On the picket line

Labor supports Jena 6

“In addition to our contingent from the Chicago Area Region 4 Civil Rights Council of the Auto Workers at the Jena 6 rally, I saw contingents of Longshoremen from Charleston, S.C., postal workers from New Orleans and health-care workers from California,” Larry Goldbetter, member of the National Writers Union, UAW Local 1981, told Workers World.

“You could just sense the potential in the huge crowd, which was two-thirds youth. It was incredible.”

Before that, on Sept. 14, Goldbetter reported that the Region 4 UAW Civil Rights Council had passed a unanimous resolution to send representatives with a $500 check to the Sept. 20 rally.

The resolution included two other provisions: informing members of all locals and shops in UAW Region 4 about the racist injustice in the Jena 6 case and conducting plant gate collections to aid the legal defense.

Goldbetter also reported that on Sept. 17, UAW Local 551 at the Chicago Ford Assembly Plant had passed a similar resolution at their membership meeting and sent a $500 check with their delegation to the rally. That local also took up a shift-change collection.

“I am proud to represent our union in Jena and urge every member to take part in this struggle,” wrote Goldbetter. “Send a check to the NAACP-Jena Fund and raise it in your union to get your local to take a stand.”

Members of the Steering Committee of the NWU New York Chapter responded by signing the petition on www.colorofchange.org/jena. If you haven’t yet signed the petition, do so today.

Taxi drivers sue to stop GPS

Eight taxi drivers and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance filed a class action lawsuit on Sept. 19 asking for a temporary restraining order to prevent global positioning software technology from being installed in the city’s 13,000 yellow cabs.

The lawsuit charged that forcing drivers who own cabs to install unwanted and costly equipment in their private property is unconstitutional.

In the meantime, the 13,000 drivers who belong to the NYTWA began voting on whether to authorize another strike after their successful Sept. 5-6 job action. There is no official word on when a second walkout would take place, but it might be before Oct. 1.

The Taxi & Limousine Commission has stipulated that all cabs must have GPS technology for their first inspection after that date. (www.ny1.com)

UFCW holds talks with Smithfield

The United Food and Commercial Workers union announced Sept. 21 that it has begun negotiations with Smithfield Foods about representing the 5,500 workers in its plant in Tar Heel, N.C.

The statement read in part: “In past elections, workers have been threatened, called racial epithets, fired and even assaulted for their support of the union. So while we are hopeful that we can reach an agreement, we are determined that only a clearly defined process that fully protects the workers’ right to choose a union is acceptable.”

For periodic updates about the Smithfield workers’ struggle for union representation, visit www.ufcw.org and sign the petition to demand justice for the workers.

Verizon guilty of union busting

On Sept. 13 the National Labor Relations Board took a very unusual stance when it supported charges brought by the Communication Workers that Verizon Business was engaged in union busting in Pittsburgh and in Monsey, N.Y.

The union charged that Verizon “has been interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of their rights.”

The NLRB found that Verizon admitted it had fired Verizon Wireless workers for union activity and boasted of this as a threat to frighten other workers.

A union statement noted that VBZ workers have faced a relentless campaign of coercion, surveillance, firings and other anti-union tactics to stamp out efforts at collective bargaining. Despite that, the majority of VZB workers have signed union cards.

Separate NLRB hearings on these cases are set for Oct. 31 in Pittsburgh and Nov. 5 in New York City.

Support passage of ENDA!

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is moving toward a vote in Congress. It’s imperative for all progressive people to tell their legislators that the federal government must protect working people against discrimination on the basis of sexual and gender identity.

To learn more about ENDA and to sign the Pride at Work petition, go to www.unionvoice.org/campaign/pawenda.

An injury to one is an injury to all!