(left)Peter J McGuire, the founder of our Carpenters Union and leader of the Social Democratic Workers Party, a socialist party. He was arrested in 1873 during a direct action occupation of the New York Police Commissioners Office, to demand a permit for a march for unemployment benefits. This is the tradition on which our union was born.
For a union local that has 2 union meetings a month, and with our local's tradition of militancy, our Holiday union meetings, one in November and one in December, are a bit like the year's Armistice. The form the truce between the full time staff and our members takes is simple: the meeting is called to order, then there is a call for Adjournment. Then we line up and eat a union-paid slap-up dinner together. Business Agents (full-time staff) and rank and file militants shake hands and wish each other well. And then in January it's back to yelling, heated debate and contested votes.
Tables are set out in lines, up and down the hall, cafeteria style. Thirty minutes before 7pm there are at least 200 carpenters, some with wives and kids, already lined up and waiting for the bell. This to me, is our union: more diverse than America, probably slightly poorer, but certainly as downtrodden. Warm hand shakes between carpenters who've lost touch over the years and lots of laughter erupting.
A guy on his own sat down and joined the bullshitting with the carpenters on our table. I noticed a small kid was sitting next to me. I stopped mid-sentence with a profanity, his dad looked up from his dinner and smiled, "it's okay, it's the third time he's heard that tonight." And it was only five past seven. After stuffing ourselves, we all sat back. A buddy's wife helped my youngest with her drawing. And the kids began getting up and running around the busy hall, stealing an extra dinner roll here and there.
One of the Executive Board members was wearing a shiner. His softball team is sponsored by the union and wears our local's number on their shirts. He claims he got his black eye from a softball. As he strolled over towards us I yell, "How did you really get that eye?" implying, he's hiding something more interesting. He goes into this intricate story about falling backwards and the ball rebounding off his head. One of the guys, turns to the rest of us listening, and interrupts, "I told him, I knew what really happened. He thought the guy said 'Stand Up!' when the guy said 'Shut Up!'" We all roared at our buddy's expense.
Taking a rough head-count, we probably had 300 carpenters at the dinner this year, maybe a hundred less than last year. It didn't make sense. Economically, a free meal should be more popular this year than last. Then I thought about the numbers: over 500 members have left the union this year, unable to find work, unable to maintain their dues. With construction on the rocks, many have probably left the trade altogether. So there's less of us here. It would be too early in this jobs massacre to refer to us as the survivors. There's probably not enough lifejackets to go around to ensure we'll all be here next year. But we will fight to survive, we just need a union leadership that will lead the fight. But then that'll be forged next year, after the holiday truce is exhausted.
Rob, unemployed carpenter, Oakland, California
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