I would agree with Mike G. What are all the changes on this list and for
three weeks until last night I got nothing from the list. Sean.

Dear Steve,  Could I get a more detailed story on the suit and srolen tips
with verification.  I would like to do a story on it.  Possibly a court case
number and a scourt statement of the allegations.

Mike

Dear Steve,  My home phone is my fax but you have to call first so I do not
answer the phone.  What is onelist? Have we changed from the E-groups
designation for the WDN.  There have been so many changes an no-one has told
me anything.

Mike

Dear Mike,
      If you have a fax, I can fax you a flyer about HERE11. Also you can
call the Multi-Racial Alliance in LA at 213-483-9353.
      In Solidarty,
      Steve Zeltzer

Steve,

I do PR full time, if that would ever be of help.

John

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Zeltzer [SMTP:lvpsf@...]
> Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 10:03 PM
> To: workersdemocracy@onelist.com
> Subject: [workersdemocracy] Re: Contacts In UBC& IUOE Inter
>
> From: Steve Zeltzer <lvpsf@...>
>
> Thanks John,
>      I'll keep it in mind.
>      Steve
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> ONElist announces "FRIENDS & FAMILY!"
> For details, including our weekly drawing, go to
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks John,
      I'll keep it in mind.
      Steve

Steve Zeltzer wrote:

> From: Steve Zeltzer <lvpsf@...>
>
> Dear Jim and all others on the list,
>      We had about 15 workers at the LA meeting. Mostly the workers were
> from SEIU 1877 and SEIU 399. It also included Michael Everett from IATSE,
> a member of the MTA from the ATU and a members from AFSCME 2000 City
> librarians. We decided to set up an organizing committee for the
> conference and convention protest and will be having another meeting next
> saturday in LA. We are also looking for endorsements for the conference
> call and the protest. You do not have to attend in order to endorse.
>      One of the most important discussions was that an activist from HERE
> 11 of the Los Angeles Hotel and Restaurant workers is forming a caucus
> and they will be participating in the conference and demonstration as
> well. The head of the Local Maria Elena Durazo is married to Miguel
> Contreras who is head of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor. Elena is
> being sued by the rank and file for stealing the tips of banquet waiters
> and her hubby was the one who authorized the bosses to take the tips.
>      This is very explosive since they will be the "hosts" of the
> convention.

<snip>
Are there any net resources for more information about this HERE 11
situation? I'd like more info. Mike Wood

August 13, 1999  New York Times



           Union Leader Says Proof of '95 Fraud
           Was in Files

           By STEVEN GREENHOUSE

           Mark Rosenthal, District Council
           37's best-known corruption
           fighter, could hardly believe what he
           had stumbled upon when a janitor led
           him into a long-forgotten storeroom at
           union headquarters.

           Atop a file cabinet inside the musty
           storeroom was a large cardboard box
           holding hundreds of election ballots
           that Rosenthal said were palpably
           fraudulent. The ballots came from a
           1995 election for the executive board
           of his union local, which represents
           1,800 municipal motor vehicle
           operators.

           Rosenthal said the ballots were
           suspect for numerous reasons: the
           return addresses on dozens of
           envelopes were written in identical
           handwriting; the postmarks showed that
           dozens of ballots were mailed from the
           same post office at the same time, and
           scores of ballots were filled out
           precisely the same way.

           "This was like an act of God to me,"
           said Rosenthal, whose union local is
           one of the 56 locals in District
           Council 37 of the American Federation
           of State, County and Municipal
           Employees, the umbrella group
           representing 120,000 New York City
           municipal workers.

           "I've always suspected that that
           election was a fraud, and I've been
           searching for proof for four years,
           and here, God, it just fell into my
           lap. If anyone knows about searching
           for justice, this shows there really
           is a God."

           Rosenthal said the ballots proved that
           the previous president of his union,
           Local 983, had perpetrated the vote
           fraud to guarantee that his 26 allies
           running for the local's executive
           board would win election.

           In June, the Manhattan District
           Attorney, Robert M. Morgenthau,
           announced the indictment of the
           local's former president, Robert
           Taylor, on charges of fixing the 1995
           election, grand larceny and reporting
           false results in the 1996 ratification
           vote on the district council's
           contract.

           Alan Friess, Taylor's lawyer, insisted
           yesterday that Mr. Taylor was not
           guilty, saying he had moved to dismiss
           the charges on the ground that the
           indictment was defective.

           "So Mr. Rosenthal found something,"
           Mr. Friess said. "Was it Mr. Taylor's
           handwriting? When somebody knows,
           maybe someone can link it to Mr.
           Taylor."

           Since Rosenthal was elected president
           of the local a year ago, he has played
           a major role as a whistle-blower at
           District Council 37. He helped bring
           to light evidence of vote fraud,
           embezzlement and kickbacks -- as well
           as a $91,000 Christmas party. These
           revelations put pressure on the
           district attorney and the parent union
           to move more quickly against
           corruption at the district council.

           While suspecting fraud in his local's
           1995 vote, Rosenthal said he was
           dumbfounded as he inspected the
           ballots found in the storeroom. What
           struck him most was that so many
           envelopes were stamped with postmarks
           showing they were mailed from the same
           post office.

           "I wanted to know how so many members
           of my local could be in the same post
           office at the same time even though
           they live in a dozen different ZIP
           codes," Rosenthal said. "I find the
           odds of that astonishingly high."

           Four years ago, Rosenthal, then a
           dissident union member, asked the
           parent union to overturn his local's
           1995 election. In that election
           protest, he asserted that it was
           extremely unlikely that all 26
           candidates on Mr. Taylor's slate could
           beat all 26 members on his slate when
           the Taylor slate appeared unpopular
           and hardly campaigned.

           But the parent union rejected
           Rosenthal's challenge on the ground
           that he had not come up with hard
           evidence of fraud.

           Until now.

           After Rosenthal discovered the ballots
           late Monday, he informed District
           Council 37 officials, who immediately
           told him to secure the ballots and
           turn them over to the district
           attorney.

           Rosenthal conferred with his lawyer,
           Arthur Z. Schwartz, and they concluded
           that it would be wisest to move the
           ballots to the lawyer's home that
           Monday evening.

           "We did not believe the ballots were
           safe in the building because too many
           people knew about it," Mr. Schwartz
           said. "To this day, no one has
           explained how the ballots from another
           local's election disappeared from a
           locked storeroom."

           On Tuesday, an investigator from Mr.
           Morgenthau's office picked up the
           ballots from Schwartz.

           Discussing Rosenthal's discovery,
           Daniel Castleman, Morgenthau's chief
           of investigations, said: "We've
           received what purport to be ballots
           from the 1995 election. We're
           examining them to see whether they can
           be used as evidence in the indictment
           that already charges that the 1995
           election in Local 983 was rigged."


----------------- End Forwarded Message -----------------

interesting.  i think i mentioned to you i worked for some bld. trades
internationals, and i know people at the carpenters (as well as at the
IUOE).  let me know if this would ever be of help.

john

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Zeltzer [SMTP:lvpsf@...]
> Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 12:25 PM
> To: workersdemocracy@onelist.com
> Subject: RE: [workersdemocracy] what happened in LA
>
> From: Steve Zeltzer <lvpsf@...>
>
> Dear John,
>      The carpenters had about 3 to 400 workers protesting the contract.
> It was passed despite the protest and they are discussing how to continue
> the fight both toward the elections next year and on the job.
>      Steve Zeltzer
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> ONElist announces "FRIENDS & FAMILY!"
> For details, including our weekly drawing, go to
> http://www.onelist.com/info/onereachsplash3.html
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rally For Murdered Teamster Mark Garcia

Wednesday, August 25, 4:30 p.m.
Rally at 850 Bryant St (between 7th & 8th), San Francisco, then go to
POLICE
REVIEW COMMISSION hearing to demand JUSTICE FOR MARK GARCIA. The PRC is
finally reopening this case and the police misconduct around Mark Garcia's
death. For further info call Roger at 510-548-5020. Mark Garcia was a
member
of IBT85 and the union has supported his families fight for justice.

Dear John,
      The carpenters had about 3 to 400 workers protesting the contract.
It was passed despite the protest and they are discussing how to continue
the fight both toward the elections next year and on the job.
      Steve Zeltzer

steve,

any word on the carpenters?

john

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Zeltzer [SMTP:lvpsf@...]
> Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 11:10 AM
> To: workersdemocracy@onelist.com; rlandingham@...; coke2@...;
> laurenil@...; sparksw@...; miclconn@...; ILWU-10;
> hardhat@...; ACorns8564@...; AFSCME; IUOE-3;
> mgriffwzef@...; Newdem@...; CWA; gmquezeda@...;
> tomcondit@...; rbf1@...; elerner@...;
> jgabriel55@...; fitzand@...; ahgan@...;
> kelchie@...; gsanders@...; umbra@...; dhamilton@...;
> tpost@...; 71363.1545@...;
> Paul_Hessinger@...; bigrafx@...; Vprice@...;
> Tlaney@...; TWU-100; TWU-100; UFCW-101; NALC214; Russ Ritirato TWU;
> Panama Watson TWU; Jim Colabella TWU; Henry Williams TWU; Gerasimos
> Liberatos-TWU; Ed Kehoe-TWU; Charles Jenkins-TWU; New Directions Hub-TWU;
> jim-TW; Michael Eisenscher; Horacio Grana-UBC; Steve Manos; Steve
> Franklin; hardhat@...; Mike Bologna
> Subject: [workersdemocracy] SF SEIU87 Janitors May Lose Hiring Hall
>
> From: Steve Zeltzer <lvpsf@...>
>
>
>
>
> SFLR News
> Thur. Aug. 12, 1999
>
> SF Liberation Radio
> 93.7 FM in western San Francisco
> 4 p.m.-10 p.m. nightly
>
>
> 2. SF Janitors to Lose Hiring Hall?
>
> On Aug. 21 San Francisco janitorial workers--members of SEIU Local
> 87--may end a decades-long tradition by voting in a new contract which
> eliminates the union's hiring hall.
>
> Local 87 is one of the last remaining janitors unions in the country
> that still has a hiring hall, union organizer Michael Connell told Steve
> Zeltzer, host of SFLR's "Labor Line."
>
> Connell said the new contract offers janitors "the best wage increase
> they have seen in something like 20 years."  However, he added that in
> losing the hiring hall "the union will have lost a significant control
> over the industry."
>
> Should the contract be approved, as expected, said Connell, management
> will, in effect, have "bought" the hiring hall.
>
> "A worker receiving a dispatch from the union to go to work feels
> loyalty to the union," said Connell.  "Well that's going to be broken
> now.  People are going to be hired by management and their loyalty of
> course is going to be directed to management.  You're going to feel a
> certain sense of gratitude to the person who employees you."
>
> Connell fears the phasing out of the hiring hall may result in increased
> discrimination of workers for engaging in union activities.  Another
> danger, he said, is the elimination of those workers, possibly through
> attrition or through more "malevolent" means, who hold the greatest
> seniority and who consequently enjoy better wages and benefits.
>
> Local 87 has approximately 3300 members, said Connell, almost all of
> whom work in commercial office buildings in the city's Financial
> District.  Union members constitute approximately 90 percent of the
> city's janitorial work force.
>
> The phasing out of Local 87's hiring hall is reflective of a similar
> trend in the labor movement nationwide as unions increasingly cede to
> management control over the hiring process.
>
> "When I first went towork in 1968," said Connell, "I had tremendously
> warm feelings toward Local 87--because I got a dispatch!  The
> secretary/treasurer of the union put a dispatch in my hand, and I went
> to work.  I started making money, and I was making $3.57 an hour, which
> was a fortune to me at that time.  It created in me a loyalty to the
> union that to this day has not gone away, and never will."
>
> According to Connell, management alleged during contract negotiations
> "that they were not getting qualified people from the hiring hall," and
> that workers "were coming in who didn't know how to do the work--they
> didn't know how to be good janitors."
>
> Connell added:
>
> "There may be some truth to that--I'm not even denying it.  But in the
> last year, to its credit, the local has made some effort to create
> training programs."
>
> He cited one such program at City College which was set up with
> assistance fom the union.
>
> I believe they had graduated one class just before contract bargaining
> began," said Connell.  "But management discounted that.  They said,
> 'This is simply too little too late.'"
>
> Zeltzer inquired of Connell whether or not the example of Local 87's
> doing away with its hiring hall might "spill over" and affect other
> unions, such as that of SF hotel workers, which still have hiring halls.
>
> "I think it may have some indirect effect and I have already received
> phone calls from members of some of these other unions bemoaning the
> fact that Local 87 has given up its hiring hall--and they feel it WILL
> have some impact on them, and I can't disagree with them," said Connell.
>
> Labor Line, which airs each Sunday at 4 p.m. on SFLR, will be preempted
> this Sunday for special programming.  The program will return to its
> normal time on Sun. Aug. 22.
>
> *
>
>
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> Congratulations to Molly Jones
> This week's FRIENDS & FAMILY WINNER!
> To enter, go to http://www.onelist.com/info/onereachsplash3.html
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

SFLR News
Thur. Aug. 12, 1999

SF Liberation Radio
93.7 FM in western San Francisco
4 p.m.-10 p.m. nightly


2. SF Janitors to Lose Hiring Hall?

On Aug. 21 San Francisco janitorial workers--members of SEIU Local
87--may end a decades-long tradition by voting in a new contract which
eliminates the union's hiring hall.

Local 87 is one of the last remaining janitors unions in the country
that still has a hiring hall, union organizer Michael Connell told Steve
Zeltzer, host of SFLR's "Labor Line."

Connell said the new contract offers janitors "the best wage increase
they have seen in something like 20 years."  However, he added that in
losing the hiring hall "the union will have lost a significant control
over the industry."

Should the contract be approved, as expected, said Connell, management
will, in effect, have "bought" the hiring hall.

"A worker receiving a dispatch from the union to go to work feels
loyalty to the union," said Connell.  "Well that's going to be broken
now.  People are going to be hired by management and their loyalty of
course is going to be directed to management.  You're going to feel a
certain sense of gratitude to the person who employees you."

Connell fears the phasing out of the hiring hall may result in increased
discrimination of workers for engaging in union activities.  Another
danger, he said, is the elimination of those workers, possibly through
attrition or through more "malevolent" means, who hold the greatest
seniority and who consequently enjoy better wages and benefits.

Local 87 has approximately 3300 members, said Connell, almost all of
whom work in commercial office buildings in the city's Financial
District.  Union members constitute approximately 90 percent of the
city's janitorial work force.

The phasing out of Local 87's hiring hall is reflective of a similar
trend in the labor movement nationwide as unions increasingly cede to
management control over the hiring process.

"When I first went towork in 1968," said Connell, "I had tremendously
warm feelings toward Local 87--because I got a dispatch!  The
secretary/treasurer of the union put a dispatch in my hand, and I went
to work.  I started making money, and I was making $3.57 an hour, which
was a fortune to me at that time.  It created in me a loyalty to the
union that to this day has not gone away, and never will."

According to Connell, management alleged during contract negotiations
"that they were not getting qualified people from the hiring hall," and
that workers "were coming in who didn't know how to do the work--they
didn't know how to be good janitors."

Connell added:

"There may be some truth to that--I'm not even denying it.  But in the
last year, to its credit, the local has made some effort to create
training programs."

He cited one such program at City College which was set up with
assistance fom the union.

I believe they had graduated one class just before contract bargaining
began," said Connell.  "But management discounted that.  They said,
'This is simply too little too late.'"

Zeltzer inquired of Connell whether or not the example of Local 87's
doing away with its hiring hall might "spill over" and affect other
unions, such as that of SF hotel workers, which still have hiring halls.

"I think it may have some indirect effect and I have already received
phone calls from members of some of these other unions bemoaning the
fact that Local 87 has given up its hiring hall--and they feel it WILL
have some impact on them, and I can't disagree with them," said Connell.

Labor Line, which airs each Sunday at 4 p.m. on SFLR, will be preempted
this Sunday for special programming.  The program will return to its
normal time on Sun. Aug. 22.

*

steve,

what's the word with the carpenters up here?  did they do anything on 7/31?

john

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Zeltzer [SMTP:lvpsf@...]
> Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 10:30 AM
> To: workersdemocracy@onelist.com
> Subject: Re: [workersdemocracy] what happened in LA
>
> From: Steve Zeltzer <lvpsf@...>
>
> Dear Jim and all others on the list,
>      We had about 15 workers at the LA meeting. Mostly the workers were
> from SEIU 1877 and SEIU 399. It also included Michael Everett from IATSE,
> a member of the MTA from the ATU and a members from AFSCME 2000 City
> librarians. We decided to set up an organizing committee for the
> conference and convention protest and will be having another meeting next
> saturday in LA. We are also looking for endorsements for the conference
> call and the protest. You do not have to attend in order to endorse.
>      One of the most important discussions was that an activist from HERE
> 11 of the Los Angeles Hotel and Restaurant workers is forming a caucus
> and they will be participating in the conference and demonstration as
> well. The head of the Local Maria Elena Durazo is married to Miguel
> Contreras who is head of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor. Elena is
> being sued by the rank and file for stealing the tips of banquet waiters
> and her hubby was the one who authorized the bosses to take the tips.
>      This is very explosive since they will be the "hosts" of the
> convention.
>      Also we discussed having caucuses of different unions such as the
> carpenters, SEIU, ect at the Sunday conference.
>      We are also having a Bay Area Workers Democracy Network Forum on Sep
> 11 on The SEIU, Democracy and the International and a delegation of SEIU
> members will be coming up to SF.
>      Please get the word out and support the call.
>      In Solidarity,
>      Steve Zelter
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> ONElist:  home to the world's liveliest email communities.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Jim and all others on the list,
      We had about 15 workers at the LA meeting. Mostly the workers were
from SEIU 1877 and SEIU 399. It also included Michael Everett from IATSE,
a member of the MTA from the ATU and a members from AFSCME 2000 City
librarians. We decided to set up an organizing committee for the
conference and convention protest and will be having another meeting next
saturday in LA. We are also looking for endorsements for the conference
call and the protest. You do not have to attend in order to endorse.
      One of the most important discussions was that an activist from HERE
11 of the Los Angeles Hotel and Restaurant workers is forming a caucus
and they will be participating in the conference and demonstration as
well. The head of the Local Maria Elena Durazo is married to Miguel
Contreras who is head of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor. Elena is
being sued by the rank and file for stealing the tips of banquet waiters
and her hubby was the one who authorized the bosses to take the tips.
      This is very explosive since they will be the "hosts" of the
convention.
      Also we discussed having caucuses of different unions such as the
carpenters, SEIU, ect at the Sunday conference.
      We are also having a Bay Area Workers Democracy Network Forum on Sep
11 on The SEIU, Democracy and the International and a delegation of SEIU
members will be coming up to SF.
      Please get the word out and support the call.
      In Solidarity,
      Steve Zelter

Here is an indication of what's coming in negotiations with GM, Ford and
Daimler Chrysler.

                                     Bruce Allen

http://hometown.aol.com/praxis1871/myhomepage/index.html


     Rolls-Royce Workers Ratify 5-year Deal

UAW Local 933 members ratified a five-year agreement with Rolls-Royce Allison
by a 91-percent majority Aug. 5.

The agreement covers approximately 2,200 production and skilled trades
workers in Indianapolis and Evansville, Ind.

The agreement will provide the workers with a $1,250 signing bonus; 3-percent
general wage increases in the first, second, third and fifth years, and a
3-percent lump-sum payment in the fourth year. These gains are protected
against inflation by cost-of-living adjustments. The current health care
coverage is to be maintained with no increases in co-pays or deductibles
throughout the agreement.

I would be in interested in his information also. And I have not been
receiving anything from this list. Am I subscribed?    Sean.

what took place in LA on  Aug 7 I haven't hard any thing can some one wright me
jimwalk@...

steve,

please forward me the details about this weekend's rally.  i'd like to
attend.  thanks.

john

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Zeltzer [SMTP:lvpsf@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 11:41 PM
> To: workersdemocracy@onelist.com; united@...
> Subject: [workersdemocracy] LA Meeting On Democracy& AFL-CIO August
> 7, 1999
>
> From: Steve Zeltzer <lvpsf@...>
>
> Los Angeles Meeting/Discussion On
>
> Democracy, The AFL-CIO and Rank And File Control
>
>
> Saturday August 7, 1999
> Multi-Racial Alliance Offices
> 2413 W. Wilshire Blvd./Valencia & Witmer
> Los Angeles
>
>      The battle for union democracy and rank and file membership control
> of our unions will be the focus of this meeting in Los Angeles. Today,
> tens of thousands of workers now have their locals in trusteeships and
> the growing corruption crisis within the AFL-CIO is part and parcel of
> the centralization and corporate unionism that dominates the trade union
> structures.  Reports will be made at this meeting on the ongoing struggle
> of SEIU 1877 Janitors on the recent election as well as a report and
> video on the wild cat strike of carpenters in the bay area and their
> fight against concessions and the right to vote on their contract.
>      A video will also be shown on the wildcat strike and the mass rally
> being planned on July 30, 1999 to protest the concession contract.
>      A discussion will also be held on the upcoming convention of the
> AFL-CIO in Los Angeles on October 11, the  plans  for a protest and a
> Rank And File Labor Conference on October 10 in Los Angeles.
>
>      The meeting will be held at the offices of the Multi-Racial
> Alliance. This organization has been fighting for democracy and
> membership of control of former SEIU Local 399 and now SEIU 1877.
>      There will also be representatives of the Bay Area Workers Democracy
> Network which recently formed.
>
> For Further Information Call
> The Multi-Racial Alliance
> (213-483-9353 or Fax(213-483-5114
> or email united@...
> Further information will also be available on
> www.workersdemocracy.org
>
> One Person, One Vote!
> Solidarity Has No Borders
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> You can WIN $100 to Amazon.com by starting a new list at ONElist.
> Drawing is held each week through August 20.  For details, go to
> http://www.onelist.com/info/onereachsplash3.html
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Los Angeles Meeting/Discussion On

Democracy, The AFL-CIO and Rank And File Control


Saturday August 7, 1999
Multi-Racial Alliance Offices
2413 W. Wilshire Blvd./Valencia & Witmer
Los Angeles

      The battle for union democracy and rank and file membership control
of our unions will be the focus of this meeting in Los Angeles. Today,
tens of thousands of workers now have their locals in trusteeships and
the growing corruption crisis within the AFL-CIO is part and parcel of
the centralization and corporate unionism that dominates the trade union
structures.  Reports will be made at this meeting on the ongoing struggle
of SEIU 1877 Janitors on the recent election as well as a report and
video on the wild cat strike of carpenters in the bay area and their
fight against concessions and the right to vote on their contract.
      A video will also be shown on the wildcat strike and the mass rally
being planned on July 30, 1999 to protest the concession contract.
      A discussion will also be held on the upcoming convention of the
AFL-CIO in Los Angeles on October 11, the  plans  for a protest and a
Rank And File Labor Conference on October 10 in Los Angeles.

      The meeting will be held at the offices of the Multi-Racial
Alliance. This organization has been fighting for democracy and
membership of control of former SEIU Local 399 and now SEIU 1877.
      There will also be representatives of the Bay Area Workers Democracy
Network which recently formed.

For Further Information Call
The Multi-Racial Alliance
(213-483-9353 or Fax(213-483-5114
or email united@...
Further information will also be available on
www.workersdemocracy.org

One Person, One Vote!
Solidarity Has No Borders

Shadows can't be organized,
their action is dictated by the light
or the absence thereof

I have no problem asking for the mailing address of members of the
Workers Democracy Network. As Eric said we want this network to be an
organizing network that brings workers together to fight for our goals.
      Steve Zeltzer

Brothers and Sisters,

I have heard from a carpenter rank and file activist in NYC that McCarron
has given the NYC carpenters the right to vote.  On August 10th they are
voting for delegates and officers.

Does anyone have any more details on this news?

In solidarity,
Jeannette Gabriel
New York Workers Committee

Everybody can at least give his/her state or city so others know whether
to invite them to conferences/rallies
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeannette Gabriel <jgabriel55@...>
To: <workersdemocracy@onelist.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 10:53 AM
Subject: Re: [workersdemocracy] Address and Contact Information


> From: "Jeannette Gabriel" <jgabriel55@...>
>
> Dear George,
>
> I sent out a message quite a while ago about the Organizing Committee
which
> is making the logistical decisions about the network.  This is NOT a
> political body, it is purely for organizational decisions.  It is also
open
> to all members of the network (until it gets too big, then we will have to
> figure something else out).
>
> The Organizing Committee decided members had to give their addresses
because
> we would like this to people to be able to get in touch with each other
and
> ORGANIZE, not just have a list on the Internet.  Obviously this is less of
> an issue for international members, which is why I am suggesting they just
> give the country.
>
> To respond to your point about your friend lots of people do not want to
> receive political mail at home so they get PO boxes.  Several of the
Workers
> Democracy Members have sent in a PO box as their postal address which is
> totally acceptable.
>
> In solidarity,
> Jeannette
>
>
>
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Dear George,

I sent out a message quite a while ago about the Organizing Committee which
is making the logistical decisions about the network.  This is NOT a
political body, it is purely for organizational decisions.  It is also open
to all members of the network (until it gets too big, then we will have to
figure something else out).

The Organizing Committee decided members had to give their addresses because
we would like this to people to be able to get in touch with each other and
ORGANIZE, not just have a list on the Internet.  Obviously this is less of
an issue for international members, which is why I am suggesting they just
give the country.

To respond to your point about your friend lots of people do not want to
receive political mail at home so they get PO boxes.  Several of the Workers
Democracy Members have sent in a PO box as their postal address which is
totally acceptable.

In solidarity,
Jeannette

Dear Jeanette and others,

At the risk of again bringing up controversial questions, why do you want to
make an exception for international members that you don't want to make for
members in the U.S.? I give one additional example of why the policy is bad
here. I have a friend whom I would like to invite onto the network, a worker who
is renting a room in an apartment from a very conservative person, and he does
not want this person to find out anything about his politics. He generally does
not even get any mai at this address. Why should he have to give an address to
get on the network? Remember, the idea was that we didn't want to exclude
people. When did we ever decide to exclude people based on their not giving a
postal address?

George


Jeannette Gabriel wrote:

> From: "Jeannette Gabriel" <jgabriel55@...>
>
> Dear Brothers and Sisters,
>
> In response to Brother Malecki's request to give his address private I would
> like to suggest the following policy.
>
> International members do not have to provide their mailing addresses, they
> can just provide the country in which they live.
>
> Of course this is optional, since quite a few brothers from Canada have
> joined the list providing an address may be useful as a way to get in
> contact and work with each other.
>
> If there is no opposition to this I suggest we implement it as our policy.
>
> In solidarity,
> Jeannette Gabriel
> NY Workers Committee
>
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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In response to Brother Malecki's request to give his address private I would
like to suggest the following policy.

International members do not have to provide their mailing addresses, they
can just provide the country in which they live.

Of course this is optional, since quite a few brothers from Canada have
joined the list providing an address may be useful as a way to get in
contact and work with each other.

If there is no opposition to this I suggest we implement it as our policy.

In solidarity,
Jeannette Gabriel
NY Workers Committee

{A CALL FOR AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF TRADE UNIONS TO DEFEAT THE STRATEGIES
OF THE `JOINT LABOUR-CAPITAL PARTNERSHIP` AND THE ATTACKS ON  WORKERS RIGHTS

The Trade Unions listed below, which are affiliated to the CUT (Brazilian
Trade Union Federation), have signed this declaration, and wish to reinforce
the call to take part in the 2nd International Meeting against Neoliberalism
and globalization. The conference will be held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
from 1st to 3rd September, 1999.

This meeting is being organized by the CUT, together with other foreign
national trade
unions, in order to assemble and unite trade unions and political
organizations which are against the conservative and `neo-liberal` offensive
throughout the world.  Alongside the first meeting held in Cuba, this will
mark an important development in organizing
campaigns to face the reactionary anti-worker forces at the international
level.

In addition to inviting you to this event, we would also like to invite you
to a meeting on 4th September (Saturday), in Rio de Janeiro. At this meeting,
which will follow our national trade union conference, we intend to discuss
the following:

In order to face the capitalist offensive against workers on an international
level and also in each country, we need an international trade union which is
capable of responding to the challenges which are facing us at the moment.

Several trade unions and anti-bureaucratic sectors within them (national and
local trade unions, shop stewards and opposition movements to many trade
Unions leaders\'b4
  policy of collaboration) which are carrying out strategies to challenge
capital, to reject the labour-capital partnership and to resist the attempt
to eliminate historically achieved social and working rights.

Today, however, these sectors are spread over different International Trade
Unions (CIOSL, CMT, FSM, and/or their regional branches), or they remain
independent without an international alternative.

Our networking proposal does not seek to replace these existing international
trade union bodies. Its` main goal is to offer one more channel to the large
number of fighting sectors which are struggling in their respective countries
against the capitalist strategies, in order to make it possible to express
their solidarity with each others` struggles. This will also facilitate the
exchange of experiences based on fast and effective communication, no matter
what the international affiliation of each trade union section.

In order to take part in this network, we consider that it is very important
to have agreement on some minimum issues and we suggest the following:

The participation in any International Trade Union (CIOSL, CMT, FSM, or its
local sections) is not required in order to be incorporated to the network,
nor the condition of being independent from them.

b) The network will accept representatives/members of national trade unions,
local trade unions, shop stewards, pro-worker opposition currents to any
right-wing trade union policies, social movements of workers and unemployed
people. These could be organizations of workers from any branch of economic
activity, from public or private sector, from the city or the countryside.

In order to take part, it is necessary to be against the labor-capital
partnership, to struggle against the reduction of working class rights;
against privatizations,  against any attempt to introduce among the workers,
the logic of "competition" between capitals, and instead of that, to be in
favor of workers solidarity at home and abroad.

The main goals of this meeting are: to discuss how to implement this proposal
at an
international level and inside individual countries; which other
organizations/leadership could be invited to join the project; identify
similar initiatives taken all over the world a
nd establish contact, and to propose the first practical actions which could
be undertaken.

e) For addtional information please contact:

1. Emanuel Mellato (Man\'e9) - Sindicato dos Metal\'fargicos de Campinas e
Regi\'e3o
\par Phone: (55-19) 232-3644

\par 2. Luiz Carlos Prates (Mancha) - Sindicato dos Metal\'fargicos de S\'e3o
Jos\'e9 dos Campos \par Phone: (55-12) 346-5333

\par 3.    In\'e1 Meireles \endash  Associa\'e7\'e3o dos Docentes da
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro                        Phone:
(55-21) 264-9314

\par 4 Z\'e9 Maria - Federacao dos Metal\'fargicos de Minas Gerais \par
Phone: (55-31) 226-4942

\par 5\tab Fax: (55-11) 3105-0717 or (55-11) 570-7760

\par 6\tab Email : inter_sindical@...

\par We look forwards to seeing you in Rio de Janeiro.

Brothers and Sisters,

As you may have noticed we are having a lot of problems with the Egroups
Discussion List.  We contacted them and found their technical help to be
lacking.  In order to keep discussion going and provide an easy-to-use
format we are moving to ONELIST.

All the accounts have been transferred and you will all receive a welcome to the
list within the next 24 hours.  If there are individual messages you would
like transferred from the Egroups list to the ONELIST please let me know and
I'll shift them over.

In addition we are developing the web page at
http://www.workersdemocracy.org  There is a bulletin board discussion
connected to the web page.  We would like to get to the point where everyone
is up on the web page bulletin board discussion because it is much easier to
use.  There are threaded discussions there, you can choose what you want to
discuss.  Because of that there is more leeway about the number of possible
postings.  You can post to every thread every day.

However, we realize many of us are still only using e-mail and not using the
web directly.  In order to accommodate you we are continuing the e-mail
discussion list.  It will connected to the web page and all the e-mail
discussion messages will be posted to the bulletin
board. From now on send email to the list at this address:
workersdemocracy@onelist.com

But PLEASE consider going through the web page.  If you need help on this we
will
do everything we can to help you, just give us a call. We will be sending
out more detailed instructions on how to post shortly.

In solidarity,
Jeannette Gabriel and Eric Lerner.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In order to ease the use of the Web page, http://www.workersdemocracy.org
,we have registered all of you who have provided postal addresses onto the
Web page.  You will be receiving a password to use when posting there.  If
you have not provided your postal address, which is required, we're sending
you a note to do so.

Since some of you have asked exactly how to spot to the bulletin board,
here's a set of instructions for those using Windows(most of you).

1)Once you have created a file in your word-processing program(or if you
already have one you want to spot, for example,  a newsletter article),
click on "edit", then on "select all",  then on "copy".

2)Minimize the word program by clicking on the minus sign in the upper right
hand corner of the screen.

3)Activate your web browser(Netscape, Explorer) and go to our Web page and
click on Bulletin Board.

4)If you want to start a new discussion, on a new topic, click on "new
topic".  If you want to add to an on-going topic, click on that topic and
then on 'post reply"

5)Place your cursor in the message window and click.  Then click on "edit"
and then on "paste".  Your file will now be visible in the window and you
can post it by clicking "submit"

Once you get used to it, it's actually very easy to post comments.  If you
have questions, contact me or Jeannette Gabriel.

In solidarity, Eric Lerner