
information on RSI will also be avail-
able.

The defeat of Proposition 226 sends a clear message about the prospects of
other such worker-bashing initiatives in other state and the message is,
simply put, “Pounding working families is a losing proposition.”...

For nearly six months, we've played effective defense against the attempt
to wipe us off the political map. Now it’s time to go on the offensive on
behalf of a Working Family Agenda, demanding that elected officials take
action in support of the right to organize and on behalf of the key worker
concerns like health care, fair pay, and retirement security.”

If you would like to join the Labor Coalition in our efforts to promote a
working family agenda during this political season, contact Kathy
Thomas at 257-9586.

For MORE information contact

277-5670 or 776-3022

Sponsored by Midstate Central Labor
Council, Steuben Central Labor Council,
American Flint Glass Workers Local
1013.

HELP WANTED

Labor Day Picnic
Volunteers are needed for this
year’s Labor Day Picnic Committee.
We need committee chairpeople for
the following sub-committees:

¢ General Planning

Solidarity Issue of the Working Press

B \¢ Entertainment
The Working Press will publish a SOLIDARITY ISSUE forfj |* Children's Games
Labor Day this year. We are requesting advertisements from | 4 Publicity. pines
Local Unions and Labor Activists. Full-page, half-page and |+ Food and Beverages
quarter-page ads will be available. Please begin planningf |* Awards

Please contact Kathy Thomas,

257-9586 immediately for more
information.

for this issue. Stay tuned for more information.

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Midstate Central Labor Council 1998 Meeting Schedule

MONTH/DATE

June 30

July 28

August 24

General Meetings will rotate between the Workers’ Rights Board office on Cortland, TC3 in Dryden and the Pipefitters
Hall (701 West State Street) Ithaca.

additional information.

TIME.
6:30pm |
7:00pm
6:30pm

MEETING
Steering Committee
General Meeting

Steering Committee

LOCATION
Ithaca
_ Ithaca

Ithaca

News articles and information for the Working Press is needed by the 15th of the month
for publication in the following month. 3 easy ways to get your news in the Working Press:

¢ CALL the Coalition Offices with your news 277-5670 or Kathy Thomas 257-9586
¢ FAX information 272-4111

¢ E-MAIL to Kathy Thomas SHOKWAVE12@aol.com

Please forward 1998 dues and information on delegates and activists as soon
as possible. Contact Kathy Thomas, 257-9586 or SHOKWAVE12@aol.com (e-mail) for

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