uncharted.ca

...and always believed in the strength in union. Today, I am not so sure.

Dear Mr. Loveall,

My name is XXXXXXX (name withheld at my recomendation) and I was present at the August 8 meeting in Sacramento, at the Bakers and Painters Union Hall. I have been a member for many years, and hate to admit that this was the first union meeting that I’ve ever attended. I had some real questions and concerns about our next up and coming contract, and felt that I, as a member need to be more involved, not just expecting my “leaders” to do all the work.

So, I requested the night off, and went to the meeting. I went into the hall and sat in the back of the room because I did not know how all this worked. I knew you were the one conducting the meeting because I had seen your picture on different literature that has come to my home. The meeting started, and within the first 5 minutes, I was ready to exit the room. If this meeting was held in a safer part of town, and I felt safe to walk to my car by myself, I would have left the building!!

At the time of going to the meeting, I had heard of Doug Slaydon, but never have met him, or had any idea what the man looked liked. Well that question was answered immediately when I saw the absolute hatred that the union reps and yourself had for him. The language that was being thrown at him, and watching MY old union rep Joe Ciotti chuck a chair, made it real clear to me who he was.

I have to admit Mr. Loveall, that I was scared. I have never in my life seen any meeting (and believe me, I’ve been to some pretty interesting competitive soccer meetings!!) that was so out of control. I just sat there depending on you, my leader, to get this thing back under control, and you just stood there and let these people (I am not sure who all of them were…but know that they were some type of union employees) talk the way in which they did. I couldn’t wait for that meeting to get over and get out of there.

It really saddened me that out of some 30,000 members there were only a handful of us there. I now think I understand why! I did speak up at the meeting (once it got back under control) and told you how upset and offended I was. I have waited almost a week to write this note to you because I truly thought that someone from UFCW would call me to apologize. If not that, I thought that at least my current rep, Mr. Micheletti, would be by to talk to me. I did hear he was in the next night, but basically to just say how out of control the members were, while he was using the “F” word the whole time. This actually shocked me, because he was very “controlled” at the meeting, and has always come across to me as very professional and kind.

I am very upset by all this. This is not at all a union I want to be a part of, but unfortunately, I have no choice. I have to pay dues and be a member if I want to stay at my job. I am now at the point of re-evaluating if I even do think my job is worth it.

I keep being told, don’t shop non-union stores (in fact, there were picket signs there for us to take about not shopping at WinCo) but at this point I have to question that! I was a member in Southern California for a few years, and now in Northern California, and always believed in the strength in union. Today, I am not so sure.

We are living in times where the strength of union is important. We as members, you as leader, and them as reps! If we want to make it through our next negotiations, there have got to be some radical changes!! 30,000 members is a lot of people…but if we can’t unite, what good is it.

I wrote to you because when we were at the meeting you told me I could call you anytime and gave me your number, but you said it so quickly, and I did not have a pen or pencil in my hand, so was unable to get it. Therefore, I am writing. I’m on the same side of this as you, not an enemy, and would like to think that I could go to a union meeting and be proud of what I saw. The only people that seemed to be showing respect to me, was the members to their leaders, unfortunately, not the other way around.


Thank you for your time, Mr. Loveall

(flying chairs or no flying chairs)

Siggy, why don't you just turf the UFCW at your store?