Issues remain after ICTU-ATU vote By DAVID BANTLE ee Re vote -is- in--now and another attempt to organize the al- ready organized has gone down to defeat as the Vancouver- based Independent Canadian Transit Union (ICTU) nar- rowly failed in its bid to take the right to represent Canadian Greyhound workers from the U.S.-based Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU). = Although probably not endorsing raid- ing generally, nearly 50 per cent of ATU Local 1374’s membership feel that the issues of greater grassroots control and local autonomy, access to better union represen- tation, to basic democratic procedures, to rank-and-file control of finances, and, among other things, more involvement in the broader labour movement, remain unresolved with little apparent hope for improvement in the immediate future. The problems that provided the basis for the recent raid and the reason why so many turned to the first offer of hope for change that came along should be made known. At issue here are Very basic questions of repres- entation and democracy. Very clearly, whether or not workers are encouraged to be active participants in the labour move- ment as opposed to simply a financial base for business trade unionism is the real ques- tion. The strength and solidarity of the trade union movement depends on active partici- pation from all its members. Canadian Greyhound workers are em- ployed by Greyhound Lines of Canada which is a subsidiary of the transnational Greyhound Dial Corp. of Phoenix, Ariz- ona. Greyhound’s most recent public rela- tions gimmick states: “There is something happening at Greyhound.” What pas- sengers see happening is the admittedly much improved customer service, but what they do not see is the corporate attack on workers. Over the last six years Canadian Greyhound workers, like their American counterparts, have experienced wage cuts, speedup, a decline in safety conditions and an erosion of basic union rights. The ATU, an international affiliated with the AFL-CIO, has 165,000 members, of whom 25,000 or about 15 per cent are Can- adian. Of the 19 international vice- presidents, 16 are American, and three are Canadian. Although they now work for different companies, both American and Canadian Greyhound workers are repres- ented by the ATU. All 9,500 U.S. Grey- hound workers are represented within the ATU by the “Greyhound Council,” while the 25,000 Canadians affiliated with the ATU, including 1,400 Canadian Grey- hound workers, are represented by the “Canada Council,” formed at the 1981 convention. With the help of Canadian dues money, the ATU’s international officers are well paid. The international president, executive vice-president, secretary-treasurer, and two Canadian international vice-presidents all make over $100,000 (U.S.) per year, offi- cially, including allowances, expenses, and “other disbursements.” In fact, the cost to members of sustaining the 22 international officers (three international executive offic- ers and 19 international vice-presidents) in salaries, allowances, and expenses for the 1987-88 fiscal year was over $2.5 million (Cdn). Over $250,000 per year of members’ dues goes into the international officers and staff pension fund, and when the interna- tional secretary-treasurer retired recently, in addition to his corporate pension, he received an American-made luxury auto- mobile of his choice. Executive officers also have corporate memberships in exclusive golf and country clubs to entertain their guests and friends and set their own COLA 12 « Pacific Tribune, May 7, 1990 Democracy crucial for unity adjustments. The purpose of outlining such lavish spending is not to gratuitously attack a union but to make a point. When an increasingly arbitrary transnational corpo- ration, backed by anti-union legislation, tries to take away everything it can and when workers have to fight just to hold on to what they have, how the union conducts its affairs becomes critical. Local 1374 of the ATU, which represents Canadian Greyhound workers, usually holds about four union meetings per year and, aside from filing the occasional grie- vance, members have little to do with the union. The latest issue of In Transit, the international bi-monthly union journal, was 31 pages long and contained just five short articles with Canadian content. ATU Local 1374 has no newsletter. As a result, when conventions are called, no meetings are held to garner member input and most members are unaware that a convention is ac a A I I EES 3 even taking place. Likewise, no member input is sought before contract negotiations. The result of that practice has been to create an atmosphere of apathy and a feeling of alienation from the union. The problem of a lack of information from the union has become acute. Grey- hound workers were not informed that ATU Local 134 was on strike against Southern Rail in 1989, thus most were com- pletely unaware that members of their own union were on the picket line. A similar situation exists with respect to the American Greyhound workers strike. Not a single information bulletin or update has been issued by Local 1374 and members depend ~ entirely on the mass media for news, in spite of the fact that American scabs are now driving buses into Canada. Except for pre- venting scabs from driving onto Canadian Greyhound property, little solidarity work with American workers has been organized. It is the same situation with regard to events involving the broader labour move- ment, including the Canadian Labour Con- gress and the B.C. Fed. Many Greyhound workers have no idea what labour federa- tions they belong to and have never partici- pated in a CLC or B.C. Fed-sponsored event. ATU Local 1374 did not participate in the April 7-9 protest against the GST, for example, and Greyhound workers did not have the opportunity to vote in the CLC- endorsed ballot at work. It is not surprising that with this level of organization, Grey- hound workers were little prepared to defeat intensified employer demands in 1987. When Canadian Greyhound workers were presented with company demands for wage rollbacks, they voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action. What they got was disorganized confusion. Workers who . phoned Local 1374 office only hours before the scheduled strike deadline at midnight were told to go back to work, that negotia- tions were still underway. Nevertheless, some of the better organized sub-locals walked out at midnight as scheduled, and others left at 6 a.m. the next day. Then suddenly, only 16 hours after the strike began, phone calls went out from the Local 1374 office in Calgary, informing all sub- locals to go back to work, that a tentative deal had been reached. And what a sweetheart deal it was. Senior employees lost one week’s annual vacation, all employees lost four per cent employer contributions to their pension — plan; employees were required to pay four per cent into their pension plan (even though the plan, which is 100 per cent company- directed, was rumoured to have a substan- tial surplus). Greyhound workers also lost their meal allowance; lost COLA increases for three years; took a 20 per cent cut on truck rates; another 10 per cent wage cut on charter work; a further 10 per cent wage cut on driving empty buses; and finally, multi- tiered pay scales for new employees. Workers did not get a chance to see what had been agreed to by their negotiating committee for several more weeks, and by the time a ratification vote was held, it was months ‘after the strike. That procedure is probably at variance from that followed by other unions where tentative agreements are usually read over and voted on by members Labour Forum before picket signs come down. In pulling down the pickets before the deal was rati- fied, ATU leaders were able to travel the country and defend the deal. Even so, they were only able to get the bare 51 per cent majority necessary for ratification. A further wrinkle came to light when it was revealed that the agreement was to cover a period of four years. Although that was a clear violation of the ATU’s constitu- tion, a special dispensation was granted from the international office in Washing- ton, D.C. permitting this violation to take place. The memo went on to congratulate | all involved for a “job well done.” Needless to say, many Greyhound workers were frustrated with this agreement and the way it was implemented. A petition was circulated calling for an investigation into the matter. One Calgary driver offered to pay the full cost of hiring a lawyer to investigate the affair. Nothing came of it, however, and Greyhound workers began to wonder what could be done to improve their situation. There appeared no Bob White on the scene to lead a fight for auto- nomy and nobody was aware of any mech- anism within the CLC or federations of labour to assist in resolving difficulties of this kind. With such a lack of education in union affairs among the membership, it seemed evident that much time, effort, and money might be saved by making a clean break from the ATU and beginning anew in a different union that already had a demo- cratic constitution. A group of workers decided to ask the Vancouver-based ICTU to conduct a re- y -f = | | g i Name ....... REE es } Address Bae eek 9 RS - Sg on as eee. POSE 4 | Bill me later O L . facing another raid, perhaps fatally. = : ~ ote RS TS OS AS SS A A SS DY ED SD CS GY CS CS CO Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. VS5K 1Z5. Phone 251-1186 . eee jamenclosing lyr. $200 2yrs.$350) 3yrs. $500) Foreign 1 yr. $3 2 organizing campaign. What ensued w bitter battle in which the vote was drag out for over seven months. It became ¢ during this time, that the employer backing the ATU. But with an estim $250,000 of the members dues, (uncor firmed) ATU was successful in turning a losing battle into a bare victory (by a marg} of 14 out of 1394 votes cast). Greyhoul workers now find themselves facing same problems as before but with the ad disadvantage of a divided membership a union perhaps $250,000 poorer. Was araid the best way to proceed in th situation? What alternatives were avail Should the CLC have some dispute set mechanism that can now be made avail avoiding the need of having to rely on st bodies, such as the Canada Labour Rel tions Board to arbitrate 1374’s problem Those are questions that are important all trade unionists, not just members of ATU. ; Without a doubt many Greyho workers are wondering how to proce from here. The result is so inconclusive t nothing has really been resolved. The AT has been given a new, though possibly shor chance to improve upon the outstand grievances brought to light during the re Depending on their record in this rega along with the results in the upcoming c tract negotiations, the ATU may eith solidify its position as the bargaining agey for Canadian Greyhound workers, or rig In the short term, Greyhound worke must now put aside their differences back the ATU 100 per cent as they prepay — for contract talks. Canadian Greyhot workers are well advised to observe developments affecting their brothers sisters south of the border have a bad hi of coming to pass in Canada. In the bitter strike in 1983, Ameri Greyhound workers took 14 per cent. cuts. Four years later, Canadian G hound workers took similar cuts. The Us Greyhound workers are once again ¢ strike. This time Greyhound Lines Inc, making an all-out effort to smash the unig, using scabs. Those who feel the same thi, cannot happen in Canada because our lay are different would do well to recall y strike at Canada Post where the employ paid over $250,000 to hire scabs to bu: union. Canadian Greyhound work should unite solidly behind their brotk and sisters in the U.S. and undertake e means possible to ensure a victory fol ATU-Greyhound Council in that disp A resolute show of support would go fa demonstrating to Greyhound Canada the same sort of dirty tactics will not ¥ up here. : In the long term, an all-out effort wi needed to involve the rank-and-file m more closely in union affairs. An 6 debate between supporters of both §j needs to take place as a means of ¢ the best way forward. The atmosp which the debates and activism of t seven months took place must be su permanently and these energies cha in a constructive way. David Bantle is a Greyhound driver @ ATU member. i'Gode= =... .\ aa Pe es Donation$........