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Shameless In Sacramento
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| SharynS |
Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:28 pm
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Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Posts: 2939 Location: the 'puter |
Bill Pearson, retired president of UFCW local 789, demonstrates that the pending merger between UFCW Locals 588 & 1288 has little to do with solidarity and everything to do with union executive troughing.
read more... _________________ Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself. - Salman Rushdie |
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| SharynS |
Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:44 am
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Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Posts: 2939 Location: the 'puter |
Quote: Bring more clout to the bargaining table; _________________ Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself. - Salman Rushdie |
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| Laboryes |
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:01 am
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Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 1967 |
Questions:
1. Who is supervising this Union merger election? Please list names and locals or International Union supervisor(s) names. 2. Who is the election chairperson(s)? Please list names and local union affiliation. 3. Is there one Post Office Box location being used or two? Please identify the location of the post office(s) being used for the receipt of election ballots. 4. Are the post office box(es) secure? Who has access to the Post Office box(es)? What are the controls used to make sure there is no tampering with received ballots? Are there separate boxes for returned, undeliverable election mail or is this mail co-mingled with ballots returned? Are the Post Office boxes holding ballots virtual boxes (maintained by the Post Office) or are they keyed boxes maintained in the public area of the post office(s)? If keyed, public post boxes are used, who has the keys to these boxes and what are the security requirements in place to protect ballots from illegal tampering? 5. Will rank-and-file members who wish to observe the entire election process, from the pick up of ballots at post office, to the opening and counting of ballots, be allowed to observe the entire process? How does a rank-and-file member get permission to be an observer of the election ballot process? 6. If rank-and-file members are not allowed to observe the process (this does not include rank-and-file members selected by the local unions to count ballots), will a neutral third party or organization, such as the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, be allowed to observe the entire election process? 7. Is there a third party election company running the election (If yes, please give name and address of election company)? Will the ballots be counted electronically or by hand? Where were the ballots for each local union election printed (please provide name, address of ballot printer or company responsible for providing election ballots and materials). What are the ballot control measures used to ensure that every ballot printed is accounted for? 8. Please provide information on the "challenge ballot" procedures and process to be employed in this election at one or both locations. 9. Will Department of Labor rules governing mail referendum union elections be followed and enforced by the International Union? 10. Is the merger ballot decided by simple majority or does it require a 2/3 or 3/4 approval of the membership? 11. Please give us the rescission guidelines if a member decides to change their vote one way or the other. _________________ "When people refuse to obey, then democracy comes alive." Howard Zinn |
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| Pearson |
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:07 pm
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Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 1417 Location: Sun City AZ |
All great questions LY and ones that will cost you a fair amount of ya'r dues dollars. Here's how it will work: If they answer you, they will be drafted by an attorney who is charging in the neighborhood of $300 an hour. He will carefully craft non-responses that will give you only parts of the story and leave lots of wiggle room.
Just for shits and giggles, tell the local you want the answers in writing as you want to post them on the websites you frequent and that members are reading in large numbers. It will send them over the edge. This debacle is shameless and the boys behind it are simply looking out for themselves. What the hell, why should the members have any rights? Where on earth is it written members should have a voice? Be entitled to fair elections? Get the truth rather than spin doctored bullshit? Here's the answers guys, and this is from one who was on the inside and knows/understands how it works; and by the way doesn't charge a dime: The law mandates elections; gives workers a voice; even gives the leadership the responsibility to represent members. Here's even a better answer: Workers want to be treated as equals, not subservients who do your bidding. They want/need unions that are there for them first; not a bunch of overpaid bureaucrats looking out for themselves and the organizations they work for. Wake up guys it's collapsing around you. There's still time, but you must change to win. Saying it is wholly different than doing it. _________________ If we don't do it, who will? |
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| SharynS |
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:25 am
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Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Posts: 2939 Location: the 'puter |
UFCW Local 588 members and retirees protested in response to the Local's proposed merger with sister Local 1288. The merger, sanctioned by UFCW International President, Joe Hansen, would delay (or pre-empt) a Local executive election currently scheduled for summer 2006.
read more... _________________ Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself. - Salman Rushdie |
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| Pearson |
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:39 pm
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Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 1417 Location: Sun City AZ |
Nice job gang, but i expect Brother Jacque missed it in it's entirety. I expect he was in Las Veags with the boys enjoying the fruits of his labor. It is cool to note the staff is working overtime while the braintrust is away hobnobbing with the really important people.
What i find most interesting is just how much controversy this election/merger is causing. The idea that someone could steal an election away simply by swallowing up another local is fascinating and better yet is getting my creative juices flowing. Look to the coming days for some more fun with words from BP as this mess continues to unfold. _________________ If we don't do it, who will? |
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| steelerfan1 |
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:05 pm
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Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 1 Location: modesto ca. |
Our union reps were in our stores in force in the Modesto area. They posted a note in break rooms,sayin there would be a meeting to explain what the merger would mean to us as members,well when I got to this meeting, which was held in a beautiful(expensive)conference room at the Doubletree Inn, There were 5 union reps. And no members(except myself and 2 coworkers that rode wih me) I went with reform 588's questions in hand and caught them quite off guard. It's kind of funny when you have 5 reps all looking at each other for these answers. And a couple that they couldnt answer at all. But also pretty sad. I hope our hard work at getting the no merger vote out workers out for us. But one thing for sure, I'll keep things stirred up at this end.
Motown |
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| Pearson |
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:52 pm
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Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 1417 Location: Sun City AZ |
Way awesome SF1. It is always fun to watch the deer in the headlights look when you are armed and loaded with legitmate questions. Invariably truth trickles to the surface, or bullshit appears in its natural form.., and these guys are masters at crapping it out.
I'm suprised one of them didn't get on the cell phone you buy them and try and reach Jacque in Vegas. Too bad, woulda been cool to have heard him sputtering his dribble over why this would good for the members; when in reality it is really all just good for him, the staff and family...oops, many of them are one in the same. _________________ If we don't do it, who will? |
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| GRUMPY |
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:37 pm
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Joined: 19 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 |
Bill, you were saying hobnobbing and swallowing. Are you sure Jr. isn't selling his fat ass on the corner in LV ? I think this is the pose 
Sorry if this upsets anyone. Maybe he is doing a private party for Hanson in his suite. 
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| Laboryes |
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:07 pm
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Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 1967 |
One 588's member view of the merger:
http://www.labornet.org/images/finger.gif 
_________________ "When people refuse to obey, then democracy comes alive." Howard Zinn |
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| exraleys |
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:20 am
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Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Posts: 193 |
Back 20 years ago this was the same stuff Jack did right before an election. Just merge with a union and all elections are put on hold. If the Feds ever look into this merger and anything else that is going on in this union, I would not be surprised if they pull out the RICO statute.
I think the Internet is going to play a bigger roll in getting information out to people. Information is powerful and the easier it is to get the more powerful it becomes.Forums like this are a useful tool for discussion and information. |
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| Pearson |
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:11 pm
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Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 1417 Location: Sun City AZ |
Quote: I think the Internet is going to play a bigger roll in getting information out to people. Information is powerful and the easier it is to get the more powerful it becomes.Forums like this are a useful tool for discussion and information.
Well said Er, and dead on right. The net is reaching people like never before. In the past you would watch this crap in amazement and in solitude. Now, it is exposed and left to air, leaving those playing the power game with their pants around their ankles and their tiny little...well you get the picture. The shame of this entire debacle runs so wide and so deep i'm not sure where to start. The articles i have written so far barely scratch the surface of ugliness. If anger wasn't such a worthless emotion, i would say i'm angry. The funny thing is, i'm not. Nope, this idiots game of hide the election betwen the merger is just more of the same. The blatant disregard for members rights is the thing that has killed our labor movement and spawned the birth of biz unionism and what WMP calls institutionalized labor. Great definition, because it defines the premise that workers no longer matter; just the organization and the individual leaders...the two least important pieces of what a movement should be. These guys will live to regret their actions. Irrespective of outcomes in this merger or any of their other silly little games protecting their own self interests; labor will drift further and further from workers and one day the whole mess will topple. The idiots will blame every one but themselves. God forbid they ever look in the mirror, see their greed and their lust for power and control and admit it was our downfall. Too bad, because what we could have/should have been was way awesome...if only they hadn't been so shameless in their pursuit of having theirs at any cost. _________________ If we don't do it, who will? |
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| feelthelove |
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 4:42 am
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 2 |
My only problem with Pearson's topic is that All of this could be prevented by the broader participation of the membership as a whole. I’m not knocking anyone who has tried in good faith to select and to retain officials that deal in good faith toward the union member as a whole…the fight is not with the converted. The union fight, the fight of the member, is for information about the politics of power. I applauded the efforts of people like Bill Pearson, but you can’t just speak to the choir. The real fight is always going to be with the sensibilities and level of concern the average union member feels is their duty to protect and sacrifice for the “brotherhood” of all. The real issue is not who gets paid what, who sells out to whom, or the corruption inherent in the act of exercising power…no, the real issue is what is to be gained by the average member. Who can do it within the law and is motivated to do it? Ask different questions to seek different answers.
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| Pearson |
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 1:29 pm
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Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 1417 Location: Sun City AZ |
Hey ftl good to see you, where ya been hanging out?
Quote: The real issue is not who gets paid what, who sells out to whom, or the corruption inherent in the act of exercising power…no, the real issue is what is to be gained by the average member. Who can do it within the law and is motivated to do it? Ask different questions to seek different answers.
Actually, i think who gets paid what etc is THE issue. The sad fact is institutionalized labor has morphed into a pathetic self serving bunch of bastards whose primary function is to take care of themselves. UFCW 588 was/is the worst example of biz unionism i have ever seen. The nepotism, salaries and spin doctoring is off the charts and the endorsement from the international verifies their inability to grasp the fact members count. It's all about saving their own asses and insuring they have theirs. For twenty years Loveall has been playing these games and now the son is doing the same. Members have tried taking them on and yet, there they stand with their smug smirks on their face acting as if it's all good. Shameless doesn't begin to cover their actions and the cost of this kind of behavior will be enormous. The internet allows for exposure and by the time these idiots are done i/we will make sure as many people/workers know just how rotten they are. Incumbants win 85% of all union elections. They control the process. Even with those odds, they were afraid to allow members to have a voice, to have a vote. Fear is pathetic on people, but in this case the stakes were apparently too high and the truth was too powerfully devestating to let members decide right from wrong. Not sure why i disagreed with you, but thanks for the opportunity for the rant. Take care and looking forward to hanging around with us. _________________ If we don't do it, who will? |
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| feelthelove |
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:52 am
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 2 |
When a union is allowed to be run in the manner that you have described who allows it? What I was getting at is that a fully informed membership would never allow it. Corruption works best when the majority of the voting body is either ignorant or indifferent to its existence. Nobody here is surprised that unions don’t always have the best interest of the member in mind. But, how far is that importance message be relayed to the broader membership? Pointing out corruption or just plain ineptitude is a noble cause, but it works best when everybody that can matter in the effort to change that state gets the message. That takes the converted speaking not just amongst themselves, but taking up the soap-box with every connected member; taking it up member by member. That’s how I learned it….
I’m sorry you disagreed with my post. It was not that what you are doing is not supremely important. It is just that every god-damned member needs to hear it. They are the ones voting….all of them, or as many as you can get concerned in their own future. |
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