Seattle, WA: Fighting for the next generation, Sprinklerfitters Local 699 go on strike

A member of the local floor coverings union pickets Wednesday, along with members of the Sprinkler Fitters Union Local 699.-DEAN J. KOEPFLER/THE NEWS TRIBUNE

From Gangbox "SEATTLE SPRINKLER FITTERS LOCAL 699 GOES ON STRIKE - contractors will ask other trades to work behind their picketline next week" (7/3/08)

“We’ve gotten as many phone calls from other trades supporting us, telling us they’re right behind us and they’re going to stick with us as long as it takes, so that’s what’s going to make this go sooner,” Collins said. “The contractors want us to go backward as far as our contracts go, and we’re not accepting that. With inflation going on the way it’s gone in the past few years, we’re way behind the eight ball.”

The sprinkler fitters earn about $24 to $30 an hour, and apprentices start out at less than half of those wages. That wage doesn’t include holiday, vacation or sick pay. Apprenticeships last five years, and apprentices receive health benefits in their third year, Collins said.

Mike Dahl, union business manager, said a big issue was the wages of apprentices.

“We’re looking to have not a great standard of living but just that they can afford to live,” he said. “We don’t like the economic impact on the economy here of what we’re doing. We hope this settles very soon.”

SocialistWorker.org adds in "Strike shuts down Seattle building sites"(7/4/08):

The strikers know what they are up against. Sam Bond, a member of Local 699 for nine years, said in an interview, "We have got to keep up with what's going in the world. As prices go up, we have to stay up on it, so we can afford the lifestyle we want to live. This strike is really important for us, and for future generations of sprinkler fitters."

Ironworkers, electricians, laborers, operating engineers, as well as delivery drivers like UPS workers are just some of the union workers who have refused to cross the picket lines.

At the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Wash., the strike has shut down completely nine huge tower cranes, with upwards of 800 workers getting an unexpected extra long holiday weekend.

The union is reporting that not a single member has crossed the picket line so far. A unanimous strike authorization vote and the "last, best, and final" offer from the employers' organization, the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), was voted down 219 to 14.

It's been nearly two years since a major construction workers strike hit the Seattle area. In August 2006, concrete workers who were members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302 paralyzed most of the industry for a month. Those workers won a contract that included pay raises of $3.95 an hour over three years and, crucially, allowed them to honor strike picket lines held by other union trades.

The importance of that strike victory is now magnified. The basic labor idea of "an injury to one is an injury to all" has been highlighted by the solidarity of all the building trade workers refusing to cross the sprinkler fitters' picket line.

As one Local 699 striker put it, "The support we're getting is unbelievable. To be able to have all the trades honor the picket line also helps them out more when their contract times come up."

Heads high brothers, hope you get the $14 over 3 and the better apprentice package, to those that do not know the $14 is cumulative of all health, welfare, pension, etc., meaning it doesn't go into the pocket, the majority usually gets invested in other necessities.

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Building Bridges Radio: Colombian May Day brutality and West Coast dock shutdown

Colombian May Day Brutality and West Coast Docker workers shut down the ports

*Click above to listen to story

West Coast Ports

Tens of thousands of docks, members of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union shut down the west coast ports in a protest against the war. While an arbitrators decision prevented the ILWU from officially sponsoring the strike, its members turned out en masse. The stand-down at ports including Los Angeles and Long Beach, which handle 40% of the imported goods arriving in the United States each year idled ships and halted movement of about 10,000 containers during the eight-hour stoppage.

Colombian Workers Brutalized at May Day Protests

The Bush Administration continues to push through a new free trade agreement with Colombia despite its history of assassinations and repression of trade unionists. The Colombian government claims its fighting that violence, which it says is perpetuated by paramilitary organizations. However, when Building Bridges reporters called Colombia on May 1, 2008 to speak with Javier Correa, Pres. of the Sinaltrainal union we learned that more than one hundred workers at their May Day demonstrations had been arrested, many were beaten and some had been disappeared .

See the full description of the stories and learn more about Building Bridges Radio at UnionReview or at the Building Bridges website

Building Bridges is regularly broadcast live over WBAI, 99.5 FM in the N.Y.C Metropolitan area on Mondays from 7-8pm EST and is streamed, archived and pod cast at www.wbai.org, it is also broadcast nationally in many locations. For more information contact Ken Nash - knash@igc.org

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Updated 75% after 2 weeks of my readers are for a 1 day US and Canada strike and the poll just started

UPDATE: (4/30/08): I took the poll down after 3 weeks, as it was just hanging there for a while and I wanted to set up a new one, heres the results:



Heres the original Post, keep it in your mind, speak about it to others, we'll get the ball rolling if theres enough people who are interested in showing "them" who's boss.



Why a 1 days strike? Whats the reasoning?

A one day strike on what we can all agree on, they all have sold out the dream to do better for our children, to live a peaceful and private life, to one day be able to afford to retire and have enough to survive.

A one day strike where people of all jobs and backgrounds can unite together and say "We are not going to take it anymore"

A one days strike against taxable labor, taxable products and the damn TV. Fuck them and the brainwash machine. Say it with me, say it out loud "Fuck them and their "ask your doctor for ad's that we pay for with every prescription we buy"

A one days strike against the bureaucracy that is our governments handing our futures over to a select few corporations. Allowing the thought of "Free Trade" with the likes of Columbia who kills people who try to organize. "I don't want a Columbian Free Trade Agreement, I count"

A one day strike against the constricting noose around the necks of those whose labor made their corporations what they are today, while the government bails out mismanaged banks and airlines with our money, who's only claim to fame is how badly they have fucked our workers and citizens. Say it "Corporate responsibility, not corporate welfare"

A one day strike before there is a need for a revolution, a strike against the misinformed idea that there is nothing we can do about it. We can, we can stand together. Say it "Together we can change the world"

A one day strike against the 2 party system that bogs itself into partisan politics, like a sideshow, never accomplishing anything for us, but always making sure the corporations get everything on a silver platter.

A 1 day strike against the profiteers of the slave class and our government for allowing it.

A 1 day strike against the corporations who are killing the the good North American jobs and our kids with poisonous products.

A 1 day strike against the oil industry who has decided that we are going to pay 3 times as much as a few years back.

A one day strike where we can be with our families and friends and having a chance to enjoy what is really important, a life with dignity.

We will be heard, we will be united.

Spread the word.

sounds good? vote in your answer at the left.

Feel free to use the images

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In Greece more than 2.5 million workers have been on strike against Social Security reform, take note America

I prefer strike to Revolution.


The nationwide strike was from every sector

Bankers, Lawyers, Electrical and Municipal workers have shut down every industry

From Famagusta Gazette (3/20/08)

A number of domestic and international flights were reportedly cancelled, as air traffic controllers also joined the action.

Schools, ministries and banks were closed for the day.

In Athens, thousands of people took part in a protest rally, and demonstrations were held in several other cities.

From The Press Association (3/21/08):

Rubbish collectors have returned to work, removing mounds of waste which had piled up on city streets during their two-week strike, a day after Greece's parliament approved unpopular pension reforms despite widespread protests.

Rolling power cuts which Greeks had suffered for 17 days also ended after employees at the country's main power company returned to work.

But some sectors are still on strike. Lawyers are staying away from court for the fifth day of a week-long strike, while the bank workers' union declared a 24-hour strike.

A one-day general strike on Wednesday brought the country to a standstill.

From Javno via Reuters (3/21/08):

The bill passed in the 300-seat house with 151 votes in favour, from conservative MPs and one independent, and 13 MPs from the Leftist Coalition against. All other parties, including the main socialist opposition, abstained.

"The nation demands that we proceed with the necessary changes, that we are not held hostage to the past but assert our future with courage and self confidence," Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis told parliament on Friday.

Several hundred protesters remained outside parliament throughout much of the evening vote. Some clashed with police. On Wednesday, millions walked off the job, grounding flights and closing ancient sites, schools and banks.

Bank workers, teachers and lawyers remained on strike on Friday, while workers at state power company PPC, on strike for more than two weeks, said they will meet later to decide how to continue their action.

From EuroNews (3/21/08):

Workers unions in Greece have promised to continue their fight against pension reforms approved by parliament yesterday.

The bill may still be blocked if legislators decide next week to hold a referendum on the issue.

More than two weeks of crippling strikes were followed by protests outside parliament, where the reforms were being passed by the narrowest of margins.

Many accuse the conservative government of going back on pre-election promises not to cut pension rights.

The changes include raising the retirement age for women to 65- the same as for men, offering incentives for people to work beyond 65, and streamlining the country's many private sector pension schemes.

Working mothers are the most affected. Paid maternity leave is extended from four to ten months, but whereas mothers were able to retire after 15 years of employment, they must now wait until they are at least 55.

Workers in so-called "hazardous" jobs will be required to work two years more than under current laws before they can take their early retirement.

The government insists the reforms are necessary to prevent the pensions system collapsing under the weight of an aging population.

How long before we must take the proactive stance and have a 1 day strike?

I prefer strike to Revolution.

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