The so-called Parental Choice/
Camnpaigninlg in opposition is the
Scholarships initiative would subsi- Committee to' Educate Against
dize private education while doing. Vouchers, a broad-based coalition
nothinlg to improve CalifomiaSs pub- supported by organized labor, edulic education system, a statewide cators, many elected -officials, relicoalition warned this week.
gious leaders, womenss groups and
Backers of the -initiative -are try- community and consumer activists.
ing to qualify it for. the November
"'What this iniitiative proposes is
general election ballot.
nothing more or le-ss' than'
The Executive -Council of the
California Labor F;ederation has put
the state AFL-CIO on record in opposition to -the initiative.
vouchers," the coalition leaders
said this' week.
"It is not about choice and it is
not about scholarships. It is aibout
Vol. 35-No. 6
vouchers, plain and simple.
"Yu .esare couPons that taxpayers pay for and parents cnuse
to pay,.part of-the tuition to private
or church-run schools," the coalition statement' continued.
"Unfortunately, thiis initiative bas
nothaing in it to help underprivileged
failies.
The initiative proposal. is for
vouchers worth $2,500 per child to
9
be prov'ided at state expense to parents for use at thie school of choice.
Private school co'st's average be$6,500 and $7 000) per child
per year, the coahitio said, meaning
the parIent would have to comne up
with an additional $4,000 per child
per year.
"This is not a realistic expectation,," the coalition argues.
"California can't afford this initiative. It would devastt our public
schools -and severely damage educational opportunities for all our
students.""
teen
The Teamsters have charged
Safeway Stores with violating federal labor law by threatening to fffe
workers wearing pro-union badges
'RINW
and T-shirts.
It is the opening skirmish in a
fight that thie labor movement vows
will become total econornc w.arif
Safeway go'es ahead withi plans tofire more than 800 Teamster warehouse an'd distribution workers in
Northern Califoimia and farrn out
their jobs to a non-union contractor.
The tlieatened jobs .are being'
moved. from Richmond and Hayward to a vast warehouse and distribution center newly constructed at
-'Tracy in San. Joaquin County.
Safeway- says. Teamnster members
who have been doing.the vorkQ for..
yerswnl not.be alb -tofioilo
sweat,-shop employers.
News media reporters were
alerted early Wednesday to what
Department of Industrial Relations
publicists called "the largest sweep
of thie garment industry ever undertaken in California."
Fiftcy investigators from the Diviion of Labor Standards Enforcement -under direc'tion of Labor
Commissioner Victoria- Bradshaw
accompanied by unspecified
numbers if- people* C:al-OSHA
and the Stae Compensation Insurance Fund, according to the press
thfeir .jobs to the.Tracy facility.
Employees at the Fremont ware-
release.
house came to work Monday wearing small, bright orange badges in
the shape of a trafC stop sign bearing the words "Stop Safeway."
They concentrated on garment
manufacturers and sewing contrac-
tors in San Franlcisco and Oakland,
at Sacramnento, and in Los Angeles
and Oranlge Counties.
"It is good that they paid this attention to rampant labor law violations in thie gannent industry," said
Steve Nutter, westemn regional director of the International Ladies'
Garment Workers Union and vice
president of the California labor
Federation.
"But we want to know how much
they are going to collect for workers
who have been cheated on1 minimum wages and overtime.
'As it is now, employers who -get
caught appeal their fmes, routinely
get the fines reduced, and then pay
the reduced fines out of the pockets
of the same exploited workers, confident that they won't be raided
agai for a long time," Nutter said
at Los Angeies.
-"D'espite the well-publicized
raids, no signlifilcant additional resources are being used to enforce,
II
schools, it would. do a lot to harm
them.
If it passes, the iniitiative will co.st
taxpayers an added $1.5 billion a
year, thie coalition estimates.
"If youre asked to sign a petition
to qualify thiis measure for the ballot, just tell thiem "No,"' the -coalition urged. "Let them know you
support your public school
system...."9
February 21, l992
on
State agents looking for labor law
violations descended upon sewing
factori6s thiis week in an operation
union leaders described as futile in
the absence of meaningful curbs on
were
While the initiative contains ab-
solutely nothing to improve public
Dxeputy Labor C mm0 ne Young AII, center., checks LosF Angeles sewing- fictory ffmecards duig
statewide sweep WU mday.
the ILGWUJs Pacific Nortfiwest
DBistrict Council, also called for passage of thie law holding manufacturers responsible when thieir contractors cheat workers.
"WVe applaud this current enforcement of wage and hour laws,"
Quan said at San Fralicisco. "What
it prves, however, is thie need for
more forcefull law enforcement.,"
Quan told how IJ.S. I)epartment
of Labor "investigators, acting on
tips from the ILGWU, recently col-lected back pay, fines and penalties
totaing $96,000 from one- garment
maker and $32,000 from -another
without any money reaching exploited workrs.
"For thiern,the only real guarante of justice is in the union con,
tract'." Quan declared.
Legislationl to make manufacturers responsible for wages owed
uvorkers-cheated by "stitch and
ditch" contractors failed two years
ago. Last -year similar legislation
was put over to the 1992 session. It
now is pending at Sarmnto wit
backidng of te ILGWU- and- the Califori Labor Federation.
Lloyd W. Aubry, Jr., director of
The appeal agaist a court deci- City of SnFranc'isco.
sion sft-rikng down San-Franciscoss
-Local 790 wil continue its inlandmark video display terminal volvement dfirough thieappeal proworker safet.y ordinance will have cess, said Barbara K-ellogg, a repelabor's filll bacldngi uniion leaders sentative of thie union and co-chair
said this week.
of the VDrT Coalition, which
The- ordinanlce was overturned drafted the ordinance and 'lobbied
last week in S.F. Superior Court by for -passage. The ordinance was
Judge Lucy McCabe, who ruled adopted a year ago last December.
thiat only thie state has thie authlority
-Oher California unions already
to regulate healthi and safety in the arne gathering funds to help pay for
the appeal, according to Larkie
workcplace
**We believe that Judge McCabe Guildersleeve, administrative off'iis inepen thie law erroneously cer of the Northern California
and that thie ordinance will be sus- Newspaper Gu'ild and a VD?T Coalitained on appeal, said Michael tion activst.
Rubin, attrney for Local 790 of thie
Judge McCabe!s- ruing th the
Service Employ~e, which already .state has jurisdiction over VD9T
is a party to the suit along uwith the worker safety igoe te fact tat
protections currently exist.
Employer spokespersons liailing
the ruling as a victory -for business
said regulation should bletup to
non-eistent' state regulations.
Bot Rubin and Kellogg said labor's goals would be met if thie S.F.
ordinance sparked meainfl regu-
the law in this industry, " Nutter
said.
The number of workplaces
raided wasn't revealed imediately,
but the total was certain to be a
small percentage of the 5,500 gar-
industry employers currendy
in California..
A solution. requlires long-term
ment
registered
commtment of enforcement staff
along withi such legislative reform
thie law that would make manufacturers responsible for money
their contractors owe the workers,
Nutter addled.
Katie Quan, business manager of
as
(Continued on page 4)
.Some also wore T-shirts with the
words "Boycott Safeway" printed
on them.
They w-ere told by s'up'erv'isors
that they would be fired unless..the
badges and T-shirts were removed.
Rome Aloise., vice 'president of,
Teamsters Local 853, said he advised the workers to heed Safeway's
threats and comply with their supervisors' orders for thie time being.
Then Aloise went to the Oakland
off'ice of thie National Labor Relations Board and swore out thie com-
plaint against Safeway.
"This action is in
derogation"of
thie union and designed to chill support for the employeee' right to support. the, union, Aioises declaration
stts.
"'This.is a very simple 1issue of
free speech," Aloise said. "4Our
(continued on page 4)
rVDT Ordinance~~~~~~~
no state
among VDT workers have failed in
six consecutive sessions of te Legislature. by being voted down,
amendq.,eyond usefulness, or vetoed* by -the governor.
A labor-backed bill providing
protections similar to those 'M. the
S.F. ordinatice bogged down. in
lation at te state level.
in,. 1,99 Was,=
,
"We'll take help wherever. we can comie
a, -two-year
now
is8 o find it," Kellogg declaired.. "We.
prpoe the San Francisco ordi-.;
No a-SHA sidadfor VDT
nanlce -only after- attemptinig for
years witout- success to obtain re- safety exis'ts," althoug the. Stanlief thirugh the Legislature or Cal- dards Board'is expected to act thiis
OSHA.'
..
,..
year on regulaons'aimed, at. curbing
Bills backed .by the California repetitive, stress jijurnes ni gene-ral
IAbor FEdeation to sten te rising without specic referne to wor
tide of repetitive stress injuries
(Continued on page 4)
For the first time, an - employer
has been prosecuted under thie Corporate Cfiial Liability Act that
has been part. of the California- Penal Code for more tan a year..
The -law, -enacted in 1990 with
stronig backing- by the California
Labor Federationi, makes manag'ers
who co'nceal know'n, serious workplace hazards or-prouct defects liato. felony criminal charg'es punb,le
ishable -by fmes and prison terms.
The single case prosecuted so far
was against Leslie Salt Co, a subsidiary of the giant Cargill agri-,business
corporation.
The case sends "an important
message," accordin'g to a staement
issued to the media iby Lloyd W.
Aubry, Jr., director of the state Department- of Industrial Relations.
No felony charges were filed. No
executive of Le'slie 'Sat or Cargill
was accuSed even though a worlkr
was killed at slie Sals *wark
planlt when he was pulled into con-
veyor belt. machine'ry- operating
without, safety -devices even though:
it 'was known,.to be dangerous - b-e-
thie work-.
place' safety prOVIisions of te Corporate. Criminal Liability At, ac.cording to, -a"spdkesperspn- for th
Departhient of Industrial Relations.
--District Attorney Ira-Reiner of
-Los Afgelts announ¢-ed -last week
the.g possithat -he w'as inve
bility of criminal prosecut'ions
against Dow Chemical CIo. and.
to be in. progress under
sembly Member Terry .Friedmwan-, cnown, serious wrpaehzr
D-Los Angeles.
;or product.'defect from their M.
-fa.ce". stiff penaiJ*
;ployees
That was, Setember o,A90
..Tbe law beckn effcdtveoh.1 managers -,(uld be.cage,
a tnt
rfelonies and b
1991, -and- h}i been -inlp
--- -;i
under tis ar
...
sime.
Despite thie aeofq*
The
$
1ff,000d
by. Leslie Sall t tions,
cause of ealier accidents.
includes, a $6,074.40 reimburse. scribe coiprt
de. act as the...
Instead, -misdemeanor charges
X scost of th
X state for th
ment. to th
.
-o'
to
Jail Law."
were brought against Leslie Salt in
Cal-OSHA inve-stigation: Aubr)
Fremonlt Muni-cipal Court.
au;f
Labor
beprsenie
y
some of its. executives. However, said in -a releas mni lal last Fridal
W
lThe issue of guilt was .never put. that investigat'ion' is to. deterdfine to th nlews media.-:
orkers e*
would
to a-trial-. Coxporation lawyers were. whether Dow.vioated producu defor
tfii
inclu&A
Also
is.
$24,400
allowed to enter a "e,no'c'ontest" plea fect .provisions of thie act by kriow-tion oDf whatfthe: Iaws see
after agfeing to pay $100,000 in- ingly coincealing evidence that sil- state victimns of Crime Restitutior
.Fnd A.ubry- said in 'his new-i
fines, penalties-'and fees.
icone biest implants re. hazardou:. re,leas,.....
Meanwhile. einployer
are jockying44 get a mea
'Tbe -case was prosecuted -by. -the' to health...'
DirteckVi of Industrial Rela' -the LegisIature -that,'id
distict -attrney's The CorIpomte Cnminal Liability
Alame^
tinsaddbad:
bbth, the Corprate:'Crin
off-ice 'on- te~-basis, of information Act,s Sectionl
387 of the Califomzisa
provided -by -Cal: OSHIA investi- Penal Code, beca'm'e Jaw- whlcfi
X 0seCUltDrin fiis -bilty Act and'-the law a :.
6ldiu the
then-Gov. George Deukmejia-n instane brought -a misdemeanoir yer requiring. employent4,
No other, prosecutbons ar -known -signed Assembly Bill.2249, by A;s- charge, poq mmn which 1 4ce a mwodplace sddtypolm.w:
,Co,.nty
bil
. ewy ap -J wo-blless:or-the.
prvdn
reuAtinha
The new edition of "Force for Pr(gress,"
the California Labor Federatioifs annual re-'
view of the Legislature, is being mailed -to.
.affi'liates.
It provides summaries of actions. taken by'.
the 1991 Legislature on measures important to
working people, Execuitive Secretary-Treasuret
Jack Hennig pointed out..
"Additionally, -it features the detailedV6ting
records of, each member of the Assembly. and,
.
Senate,". Hennning added.
*This feature w'ill .makQe the bookldet invalu-:
able when-delegates convene A-pril.16 -at 'San
Francisco. to decide which pr'imar ...-el.ec-ion
canddees will have'te. edorsnt...
state AFL-CIO's Committee on Political Edu:. .i
..:
cation. (COPE).
Additional copies of "4Force for Progress"
are available at a cost of $3 each. -T.hey can be Cove Uht ato -annweiino 'Foc fo
obtained by writing to libmaia,.~-Calini
* s takssom -1934 Pik lVorks ofArt,.
i; the Great'
Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, 417 M.ontgom.ery.
murai lepigw-orkericedied.
Suite
San
CA
94104.
-St.,
Franlcisco,
300,
.De.res.m.
Tony" Castillo,' state coordinator, the: presidential-campaign -and. the
poiited out.
many local, county-and staw 'elcJack'Otero, national president oyf i^ons thiis year,"9 Otmo said.
LCLAA,- urged fulle st
Furdier inato-can -be obparticipation.
"This. conferenace pronses to be tained by phloning .Cas.tillo'at t.he'
of great as-sistance - to un'ions and California Federatiohn of Labor',
b,,
LCLAA chapters min honing the tal- .(415) 986-36585, or-Harktcl
ents of HIispanic trade uionists in co'nfer'ence director,'at' (805peaainfor thir involvemnent in
-~~~~~~~~ol
-ee
re.R
place.detgU1lrfrll in th
AFLCI.CKI Vl: Peb.Emergency Unemployment Coir I- Palm Springs Raddisoe
_
pensatio Act of 1991 wfih foniiulaIS. ICLAA Western.Rgl
based upon thesame eligibility rt
X
qu'irement-s used by individug 11 .Ventura.
'
S.
<
Ex'ecut'ive Council quarte4
March 11-12, Radisso'41^-.
-Lsmnsaid -he actd after beiin
.' -.; .
a ockton member Df.
ai b I
International'Longshoremen IsA. PHp
-Cadwma: M 26 s
and "Warehousernens -Union wb °] *Ste
Beruardino Hilton .-H.fote- ti':
-..byfqe
the
LCLAA Delegates Ph...o.ne- TollI"F e..
California delegates to te Western States Regional Conference of
the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement March 6-8 at
Ventura can reserve hotel accommodations by phonng thle Harbortown Marina Resort toll-free -at
(800). 622-1212.
The event is: the first such. confer-'
ence, held by LCLAA in thiis region,,
nu It -b6nefits. i said -it-waasdee
eml
tha .te Dpurtment-of :
in Cong roviding
Rep.newlyrdap [- him
felt it.'lacked the aut orkr-;
wout d aside. restrictive eli 'bi1i s
Workvdeersgencyav ru'n
-ar being dclaredin -establilie in 1981% tk then s-:
isurane benefits
fobteextuenofeafeder
ted legislation to get 'aroue.
fonasteligible
nXu
d l
ha bee
bena efiltsifoni ':co's
1-The federa 'extension d
benfits was -ap., -M
pshe downeftr belowng4 weekx ben ployment
November because manly
6--,WI
m'
b
- remain jobless after
fore they lost their jobs ino the deep state b.erfits.
Lehman represents th 18
ening recessionl.
Ma'ny .construction work'ers ;, gressional District cveti-,albngshremens agricuural -wotke 's- -veras, Madera,- Mono'-an'' h0-.1U6
and ofricf.dsw&th mseIves in ti uiune cuties. and -atof Frosm'
:. ,-and San .Joaquinl: ';s , i;;6bmansaid.
0 n
:peope e e
498-7679.
-.
disccvr hei
get nothing. out of the fedenr
extension.
was dismayed to
p
pi 4
-is,
.-Akp*
"Ebw bad sloes.it need to'get for
me?" the long hoznanasked in
letter to Lehnin.
Llfirst asked Seceary a.PePhMEbdctieCOP
Cnai: T dayb22,
Labor Lynn Martin to allow-stat
2 E'
hir own -fonnitlas in decii
tous
HySHol SaHote-::.
A-or
Of~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
joint~
~
~
,
-4
Here is thie list of natIa boycotts officially sanctitoned -by. the
AFLCIO0 Executive Council.
Friendly, GTeen Valley 'Farn s, and
I n. .Mixtmre Royal G,mrt,, op, O
-Kreuger l.e
Lucky, bmns.
BftnWhars '.ircWdtg MA-' Avet.er qnmAina 'tnhriUnited.Fain' Workers
Wichester litfle-cgus
i., Pyl ,
-Dr, eter, Sa,
Bakery, ConcdonarvAd Tobacco
Afkza, Modular, Auditorium. g'nd
9
Ace Drill Corp.: Wire, jobber
C
a
dGtrps Table Unvi ~g.
and letter drills, routers and steel
dwa
not,
,bear.;,e UFW Machinists.;
do.,
gr4xs
bar.
union.. la.bel on -th caroi otr C"ate
United'Auto Workers,
United FArm-nkWb*ers.
U
wio
nacwwd
Wolmanized, Cedartne, WaferAustin Cableiio Cable teleInter
Grehon
hvisilon providers..
bis
an
'tatrsrv
c
bo, X~Xte
Rdxkn
.Sideacp
city
Communiatos Wwkers
Amaigaaed Ransit Umion
Capettcrs & Joiners and.-Intl.
sbdorr'
Brow Corp.:. Motor mounts,.
brackets, dshboard- assemblies for
Q%ci aid -pro
BY
+M_
auto makers. and other cessed podyproduc.+
Mobag0k I rCarp.:'AMS
-hawklbed gin, rum," peprtin
.Tedmsters+
Ineternational Union of:ElecDstilery, Wine 'and Allied
troni'c, Electrical, Salarie,d,'MaYgwers.;
and
Fumiture.
-chine
%ers... ducer of _ It
an HamnT
nu bond, offset and writin:paper
Co*:Tbe
R..Brown & L-mp Mfg.. Co.:,
Camel, Winsbon,Sae- Dr
Masuring "'c'utting and' machine and relaled+p ut
vitaltge, Nbel Nxw el kgt
tob-ad punips...
'*a -CbbM, lac.: Iceberg
L4ettuce, ind-tuding Red -Coach,
Kawas+At Rolling Stoclk++
U.S:.z
. .,,.-.
7hlsp
Ceptury, Stt1i ing, YSL1Ritz
Prince Albe .0-et Wah
sh-
isosk~~~
e'x-w a,s
*
l!
inmiig and co sutet-ioi
.Mahinsts
Shdl Oil, Co..: Subsidiary' of
Royal Duth Shell benat conJ[any
of SheDf -Southi
t
T.
.Thankisg Ch'ristX-i ,
Ne*' Mmrl bob. byAwv
ordz Labor Feftnio AS ,
_
1CM 417
300, So ,Fh. j
Second' clss posteg
AfticaY. Gasoline,
Silo In.: Natioa
electronic equipmnent and appl;ances...
v|s...-
*U,-Ibed -States
Cd
:vo
Ri'' Taob
e' -llly -H
;u'. -W.es.
-ao and
.:
armw
;51. !.i...
lom
o
rnlo
gvwyU|nUCK
Valentin hoDorees and presenters are, from left, Junice Mod, CWA Local 9000; Jerry Mrs, chair ofth}e Union -Label Council; Jon Laslett,
UCLA Efi4ory professor of history; Jan Borundai, Unin Labe Coud; Mlar lPyler, Southem Calf. Library Social Studies and
Research; Leany- Potash, AFSCME; Patty Cranmer, Letter Carriers-b'Local 2614, and Dave Siclder, diretr of ACIO'Region VI.
m
0
MEAS
I
W.
m
"Sweetheart" awards for -advancing the cause of workers were presented to four persons a'nd one organization during the annual
Valentine7s Day Party of the Los
Angeles Union Label Council last
Friday at the HIyatt Regency.
At the same time the council bestowed its "No Heart"' award upon
Cardinal Roger Mahoney, the archbishop of Los Angeles.
The'-No Heart" award was presented in absentia. Jan Borunda, assistant dircor -of -he -council, announced that it was given because
of Cardinal Mahoney's three-year
resistance to collective bargaining
for Cathiolic cemetery workers.
Five trade unionists got the
"Sweethearts' plaques. They were
Janice Wood, Communications
Workers L>ocal 9000; Patty Cramer,
Letter Carriers Local 2614; John
McDowell, American Federation of
Teac,hers L-ocal 1521 and director of'
Labor Studies at L.A. Trade Tech,
and Bill Press of AFlPRA, the L.A.
area radio -and televisio-n
Union members whose homes
have been damnaged by mudslides
and flooding in five Southern California counties have a contact person for Red Cross assistance.
Cheryl Dowden, AFL-CIO labor
liaison with the Los Angeles Chapter of the Red Cross, has been assigned to the storm damage recovery operation to keep organized
*labor apprised of progress and too
assist union members who have incurred losses.
Dowden can be reached at (213)
351-6711 or (213) 739-5278.
Losses have been high in Los
Angeles, Orange, -San Bernardino,
Riverside, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.Storm victims may receive Red
Cross assi'stance including -food,
clothing, temporary shelter, furnitue,' appliances, prescription, medicines and work. tools. at an emergency service ce'nter located in the
Agri'cultural Building of the Ventura
County Fairgrounds in Ventura.
The Vent'ura center is to remain
open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further
notice. Other emergency centers at
.Mali bu,,Pac o ima and Calabas as
were scheduled to shut down last
night after having assisted storm
victims in those areas.
Hernandez Heads
Watchdog Panel
commentator.
Mary Tyler accepted a similar
plaque awarded to the Southern
California Library-'for Social
Albert L. Hernandez, who re-
cently retired as a representaive of
the Los Angeles County Federation
Studies and- Research.'
The "Sweetheart" award was
presented in absentia to Press who
-unlike -Mahoney - sent word
that he was pleasd to accept -and
would haea--if it- had -be at. all possible. As it. happened,
Press was in Te*w Hampshire interviewing presidential caniae on
Valentine!s Day.
of Labor, has been elected chair of
the Century, Freeway Affirmative'
Action Committee Board of
Directors.;
The: committee is charged with
enfiorcing the affirmative action
established for the multiJohn McDoiil, left,'AFr Isocal 1521, receives his Sweetheart plaque program
section of Inbillion-dollar
fron Jhn Wood, n tescutive secretary-treasurer of the Los An- terstate 105, Century
also known as the
geles County Federation of Labor.
Glenn Anderson Freeway, in L.A.
Thle cardinal's "No Heart" plaque
presented by Dave Sickler, regional AFL-CIO director, and Barbara Mejia of the Amalgamated
Clothing and Texctile Workers.
Mahoney refused to acknowl-
County.
Hernandez is a founding member
In a third election, MahSoney
edge two elections in which graveof
video
on
other
and
the national Labor Council for
of
ennployees
-extensively
diggers
campaigned
Catholic cemeteries in' Southern tapes and succeded in persuading -a ILatin Ameia dacmn n
California voted to be'repreented majority of the workers to -vote is president of the Los Angeles
County Chapter of LCLAA.
by ACIWU.
against union -representation.
was
Freeze on Kaiser Over Rate Hikes~la
The agency that- buys medical in-
surance for nearly 400,000 state. and
county workers in California has
frozen new enrollments in Kaiser
Foundation Health Plan in retaliation for rate increases of mnore than
10 percent.
The action was taken Wednesday
by directors of te Californa Public
Employees Retirement System
(CalPERS).
It has tile backing of Califomnia
State Employees Association, Local
1000 of te Servce Employees, the.
largest union representeing state
workQers.
"We definitely -see thiis as sendiga message to Kaiser thiat were
not going to take it any more,," sad
Fla
McCoahay CSEA director of
communications.
It is a dramatic protest against
cposts by th counuys largof health care, aside
p
est
fi-om -the faderal government.
CalPERS spent $1.3 billion last
year o health.ca -r8000persons including pblk, employees,
retirees, and menmbers of their
*famlies.'
Kaiser,, the country's largest
crease in 1991 and a 22.2
Cou~~~~~% rt
StateWorkers Ask
ToRestore Pension Fund
Attorneys for the Public Employee and Retirement Coalition went into court at Sacramento yesterday to argue for restor'ation of
nearly $2 billion taken from the Califoma
Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) to balance the stat budget.
Insidle the Third District Court of Appeal,
Coalition attorneys contended that the fund
grab was illegal because thie -itoney was taken
from a trust fuJnd established for thie "exclusive
benefit of public emnplbyees and retirees."
Outside, leaders of public employee unons
stated thie case in tenms less legahistic.
"We feel confident thiat te court will agree
thiat CalPERS money cannot be used as a bailout every time thie state is in trublet"dcae
Yolanda Solari, vice president of the Californiia
Labor Federation, and president of Califona
state Employees Associafions Local- 1000 of
ffie Servie. Employees ........
""The $1.9 billion came from employees'
contributionps," said Peggy Claypool of California School Employees Association, lead
'plaintiff in te coalition lawsuit.
The pension reserves w'ere tapped under
terms of Assembly Bill 702, which-was passed
by the Legislature as part of thie conpromise
solution to td e record deficit and signed into
-law last June by Gov. Pete Xllson.
in addition to raiding. the CalPERS pension
reserves, AB 702 madtdan inferior, second
tier ereetplan -for future state employees
.It also empowered thie governor to appoint
th actuwy who deterniines thie level -of 'te
conriutinsthe state must pay into CaIPERS.
'",his meas the governor has political and
arbitrary control over a fund thiat be-longs to the
employees, Solari pointed out.
a
Three judges who -heardl the
are
expeted .to rule widiin three monts.
-percent
increase in 1989.
The CalPERS staff reported that
the increases would make Kaiser
the most expensive health- plan for
workers it covers in Soulthern California and the second most exp.nsive in Northemn California.
A Kaiser spokesperson said the
]HMO refused to give CalPERS aI
specia rate because thiis would require raising rates o te groups,
presumably small employers and
individuals.
CalPERS indicated that its demands for lower rates had ben
headed by sorneof the 28 different
healthi plans it does businss with.
Overall, the rates will increase an
averae of 6.1 percent. Six of te
plans are offering rate reductions for
te coming year, and 19 are asling
increases of less *m S percent.
An official said Kaiser was will-
ing to cut its mae. hikes in half if
CalPERS would agtee tb benefit- ne'
ductions including $5 co-pqmef
fo pteaipi'i dmu aW $2 fw
fo visits to '...cli
ircs.
Tne CWPERS rejectd this and
to'stan firm on benefits
voted
10.2
roes
ii
raise
tD
SiOn
perwnt
other
plans during
ployees won't be alboed -to select coverage firom
wo&r involed
Nodrthe CWfni -an 10.7 per- rates onth advice f an advisory
Kaiser durinlg the year swtarng in -te. amlal idoaw" penW.
comttethat s0mitted rtoni.Kaiser spokespersons said the cent 'm' So nw .Cal&na.
- lhowepeed enrolled can re-' 'Au' st, and current employees
'i7
15
t
%%
ai
foUbows
on
is
firm
dec,iHMOwas
hIlbs
to
Kaisr
to
-switc
main.with Kaiser. But new em- -wa't be alowd
health maintenance organizition,
covers about 37 -percent -of the
-x"219
....
Rubsn:~8@liter~whos-jb
-V ;:0 :|;
-0 :Cy :~~~IS
0-gEt
00:riEhrkher0000;~~~~~~~~
-(Continuedfirom page 1)}
work6s must have thie righ to: support- ,each other.:
"But -wesre not trying to provolce
Safeway,"' Aloige added. "OmuvAx
is t6o .proteect: jobs- not -endangerthemn..
M. poinited'out tht none of th,"
Feotworkers 'comes: in contact
-wi
hoppets. and tha -the badges
and T-shit were not -intended to
have any impact upon the public,. -at
least tis week.
"We -know that Safeway has little
respect for our members' job
rights," said Chuck Mack, presi-,
dent- of Teamsters Jo"itit C'ounc'Il
No. 7. "This latest action shows that
Safeway has no respept -for their
const'itijtionaI rights, e-ither."
Teirnster -member Jan Ferreira,
an order selector and forklift driver,
described 'how Safeway management -quickly came 'down upon
Workcers whmpD-nion badges and
T-sh'irts ap At the Freniot
wxhouse.
"The supervisor told me,.".YOU
re7.better take it- off,' " Fetrera
lated. -'He -was tr'ylng to be nice
about it and sa-id he was -only. folto'win'g oirders. Some others weren't
so
friendly."
Feffeira said Safewvay had its pri"orit'ies backward.
."They arIe telling us. that'iXs- not.
night to express ourselves, but that
it's WI right foyr them to pjA us 'on' the:
street aft6r we've. workted for--thenrr
for years.
Ferreira,
a
"Wer trym to SUPpot: eap
od6.,^ s
:.0'ufal
thicnl _
4
.1'
-
-.
"If te company-is mioviplg th.,
uvhse I'll pick up ndgp t&.-.
she added. ."A lot of'us evd:wwould'retir w'ith 'Saeway. W-i!
*workW -hard for dfiem,"
The cTis-is took. shpe.aftei Safe
way dmanaded deep pvysuts. -ild
reducli6s' :in',: benefits, if.CI"ng.
fm eX e
health. , f
luig colectiv,' bOaiq ni.gn.:contacts"
Ih soon-tcFb
covermg ~Mka-Xt-t
closed Tremont an.d Richmornd
warehouse aIid. &diJu,tion .enters..
The colppan.;y4~ Wwbo&
there would be- n-o, conftr"act -r'newal
unless. they agreed. to gtwe -up w-enionty- n0.i; ac t*n
status- at- the'new May -i'f,
gardkss ,of. expenecel, o st
ries or yea of: serve.
Wheo' the de'mands' were. re,jce,Safewy delared that it conSidee i negotiations at an impasse and announced t}iat it-had,
himd 'a braM-new.firm out- of Saramiento to- take& over operaton of
the Iqy- warehouse. and hundreds
of 18-wheeler trucks habling. sups.ie tb:-Sa:SAt sprarke"ts
rNoer California an
.,Ahiouidat -thecnig
~.
;,
,_
(Cohrinuedfi,om-page 1)
at video computer termnals.
Cal-OSHA has imposed special
on
-several- "em`proye-rs wit -ilEg
numbers VDT-related injuriesjin..cluding the San D:iego Unionand
the McClatchy newspapers. However these were done thrcough a
cumbersome. and time-consuming.
process based upon Cal-OSHAs socalled general order requiring every
employer to maintain, workplace'
safety.
The S.E ordinance focu'sed on er-
gonomics, requirng employers with
15 or more workers to provide'
proper lighting, adju'stable: chairs
and tables,- anti-glare screens., w-orkQ
breaiks and safety tanig
New equipment.was suppose to
comply with thie ordinance as of last
m'onth. Employers -with exsting
non-cGTplyn eupmerf.t. were.
obliged to.-meet -.te standvds by
July. -,41993.'or come ..as -cls
+1
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To
Ju
Wt. was. a sham and tat lfie -entir
weie.ly an
tobe. s
Ainlw hfil it. bdcam-fvnta
W;pLqa-6=
t
the so-cilled- nOw fihp.. would i:
htadedy;h. -man who. has" bceo
Sa-feWEiys dirqctdr -of_opa=dons.l.
'W wee.ks ago orki 1a^r'and co,m'munty acdvists aniw
t-be, fofaton of fthe S.top Sfeawy.
oaiotowage ecnonuc warfare
ff the s pe cl*i, peIrsists im~
.aerigto trash iM Ft aw ¢
Richinond workers -m tiWn thiei'r,jobs oVer to -a nqn-union oe
Jack Henning, xctv secretary-treaurer f-eC fonaLa-
maereots oe arofSp*M.rs cat cg neow.hf S oh.
th fettoe}-iRg ff
--.
-
1.
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1.
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..
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,,0 . Nezd
70 .'VZsNE..10%
329= -$67%,=0
-A
-
Iwoms;:
e991
~~~~~Family ineieomerpsan smi
- ::
I
Ii
.-
,, ..........*.
~ ~i. i...
_,...
* LO.W 20%, .2|8d 20%. . , -2%. 4 2
-$Si, -S47
S8,30- v209
ad. ;
-
-
40%3
4. 0
*
d
_
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..
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I 7,',i; ;:;;N;.
X
:.
~~~~~~.1
.9
-going.hwngry and liAg out of ca;Ws"
- euse. dy :ost. their jobs'. r
rer said. I'4Ihave -a home-and a'
job,. and'.ilIWill fighlt if I have bo.
UM
4
abcdtf. ^Y. IW- a :'n*ingS y,
and -one workai "was. shalcin 'h
vjWas. S(:pe..;
thrughput
14-yer Safevway em-. Nevada,
ployee, added:
saql.Itg
ea
bor Feideration warned at. that time
i--.E
*that AFL-CIO, I I
nesesf.
.mobilized asans
v.million- -AFLsay.bTete 't
CIO union nwmbs s Calxik s'
alonel he pin;edou.
"Stay out of Safeway. That's the
siple message, wve'l send io every
local unionl and courncil'," 1nin
declared.
Last week ffie new coalition set
March I as the dat fo Iaunching
thie corporampagr if Safeway,
continue's to} res st an agreement
wit thie Teamsiers.
lS~venty community- aind church
::X|
Vranizations -wEex naniedasup'
pots of 6r un
ed%rt, .;
campaign will focus- on thes
op Mo
- `0e
SaEay by :g p
(j oip x}deubs who-took r
corporation vithi a levitaged- W
in' 1986. -and. onKhbB. i
R*^s?
i. §]~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~tlever~ ~ ~ ~te w
ists who nusemn'e'it buyiutand seized -a maority interst in
proces.
.Sixty-thrde thousand Safeway.
workers w,re fired afte th buybut,
many of theni by, non-umioi pnF
tors to .whom Safew.-ay sol ag
slioes of -th crao to reap ith-mdiate inedme,e
MitanWhile,`Mfidi K " a mhajo'rl
inffuenlce in Sfwysbadroom'
IBM.more-and. "m-oe 0-t loyees hiave
:IBM' fiancial role. was revealed beeni reduce -to. part-time work.
for. the -first:tini s thie NovemnberAlawsuit ped*n 'teAl'md
Decetnber.issue-ofVDT w s, a Co'unty Sur -ot ac'uses
SwY inews etter~ta i1
Safeway. manger _.:.coePi m -ken othe i'mportant stories on VD)T ployeees
into ciiWveahg wthjob
injuries to"ved.uce wo~dor comnpenTlie attomney -for * landf i saion ..comt...
l" s inolarv
nauyaKnosvedJBMI
n1___yr.
acnolege
i_volve
wbon loss of one.
Part-tiv&s,
e haJddi-shift
amiued«at
n
d
- nt
-a week- Of6m M-mems financial
from 'other'lae iaerescalyIleb t
corporations. t-b-at h'e' refused to uica:n s:w sot
but
-~ ~ ~
name. .
waeevnual
~~~~~~~~Therlaqy mn
a h
Comn-ted EI attorniey wll.
employ
a
ag
md ih funih
$206pe wd staion -'fid'
se a mdown
I- e-rnne
duiri neg ft;n sessidns''
~~~~~~~~~spects
1995.
uiwihopponen ts gd "i" tn
Absent from thie ordinance is any .that-big blsinFwo not tie -te
law upin coPr withi protnctd
regulation of electromagentic radiation absorbed by 'VDT operators,; .and- cosly.-- appeals.
Baieo fi in edsa
even though. American manufacturers have -been required for-;er-.n ps andta B
raiatin a tel5- was secrtldy
to bocksuc
the suit-that
they -produce -for,sale in Europe. led. to. judge -dasxgls
Also reinoved fi-m 'fie rdinc
was a reuirement for spacin, bji- we
sid il
,,'If. IBM or: axy, other -nae g bo:t
y
nbe
'tween VDTs to. p'rovide. a'tTeiwas fieu kn ao
R
spnsrbelieves,: the oriiSc-i. firomi:f
d itwo- safeti wsi rel:SOO E;Pbco:ik :-dw ihe should-tot
.
Qf~~~~~~~v
-te-e hbdt.`'
adj *
lasfsx^lis D9ProessX & Accouftit; Whyare' 'they hiding- behlind the -t ::: $t i,:c'oove s 4
Ins'tad,- the. ordinancc oTdeired. ing Servwes'and-Zack.-Ebctronics';
iynies set upacres,. and enc10oses watrchouse
two
tof
the city director -of public. health to -both -of Which.-a-re eustomers of as a fiontT'-..--seSb3 iks
:; ~~' - -:. 2~~Macl hs Oncbat*fic
compiiance required by- Jantuary Of.
-~~t
,-_,-
..
1 _
tlonal iDundig
famacing
fit
_
-6kb''t
~~~-uh~
b.
-financed.Xh
* E i ~~~~~~~~~~th#t Safeway:
ConGAtucti& ith' VW
V-AM-
ml leS
: ~~~~~
Children oftn aedevastated by and -the incraing export o.f Amrin
thie alz thoat a parentss job is can pro41ction cheap labor marlost and the .farnilys security is i-n kets abroad.:
ZWhex a Prent Loses a W.' ca
jepardy
For this reason, Joe Velasquez,
director of the AFL-CIO Depart,.A
ment of Community' Services.,- is.
recommending a new workbook
produced by the National Child(Continuedfot page'1
hood Grief Institute.
thie Department- of l[ndusl;ra- RelaWhen a Pant L-oses a Job: A Wns, .ackiiowleged.-- in:a -statnemw
Workbook Abo.ut My. Ptets Job .thfi preMaenc"d
of,-lub" Jaw violitLossX isthfe namof dle public,i~on
recently added to thie list of nmte-"E.mployees, .moisdy, recent m- rials avalable thrugh the ChildM..ae:p4mary -xose..
hood Grief - Institute.
to abuse.s' while.-the induistFs ay
The institute is best known 10T
books and resources fior pesesty unfair'W
On, Aubry stab6d.,
ing to help children recover,.from
Lao onmmss xr Vic.toria
tra.uma assocated -with bereay.emien.t,divo,rce, forced relocations --or.
o*er expenenowes.
m
....
"
* lwse days, the ins6.tittsays, job
.:
ILti
be' orer' frofm. ChXildhood- G'G.ef'
(:nter; -Inc.,' 3300 Edinbor-o
tWaya-. Suite, 512,. Mpolis,H MN
55435. Tbe- phon.e'.,is-, (612)
''
~
~
*,Single'copies are priced at $8.95,.
,RSuzdpricesfor.-bulk ordews ,'a
.
fwft of-the-
YfQ~~~~~W-16Cs it. is togI.lW
S2a2
be
~~~~~~~~hmise
-t*mn thie pens'o
~~~~~
v
the.:;.-: frhs"
b.
f
lo a.brib.ttlhwwS
.ftind'. .Ea .c,ing, m SudEway asd,-
.9 a 0
Bradshaw, who i-rsosible for
*t Diviioti'-of Iab(x.& Enl*forceent,- -said 16rr zinve.sti'gators
'mere -lookig fo
on. child, labor,
vvlboizs-of lawss
nminmum, .wage,
*zve->e
nw py- and cas.of.
wages, wi-th.out. pay-roll' t:ax
evidence offraud-iifRg
X*
.AlrIn
p-Ce
.~~~said.-
.;
. ,..aw .alsouncd yesa-..
dy-: th.t.S 9.14.70 had been;pi.aoees of Baba.lo. n
;mp
twisps, doing.busines at .Oaklad. America 1;?e&mtiaon of TreachoX
VIIoon
as lfene
"Sew l W$ant.d
a.-.nusy
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~farlg
tionswill- be hoaxe as.Uit
Cgi*OSHA participants' 'n the- -$12,427.8 hid-b6em p9id -tq:mr.
emp
-'iqeesA:,qfeB .Manu-,
t quet-.
factuna,
hioe
.-s,fety vitls,April 2' at ft,ctkal.
Sdo~a
-Amw
wer.after:'
Ap3.l-,
pensation-PFuid.ag,ents
st,-dWngamtr*s
SafvtyzSrocur .Aaib n I1anslatio'ns:
Odn Xa"mfife <SH or. by wrtng t.D
Brcinfexpla,ining 'the new
les.is becomng-a leadin.gzme.of,tria URdg6s, Postf
m*Lng
l,
sameditherl aSpm
ch pvmblems:associated wfit.
Offim
Box
42C
Tglgo
,.ra
Cie
pention
in-juxpo.in-wculrity tIPurmoil and.. family
`l.94-142, Attenation; a-O-A
gxzinEngiEngishanxd
.
.;-5.s
R;$e5+
fS~~~~~iector.-o h- ::A Pe btaiedbcad+§fis
beisga
!are beco
..,Ad,. te.e,i
I*yd.W. .y iAuS+tfiye fiXbstblont
Umt.. Of. fde
.lhaGuiig
iwWcAp .t as jobs vanis
8 .shu
Dd<OctoSip Oaae.Tep.-Nf(5.l0j
dRln
.
bFtWedL
JI:,,
o
63.2.4.42.. .
.beof h
gXe
a'aq.s*Eh
.Each
*
v
.
:,......
.:
IL%JL-
2k.: im