Richard Mellor
Afscme Local 4, retired
HEO/GED
I found this old report myself and Roger Martinez wrote after a Labor Notes Conference in 1989. Both of us had changed somewhat in our political views over the thirty years since we wrote it as objective conditions have changes also. But it was very important as we met with Anthony Mazzochi of the Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers there who was a labor official raising the need for a Labor Party. Sean O' Torain (John Throne) had met with Mazzochi in NYC and suggested we see if we could get him to agree to a meeting in California. We did as explained below. This ultimately led to the meeting you see in the flier the success of which, Mazzini admitted, led him to form Labour Party Advocates. Roger and I were local 444 delegates to Labor Notes and to the Labor Party Conference in Cleveland in the mid nineties.
Roger and Afscme local 444 were influential in getting the Afscme Rank and File opposition newsletter off the ground and we had a caucus meeting at the Afscme Convention in 1996 with 100 or more rank and file in attendance, not the usual sectarians from the self styled revolutionary groups; Earl Silbar , a militant oppositionist in Afscme was also an important figure in making this a success. This caucus and ultimately the opposition newsletter was wrecked by the socialist organisation, the US section of the CWI, I was a member of that wanted to gain control of it claiming it was the newsletter of that organisation. This was a lie. It was begun as an organ of a broad front of rank and file Afscme members, my own local supported it and donated a little money to help get it out to other unions. You can read more about this here.
I was expelled from the CWI for not handing over the names, addresses and union locals that subscribed to the newsletter and I am grateful for that. I have further thoughts on the LPA and how the so called revolutionary left contributed negatively to that movement but not today
Report from Labor Notes Conference 1989
June 13, 1989
Over 100 trade unionists attended the 1989 Labor Notes Conference representing 37 states, 3 Canadian provinces, 65 different unions and some half dozen countries.The conference theme was the direction the labor movement will take in the coming period. The two principle speakers were Jerry Tucker from the UAW and Anthony Mazzochi. From OCAW (Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers).
Tucker represents a growing division among the top leadership of the UAW whose members have lost jobs and taken huge concessions in wages and other benefits in the last few years. This, despite huge profits being made by the auto manufacturers; Tucker himself admitted that it was developments from the rank and file that aroused his interest and he has become the expression for the rising anger and frustration among auto workers.
His recent electoral success and the development of the New Directions movement are a glimpse of what is to come in the U.S. trade Union movement. Local 444 delegates talked with a number of auto workers who were previously inactive, but had become involved with their union due to the emergence of the New Directions Movement. Although Tucker put forward no real alternative to the policies of the established leadership, calling simply for Democracy, solidarity and accountability, this shows that seemingly apathetic and passive layers of union members will become more active and are prepared to fight if they see the slightest inkling of a lead.
Also, Glen Barrien, the National President of the Mailhandler’s Union spoke. He talked of the long battle he has had with the laborer’s union, with whom they were affiliated in 1968. His union had been put in trusteeship by the Laborers International and the Mailhandler’s candidates for office had been ignored. Finally, after years of fighting, Brother Barrien is now National President of the Mailhandlers and his members have won the right to vote on their own contracts and for the election of their own leaders. Brother Barrien was only 33 years old.
Anthony Mazzochi of OCAW spoke on the question of a labor party in the U.S. The question of a labor party in the U.S, was much more prevalent at this conference than the previous one in 1986. Brother Mazzochi was asked by Afscme local 444 delegates if he would attend and speak at a public forum on the question of a labor party. We told him that local 444 was willing to sponsor and endorse such a meeting. He informed us that he would indeed be willing to come and would pay his own expenses.
Local 444 representatives also attended workshops on political action, public service employment, racism and leadership accountability. We found it distressing that issues such as racism, were split up in to single issue items. Men were allowed to attend the Women’s Caucus for example but weren’t allowed to speak. One woman did get up in the women’s caucus and in response to the introduction stated, “We all have something in common” referring to sexual gender and said that she had something in common with working class women but not all women. The problems with racism were also dealt with along these lines.
We met with a number of delegates from other Afscme unions, as far apart as Wisconsin and Maine. There was a general similarity in all our situations. All over the country we are facing attacks on our unions. Contracting out, removing of people from bargaining units by all sorts of methods is common to us all. The use of temporary and LTC workers is everywhere increasing. Most of the AFSCME members all wanted to move toward building links between different locals, corresponding with each other and possibly receiving each other’s newsletters. At our last Executive Board meeting, this was discussed and hopefully with the re-emergence of Local 444’s newsletter, publications or articles from other locals nationwide could be published.
Conclusion
Perhaps the most significant lessons we learned from attending this conference was that all is far from quiet in the trade union movement. It is clear that people out there who are dissatisfied with the way things are and are looking for direction. There were a number of people present who had not previously been active in their unions.
Unfortunately, there was also some things lacking from the conference in general. There was no discussion allowed outside of the workshops. There was a demonstration by the supporters of the established UA leadership and we were told to ignore it. Instead, they should have been invited in and the various ideas and policies should have been debated.
The was also no mention whatsoever of the economy. Here we are on the verge of a recession, inflation is on the rise, international trade war is developing and the US or world economy was left out. On the whole though, the experience was good and necessary and we thank the local for sending us and allowing us to represent it.
Submitted
Roger Martinez
Richard Mellor
1-15-89
Opeiu-3-afl-cio (254) bjd
444 Mellor 6-15-89
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