STRIKING ACTIVISM; Support ACORN Workers

STRIKING ACTIVISM: Support the ACORN Workers

A STATEMENT FROM BAYOU LA ROSE IN SUPPORT OF THE RIGHTS OF PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS AND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE STRUGGLE OF ACORN WORKERS.

\"These are not real workers\", an old diehard proclaims. \"They don\'t have to deal with real bosses!\" I then ask, \"Real bosses who care not for the well being of their employees? Who forces them to work long hours and do not respect the fact that these are real people with lives off their job? Who cares not of the conditions of labor? Who ties to deny the universal right of all working people to organize into a union? Who firers those workers who speak out about their conditions? Who brings in scabs to replace striking/locked out workers? That is a real boss in my book, and that is an ACORN boss!\"

There seems to be an idea out there among some so-called \"progressive\" people that those that work in public service activism are some how less than other workers. That because they serve the public they are not entitled to the same rights and working conditions as other laboring people. And because the organizations they work for advocate public good, those organizations and their leaders are not bound to the same values of public good when it involves the rank and rile workers of these organizations.

This statement does not seek to speak for any other than the long time human rights working class publication Bayou La Rose. Bayou La Rose has, for over 20 years, sought to build solidarity between struggling people against the forces of oppression and exploitation, and now Bayou La Rose wishes to express its support for the gallant struggles of ACORN workers of Seattle and Philadelphia and its support of the right of all public service activist workers to the same rights as all other workers to organize into the union of their choice. And Bayou La Rose appeals to all those who believe in social justice to actively support these workers.

In this current struggle of ACORN workers and in past such struggles, I have heard comments made by many people who should know better than to make such hypocritical statements. I wish to address some of these misguided views.

1.\"Public service activist workers are not real workers?\" Every person who labors for a living, regardless of their labor, with the exception of those that labor at the expense of working people; the police forces of the rich and scabs, are all just as much workers as any other worker. Be they coal miners or hamburger slingers, be they longshoremen or office workers, be they farm workers or coop workers, be they steelworkers or ACORN workers, there are no second-class workers in my viewpoint. I do not make this statement as one who is trying to justify their own place, for I am a maritime worker and in my book all workers are equal members of the working class.

2.\"The leaders of progressive organizations are not real bosses?\" Any person, regardless of what industry or organization, that has the power to hire or fire
workers and set their conditions of labor is a real boss.

3. \"Public service progressive organizations should be held to different standards?\" This is true, but the standards they should be held to is that of setting the right example for others to follow. Denying the right of workers to organize into the union they so desire is not living up to the higher standards we should expect of progressive organizations. Any organization that goes out into the public to influence the public good needs to have that same public good apply to their own organization.

3. \"The disgruntled ACORN workers are only short time workers?\" This statement has been made by some who seek to distract attention from the real issues. First off it is not true, and second it does not matter. Every worker from the first day of their labor on have the equal rights of organization and decent working conditions. There are no second-class workers and the length of labor is never a justification for abuse.

4. \"ACORN Scabs are not real Scabs?\" Any person that takes the job of a striking orlocked out worker IS A SCAB!

\"After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire, he had some awful stuff left with which he made a scab. A scab is a two-legged animal
with a corkscew soul, a waterlogged brain, and a combination backbone made
of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor rotten
principles...Judas Iscariot was a Gentleman compared to a scab. For betraying
his master he had the character to hang himself - the scab hasn\'t...There is
nothing lower than a scab.\" Jack London

5. \"The IWW is just trying to make a name for itself at the expense of ACORN?\"
This is not an ACORN vs. IWW issue, for to think so lacks an understanding of
what unionism is all about. ACORN workers have the right to the union they
want. In the IWW it is the workers on the job that decide the issues of their
struggle and the actions that they take. But it is very true also that once those workers make their decisions then all Wobblies will actively support them. This is what we call universal solidarity. Be it one worker or be it a million workers, the IWW stated principle is \"an injury to one is an injury to all.\" There is great diversity within the IWW, we Wobblies may even get a bit cranky with each other from time to time. but when ever any of our members are engaged in job struggles or are under attack from the outside we set our differences aside and battle as one great fist of solidarity, and don\'t mess with us for we have a long memory.

Like in any other labor struggle, there is no fence to sit upon. You either support the rights of working people to organize a union and to act to improve their conditions, or you don\'t support these things. That and that alone should be the determining factor on which you decide if you support the ACORN workers and all other public service activists right to organize.

In Solidarity
Arthur J. Miller
Bayou La Rose
P.O. Box 5464
Tacoma, WA 98415-0464
bayou [at] blarg.net
(Please Post Widely)

ACORN Workers Organize

From: SEATTLE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT COUNCIL-IWW
5215 Ballard NW
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 706-6250
E-Mail: bp172 [at] scn.org
http://bari.iww.org/alerts.html



WASHINGTON ACORN DECLARES WAR ON IT\'S OWN STRIKING WORKERS!

March 23, 2001

New Development: Office is Packed Wall to Wall with SCABS!

On February 26th, staff workers at Washington ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) organized into a union with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and asked the employer, Doug Bloch, for union recognition. The employer refused to bargain with the union, even though nearly 100 percent of the workers had joined the union, and had presented demands, which included a 40 hour week, paychecks on time and in full, a sexual harassment policy, safety on the job, and lunch breaks. Most of these demands are asking for the employer to comply with Federal and State labor law. Workers went on strike, and have been out for nearly 1 month.

Wade Rathke, Chief Organizer (and effectively CEO of ACORN) has fought unionization tooth and nail since day one He had lied, stating that ACORN is proceeding in a legal manner. He is lying because:

1) Workers in Philadelphia, Dallas, and Seattle have files Unfair Labor Practices with the National Labor Relations Board

2) Workers have bee refused their jobs, after offering an unconditional return to work

3) As of today ACORN management has replaced all of the striking workers in the Washington office with Scabs from the Portland ACORN Office.

4) Wade Rathke has lied and said that workers have called off the strike.

Workers filed for a union election with the Labor Board, and ACORN management is doing everything possible to ensure that this election never takes place, though frivolous delaying tactics and packing the bargaining unit with scabs.

We charge that there is no difference between Kaiser Aluminum, Oregon Steel, The Seattle Times, and ACORN National in how they deal with their own workers. This is flat out union busting. ACORN management shows their true colors as strikebreakers, lawbreakers, and short on the truth; they tell their donors that they support workers\' rights, and use the money to destroy the union!

We charge that ACORN management is in violation of Federal labor standards, specifically ignoring overtime laws, sex discrimination, and the Wagner Act (the right to organize a union).

We charge that ACORN is in violation of Washington State labor and industries standards.

We charge that ACORN management is in violation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which specifically states the human right to join in unions and bargain collectively.

We charge that Wade Rathke, ACORN CEO, has used the name of ACORN as a cover for his own quest for personal and political power.

We charge that ACORN is devoid of any credibility, so long as their attacks on human rights and the union continues, and that their leadership constitutes a cult that is disconnected from the needs of their own workers.



Striking Washington ACORN Workers Need Your Help!



(1) Strike Funds are desperately needed: Checks or Money orders can be made payable to IWW, and mailed to:

Seattle IWW, 5215 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle WA 98107

(2) Contact everyone you know and gather their support for the striking ACORN workers in Seattle.

(3) If you know of any ACORN members, ask them to write letters of support to the striking workers; send them to the address listed above or e-mail them to bp172 [at] scn.org. If you are a member of ACORN, withhold your funds. The workers have declared a boycott, which is being honored by hundreds of ACORN members in Washington alone.

(4) Likewise, if you are a member of a labor or community organization, ask your membership to draft a resolution or letter of solidarity for the striking ACORN workers and condemning ACORN management union busting. Send it to the address listed above or e-mail it to bp172 [at] scn.org.

(5) Call Wade Rathke at 504-943-0044. Call him everyday. Leave detailed messages on why he should recognize the union or resign. E-mail him at chieforg [at] acorn.org, fax 504-944-7078

(6) Call Doug Bloch at 206-723-5845 and demand that he recognize the union and dismiss all scab workers. Inform the scabs in the Washington ACORN office that what they are doing is a disgrace and that they need to go back home to Portland. Fax 504-723-8658

(7) Call the newspapers, radio, and TV stations, and ask them to do a story. For further Information, the Seattle IWW can be contacted at 206-706-6250



An Injury to One is an Injury to ALL!

Seattle Industrial District Council--IWW

http://bari.iww.org/alerts.html