File spoon-archives/marxism-news.archive/marxism-news_1997/marxism-news.9712, message 29


Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 02:23:20 -0500
From: Aaron <aaron-AT-burn.ucsd.edu>
Subject: M-NEWS: WA: Teamsters unionize screws!


Let's celebrate! If a screw in the Washington State gulag ever faces
getting his wrist slapped for excessive zeal in disciplining imprisoned
proles, he'll now have a union to defend him!

And when the issue of prison construction comes before the legislature
and/or the voters of that state, the Teamsters will be among those lobbying
for more!

As an added bonus, Washingtonians may be treated to the kind of job action
taken a few years ago by unionized guards at New York's Riker's Island.
That display of militancy consisted mainly in beating up prisoners!

And inmates forced to work for practically nothing will know that those
doing the forcing are unionized, even if they (the workers) aren't!

These "corrections workers" are clearly suffering from their low pay. In
solidarity with these union brothers (and sisters), let's demand that the
federal government pay them to store nuclear waste from nearby Hanford
under their beds!

 - Solidarity Forever,
 - Aaron

>Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 20:46:38 -0800 (PST)
>From: Michael Eisenscher <meisenscher-AT-igc.apc.org>
>Subject: 4000 Vote for IBT in WA Prison System;...
>
>Washington State Corrections Workers Vote Big for Teamsters
>04:41 p.m Dec 17, 1997 Eastern
>
>WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 4,000 corrections workers
>in Washington State will be represented by the Teamsters Union, the
>nation's largest union, according to election results released
>yesterday.
>
>In the election, 1,481 corrections workers voted for representation by
>the Teamsters Union, 818 for the Washington Public Employee Association
>and 189 for no union.
>
>The corrections employees, who work at 14 facilities across the state,
>choose Teamster representation to fight for better pay and benefits
>and more full-time jobs.
>
>Increasingly the state is hiring part-time prison security personnel
>at lower wages and benefits to fill jobs vacated by full-time
>corrections employees. Fighting this trend is a priority for the
>workers who want more full-time jobs for their communities.
>
>Washington workers are paid 30 percent less than corrections officers
>in neighboring Oregon and their pay and benefits lag behind Washington
>state police and county correction workers. A sergeant at the top of
>the pay scale who has three kids is $30 shy of qualifying for free
>school lunches.
>
>Making their pensions more comparable to the state's law enforcement
>personnel is another priority for corrections workers.
>
>30,000 Teamster public employees work in all 50 states and perform a
>variety of jobs. SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
>
>Copyright 1997, PR Newswire
>




   

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