ILWU Canada pensioner Ken Merone presents International President James Spinosa an oil painting he made as a gift from the Vancouver Host Committee to the International.
Story by Steve Stallone
Photos by Lewis Wright and Steve Stallone
Rank and file delegates from throughout ILWU territory—California, Oregon, Washington state, Alaska, Hawaii and British Columbia—gathered for the union’s 33rd International Convention in Vancouver, B.C. May 15-19. They agreed on a strategically targeted approach to organizing; an unequivocal anti-Bush, anti-Iraq War position; a progressive domestic policy agenda, particularly on health care and the environment; a political action plan for the upcoming elections and a budget with a small dues increase to fund it all.
THE BUDGET
The budget proposal brought to the Convention delegates was worked out by International Secretary-Treasurer Willie Adams and the other Titled Officers, along with the International Trustees and with the input of Hawaii Local 142 Secretary-Treasurer Guy Fujimura and IBU National Secretary-Treasurer Terri Mast. Already a consensus document, the assembly passed it without opposition and without amendments.
The budget is mostly a status quo plan, keeping most all International programs and departments funded at the same levels with small increases to account for expected inflation. It includes modest, progressive increases in members’ dues, with those who make the most contributing the larger share of the increase.
Clerks Local 63 delegation.
Hawaii Local 142 delegation.
ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE!
The budget adheres to the mandate of the 1997 International Convention to dedicate 30 percent of the union’s revenues to organizing. The Organizing Dept. has been focusing on strategic drives, moving into areas where the union has strength and the leverage to win, and where the newly organized industries and workers help protect where the union already is. The policy resolutions the convention’s delegates passed kept to that approach.
“The New March Inland in Southern California” (P-4) is the core policy of the ILWU’s new organizing program. It commits the International and the Southern California locals to focus attention and resources to following the mass migration of container cargo from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to the inland areas where the warehouses and information services run by the longshore employers of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and their subsidiaries have seen an explosion of employment.
These cargo-handling and tech workers labor without the advantages of union contracts, wages, conditions and benefits. They are prime targets for the union’s organizing efforts, can be helped by the ILWU’s port power and in return can strengthen the Longshore Division.
Another resolution (P-3) similarly commits the union to develop strategies for organizing in the ILWU’s Marine Division, the Inlandboatmen’s Union’s (IBU) critical tug and towboat sector on the West Coast and Hawaii. The IBU has lost density to non-union operators, threatening not only their good jobs, but also the security of the ILWU on the docks. The organizing of these non-union towboat companies will also strengthen the bargaining position of Alaska Longshore, the IBU Alaska Region and the IBU’s Region 37.
Alaska is dependent on maritime transport for receiving goods and exporting its natural resources. But union strength at ports in that state has been eroded by the continuing emergence of non-union shipping and stevedoring companies, especially in Dutch Harbor, the largest fishing port in the world. Many of these non-union companies are also making inroads at ports in the state of Washington. So the delegates passed a resolution (P-7) committing the union to provide resources to organize in Dutch Harbor and throughout the Alaska maritime trade industry.
During the Convention the delegates heard from three workers from the newly organized Oxbow petroleum coke facility in the Port of Long Beach. Three workers from the organizing committee at the Blue Diamond Growers almond processing facility in Sacramento told the Convention their conflicts with their employer. Taking a break from their proceedings, the delegates marched 500 strong to a local Safeway supermarket where they convinced management to send a letter to Blue Diamond asking the employers to recognize the union (see story page 7).
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL
The delegated took several practical steps towards the ILWU’s long-standing policy goal of universal health care. The most important of these was having the ILWU join many other unions and progressive health care organizations in the growing movement to endorse HR 676, a bill currently in Congress by John Conyers (D-MI) that phases in universal, single-payer health care for every American.
The U.S. spends more than $2 trillion per year on health care, 50 percent more of its Gross National Product than nations with universal single-payer systems. And yet 46 million Americans lack coverage and 18,000 people die each year because they cannot afford the care they need. Over $400 billion alone is spent on paper work and administrative costs, much of it duplicative and unnecessary. HR 676 would provide equal access to all necessary medical care regardless of income level, without deductibles or co-pays. It would cover hospitalization and office visits, prescription drugs, dental and vision care, home health, nursing home, long-term and mental health care and rehabilitation, and would remain in place even if someone becomes unemployed or retires.
The delegates also passed a resolution on the prescription drug problem. It notes that the Republican-passed plan does not “make prescription drugs available and affordable for every senior who needs them” as Bush promised. Costs remain high because the law prohibits Medicare from bargaining for cheaper prices and the program is administered by private insurance companies with a multitude of confusing plans. The resolution commits the ILWU to support legislation that would restore coverage in Medicaid (for lower income people, seniors and disabled), eliminate privatization in administering the prescription drug plan and revert that back to Medicare and authorize Medicare to negotiate cheaper drug prices in the U.S. and Canada.
Paul Robeson, Jr. tells tales of his father as International Secretary-Treasurer Willie Adams looks on.
McElrath and McEllrath: International Vice President Bob McEllrath listens as ILWU legend Ah Quon McElrath gives the delegates a history lesson.
GREEN AND BLUE
The delegates to the 33rd Convention placed the ILWU firmly in the environmental movement, rejecting the false choice between good jobs and healthy work places and communities, and demanding both. The cornerstone of that policy is the “Saving Lives” campaign, the program for cleaner, greener ports begun by L.A. Harbor Commissioner and International Vice President, Mainland candidate Joe Radisich. As part of a larger anti-pollution effort, the resolution on the Saving Lives campaign (P-13) commits the ILWU to press industry into cleaning up ship smokestack emissions, the single largest cause of air pollution at ports, not just at ILWU ports, but on a global, industry-wide basis.
Those trying to regulate industry pollution always run up against objections that there is no scientific proof that these emissions cause cancers and disease. Although IBU workers on tugs and oil barges in the San Francisco Bay Area have been found to have the highest mortality rate in California, statistical evidence of the causes has been lacking. The delegates passed a resolution to have the ILWU support and organize life-long port worker and resident health studies of illness and death, and to organize health and safety campaigns for port workers regularly exposed to maritime toxic hazards.
The delegates passed another resolution (R-5) brought by members of ILWU Canada demanding the Canadian government require manufacturers to disclose what carcinogens, no matter how small, are in their products, and that employers must inform their employees of any carcinogens they may be exposed to at work.
POLITICAL ACTION
The need to take action to change the political atmosphere and the social policies unions operate under in the U.S. and Canada was on the mind of every delegate and echoed in most of the guest speakers’ presentations. The Convention’s delegates took several steps toward that end.
They passed a symbolic “Vote of No Confidence” in George W. Bush (R-15). Then in a resolution going on for two pages listing Bush’s crimes against humanity, democracy and unions, they enumerated a basic five-point program to “Take Our Government Back” in the 2006 and 2008 elections. It calls on the ILWU to mobilize its members to elect pro-labor candidates in 2006 and 2008, calls on locals to urge their members to contribute to the union’s Political Action Fund, calls on every local and region to establish functional political action programs, and urges all locals to undertake workplace campaigns to educate members about the union’s political action program, register members and their families to vote and get out the vote.
Another resolution (P-19) requires more communications among the District Councils, the regional political arms of the ILWU. It directs the District Councils to expand their capacity to contact and educate members about the ILWU’s positions and urges all locals to affiliate with and participate in their AFL-CIO state federations and central labor councils.
Yet another resolution (P-11) urges members to make regular payroll deduction contributions to the ILWU Political Action Fund through their local credit unions and that payroll deduction authorization cards be available through local halls and at local meetings.
Many delegates expressed frustration with the Democratic Party’s seemingly spineless loyal opposition to Republican policies. The need for new political formations that could stand firmly for labor principles echoed throughout the hall. A long debate ensued on a resolution about “fusion voting” (R-16), a new electoral system that can help third parties get elected and influence policies (see story page 5).
The system is in place and working in New York State and many unions in Oregon and Washington state are supporting initiatives on the November 2006 ballot in their states to legalize fusion voting. Some delegates hesitated to vote for a system they were unfamiliar with, but the majority passed it and its position for the ILWU to promote and fund efforts to legalize fusion voting.
The delegates passed another resolution (R-36) supporting ILA Charleston Local 1422 (home of the Charleston 5 and Ken Riley) and the South Carolina labor movement’s pioneering efforts to run independent Labor Party candidates for state office in November 2006.
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka (at podium) fires up the delegates as International Secretary-Treasurer Willie Adams (left) and International President James Spinosa (right) applaud.
NO WAR
Three years of death and destruction in Iraq with no end or resolution in sight have turned most Americans against the war. It has affected the ILWU too.
At the last International Conven-tion three years ago, less than two months after the “shock and awe” invasion, resolutions against the war engendered rancorous debate even if they passed by large margins. This time four resolutions dealing with Iraq all passed without opposition. One from ILWU Canada demanded the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq (R-4). Another (R-33) called for Congress to pass House Joint Resolution 55, called “Homeward Bound,” a plan for withdrawing American troops.
Yet another resolution (R-23) called for the immediate end to military actions in Iraq and withdrawal of U.S. troops, for ILWU regions to introduce Iraq withdrawal resolutions in local and state government, for the Bush administration to fully fund veteran health care, education and housing assistance and for the Bush administration to seek diplomatic solutions to its differences with Iran.
A fourth resolution calls on the Iraqi government to cease its repression of the Iraqi port workers’ union and allow the free exercise of labor rights throughout the country. It also calls on the U.S. and Iraqi governments to abandon plans to privatize that country’s ports, factories and national resources, for the ILWU to establish a direct relationship with Iraqi port workers and support their organizing efforts, and promote the Iraqi port workers’ union’s cause among the international dockers movement.
IMMIGRATION
With the immigrant rights movement front and center on the current political scene and its mass demonstrations happening on May Day, International Workers Day, the delegates took the opportunity to reaffirm the ILWU’s long-standing policy in support of immigrant rights. They passed two resolutions (R-35 and R-52) blaming the dislocation of millions of people and the recent unprecedented levels of global immigration on multi-national corporation’s economic policies, and calling for a “sane” immigration policy: no criminalization of workers crossing borders; no guest worker programs designed to strip workers of human rights and the right to organize; and a clear and reasonable path to permanent resident status and citizenship.
EDUCATION FIRST
The budget approved contained the money for one of the union’s ongoing member education programs. It funds another Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Institute in early 2007 and another Secretary-Treasurer training seminar for local financial officers later that year.
The delegates also passed a resolution to fund an updated and improved edition of “The ILWU Story” booklet that is used widely for new member orientation.
Pensioners' delegation.
Longshore Local 10 delegation.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
The ILWU’s internationalism was front and center at the 33rd Convention. First and foremost was simply holding it in Canada for the first time in 18 years. From the border crossing customs checks and currency exchanges, to the signage in English and French (French is the other official language of Canada), the delegates got a good dose of the cultural and political differences between the two countries as well as the similarities.
Jim Sinclair, president of the British Columbia Federation of Labour, addressed the convention, asserting that workers need to ignore national borders, especially when dealing with politics and organizing. Workers in both countries need to defend national health care in Canada and work to establish a similar system in the U.S., he said. He also noted that food unions in British Columbia are supporting the ILWU’s Blue Diamond organizing drive.
The delegates also heard from Jack Layton, the national leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP), the country’s pro-labor political party. While the NDP has doubled its seats in Parliament in the last two elections, it is still a minority party. Nonetheless, Layton pointed out, the NDP used its strength to stop a massive corporate tax cut and instead used the money to help working people, investing in public education, housing, public transit and cleaner air and water programs. They are continuing in that direction this year, proposing legislation to ban strike-breakers and to protect workers’ pensions when companies go bankrupt.
“We’re going to move forward by building on our successes,” Layton said, “because the place for unions is not just on the shop floor, but on the floor of the House of Commons and the floor of Congress.”
Other guest speakers added to the Convention’s international flavor.
Akinobu Itoh, General Secretary of the Japanese dockworkers union Zenkowan, came to the Convention to renew his union’s special Solidarity agreement with the ILWU and to present a banner to commemorate the mutual friendship. He told the delegates that Zenkowan is fighting off government attempts to deregulate and privatize Japan’s ports.
“We hope to use the Solidarity statement as a lever to oppose multinational corporations that seek to control global distribution,” Itoh said.
Do Van Quang, President of the Vietnam Shipping Lines Workers’ Union, told the delegates that his country is moving further towards a market economy, presenting new challenges to unions there. He expressed the hope that a relationship with the ILWU will help them through it.
David Cockroft, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), a global organization of docker, sailor, trucker and rail and aviation workers’ unions, told the convention of how his group coordinates solidarity actions around the world (for more see story page 6). ITF Dockers Section Secretary Frank Leys informed the delegates of specific actions the ITF and its affiliates coordinated in support of the Blue Diamond workers in Japan, Korea, Australia, India and Latin America.
Paddy Crumlin, National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), railed against Bush and the right-wing Prime Minister of Australia John Howard, who he called “Bush’s pet poodle.” Crumlin spoke of the new anti-labor laws passed in his country that do not directly outlaw unions, but make most everything they do acting as unions illegal. Collectively bargained agreements can be terminated at any time at the whim of the employer. If in negotiations union officials dare to ask for a remedy for an unfair firing, or ask for payroll deductions for union dues or ask for union involvement in training and safety programs, the union is fined $30,000 and the individual union official is fined $6,000.
“If you are a recidivist like me and keep doing it, then, of course, they stop fining you and send you to jail,” Crumlin added, laughingly defiantly. “We have stood together on many battlegrounds over many generations to deliver dignity and decency for all workers, all workers facing oppression and exploitation, and we will continue to, wherever there is a campaign or wherever there is a picket line.”
Chief Red Baker, Honorary Leader of the Squamish Band, gives the invocation to commence the Convention.
STAR SPEAKERS
The delegates were regaled by several star-quality speakers, including movie actor and activist Danny Glover. He spoke of the importance of unions in the past and in today’s world. He noted that both his parents were union workers and union organizers, and that he learned his sense of justice from them.
“We need unions more than ever now,” Glover said. “People need jobs that pay living wages with which they can raise a family and not have to work two and three jobs, and benefits which include health care for their children.”
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka brought down the house with a fiery speech denouncing the Bush administration and goading the delegates to put their energies into defeating the Republicans in the November Congressional mid-term elections. He offered an optimistic assessment of the labor movement’s chances.
“There is some good news, if you want to call it that. President Bush’s approval rating is now under 29 percent,” Trumka said to the delegates’ applause. “But here is the question I have for you. What the hell is that 29 percent thinking? What would the guy have to do to lose favor with them?”
The delegates were treated to another history lesson from one of the ILWU’s living legends, Ah Quon McElrath. Now 90 years old and still full of verve and insight, McElrath worked for the union since it first organized Hawaii’s sugar and pineapple workers in the 1940s, first on its fledgling newspaper and later in its social service and educational programs.
This time she put globalization and its effects on workers in a long-view perspective and challenged the rank and file to organize or allow the employers to dictate the terms of their work and their lives.
Paul Robeson Jr. narrated between rare archival film clips from the 1940s and 1950s of his father, Paul Robeson Sr., the radical black actor, singer and activist whom Harry Bridges made an honorary member of the ILWU. Like Bridges, Robeson was harassed and accused of being a Communist and his brilliant career was stunted. But he never stopped using his art and his activism in support of worker and civil rights.
International Vice President, Mainland candidate Joe Radisich (left) talks it over with International Vice President, Mainland Bob McEllrath.
INTERNATIONAL OFFICER NOMINATIONS
With International President James Spinosa retiring, International Vice President, Mainland Bob McEllrath will run for International President without opposition. Those who nominated and seconded his nomination were from all over the union—Joe Cortez from longshore Local 13, Hawaii Local 142 Longshore Chair Nate Lum, Fred Pecker, Secretary-Treasurer of the largest warehouse local, Local 6 and ILWU Canada President Tom Dufresne.Local 13 member, Southern California District Council President and L.A. Harbor Commissioner Joe Radisich will run unopposed for International Vice President, Mainland, as will incumbent International Vice President, Hawaii Wesley Furtado and incumbent International Secretary-Treasurer Willie Adams.
Most of the area seats on the International Executive Board, the union’s highest governing body when the Convention is not in session, are races with several candidates. Their photos and statements, as well as voting rules, appear on pages 18-24.
The Vancouver Host Committee and its chair, ILWU Canada Vice President Tim Footman (at podium), are recognized for the great work it did planning and running the Convention.
