Now, now. If you only realized the large increase in jet fuel, you'd understand why Dority needs the money to keep the official jet flying.
From the Floor of the Convention
Here are the proposed changes to the constitution that increases our dues:
3. In order to ensure the financial health of the International Union and its Local Unions, the monthly dues in each Local Union shall be increased in the amount of $2.00 per month for each member effective December 1, 2003, and increased in an additional amount of $1.00 per month for each member effective December 1, 2004, and increased in an additional amount of $1.00 per month for each member effective December 1. 2005. If the International Executive Board exercises its authority pursuant to Article 18(A) 3 of this Constitution to increase the per capita tax an additional amount effective December, 2006, or later, the monthly dues in each Local Union shall be increased by an additional amount equal to twice such increase in the per capita tax, effective the first day of the month such per capita tax increase is effective.
Can you figure out how much money they are raising?
I'm just glad local 1518 isn't there wasting members money. I know Brooke and Ivan were looking forward to going and taking 22 others but I know they wouldn't leave now.
Safeway members are in the middle of the fight of their working lives and OFG members are about to do battle and this local couldn't afford to send anyone because the coffers were recently bottom scraped by the international.
If there is a dispute in B.C., the 1518 members will have to top up the piggy bank ... again ... out of their very own paychecks again ... so I know brooke and ivan wouldn't see fit to waste it on pomp and circumcision in San Fran.
Shame on those who have.
Look out safeway and ofg!
Speaking of Dority, you could not imagine what a stumbling bumbler he appears to be. He could hardly pronounce half the words he was saying and was continually getting lost in his reading the teleprompter. Was shaking like a guy who just rolled out of bed and forgot to drink his traditional three martinis.
Was it Et Tu Brutus, or
Eh two Ceasars? 
He knows that MFD is starin' at him. It scares 'em down to their machine toes.
See if you can get his autograph. Tell him to sign one, "To Weiser, one hell of a guy, and one hell of a better man than I." Ask him if his daughter has been able to find work since WebGalaxy's demise?
Shall I send it too you as a jpeg file or should I mail to MFD?
I would like INFORMATION... what is WEB GALAXY?
when did it start and when did it end and any other stuff you can tell?
"In order to ensure the financial health of the International Union and its Local Unions..."
You gotta laugh here - same old same old. But what must be scary is that shortly after this repetitive trough-pig manifesto redundancy is spoken to the trough pig faithful, is the realization that the cash-cows (membership) are getting the info in near real-time.
Dority: Holy shit, it's on MFD already, they know we want more money!!!
Yeah Doug, it's called IT, and it's coming for your ass. Behind it is a thing called truth.
But the bigger question, at least for me, is where did all the money go from the sell-out of the full-timers go? Where is that part-time sell-out win-fall?
UFCW should be awash from that dynamic alone.
Takes a boat load of cash to keep this UFCW fraud alive, doesn't it Doug?
quote:
See if you can get his autograph. Tell him to sign one, "To Weiser, one hell of a guy, and one hell of a better man than I." Ask him if his daughter has been able to find work since WebGalaxy's demise?
Hey w, the thing is, you don't have to work if you can marry into the right family. 
quote:
posted by <WHO CARE'S>:
I would like INFORMATION... what is WEB GALAXY?
when did it start and when did it end and any other stuff you can tell?
WebGalaxy was a project of United Labour On Line (ULOL). Unions dumped millions into it. Most of the money went for "Marketing". It was run by Tom McNutt Senior. It had ties to Acubid (later Asia Web and now named Case Financial) The dudes associated with it caused a controversy with Jimmy Hoffa's campaign. The same dudes got "finders fees" for getting CCWIPP to load another $2 million into Case Financial. CCWIPP lost a bundle in WebGalaxy, even more in Acubid/Asia Web and now they have dumped a huge pile of unsecured cash into a very risky venture, and $200 thousand of that immediately disappeared into the pockets of two former Web Galaxy dudes.
Oh, and BTW, UFCW President Doug Dority's daughter was a "marketing rep" for ULOL. Her resume says she has access and influence on major players in labor unions.
I NEED MORE INFORMATION ON
uniononline.com
who's who what's what
Here's Dority's daughter's resume. She mentions Affinity telesystems. That's a company associated with the Asia Web guys.
This article mentions WebGalaxy, Asia Web and ULOL.
This appeared in the San Diego Metropolitan newspaper on April 21, 1999
quote:
WebGalaxy Inc. has completed an $800,000 private placement with Union Labor Life Insurance Co. ULLICO also secured a warrant allowing it to invest an additional $1.2 million in WebGalaxy.
In addition, Webgalaxy says it is negotiating private placements with several other companies and individuals under similar terms as those received by ULLICO. The total additional amount if the maximum is received will be $3.8 million, with warrants on an additional $5.7 million. Upon completion of the maximum amount WebGalaxy, which is now traded over the counter under the symbol WEBY, plans to apply for a NASDAQ listing. The funds, together with an earlier investment of $500,000 from the Canadian Commercial Workers Industrial Pension Plan, will be used to support marketing efforts and to provide Internet services and content to unions and their members throughout the United States.
Carlsbad-based WebGalaxy is focused on introducing United Labor Online, a Website dedicated to, and for, unions, in the first half of 1999. WebGalaxy says it has signed agreements with unions that represent about 2.75 million U.S. workers.
As proposed, the Internet site would be a combination of online services all meant to support and enhance the collective communication, buying, social and political power of unions and their members. Services and products of ULOL include:
A national dial-up Internet service for subscribers with GTE Corp. providing the backbone.
Custom home pages, e-mail and personal web sites for individual Union and friend of labor subscribers.
Custom content development and Web hosting for Union affiliates.
A centralized messaging data base for Unions.
Product and service discount shopping area for Union subscribers with custom storefronts and back end support from online retailer, Value America.
Makes you feel sort of warm and fuzzy to think that ULLICO pissed pension money into this machine-head venture too--now doesn't it?
What is the mailing adresses or the actual address of the Carlsbad-based WebGalaxy ?
It's now a dead mailbox.
6569 El Camino Real
Suite 105-425
Carlsbad
CA 92009
USA
Get hold of ex-UFCW president Tom McNutt Sr., Ex-Director of WebGalaxy, Inc., 301-563-6910. If he isn't at that number, call his son Tom McNutt Jr. at the UFCW Washington DC Local.
Didn't WebGalaxy morph (after several morphs) into Case Financial? There's some stuff about Case at this thread.
About the dues increase: It's astounding how removed from reality these guys are. To hit the already bruised and battered members up for more cash at a time like this is just mind-boggling. Why don't the big kahunas (say the ones that earn over 100K) just take a 10% pay cut? That oughta solve what financial problem they're trying to fix.
Thanks for the ongoing reports from the convention you all! Keep it coming. People need to know what's going on. 
From the Floor of the Convention. Day 2 scene VI.
Well the whole boatload got re-elected by acclaimation. That was a big surprise. Dority came out stumbling and bumbling in the morning session and seemed a bit hung over. You should have seem them all shaking each others hands on the dias. I would estimate that about one fifth of the room did not participate in all of the standing o's they were getting. I thought that it was significant that a fair number of people were sitting on their hands.
It looks that some serious oppostion could be mounted by the right set of leaders if enough clerks would come forward to get involved in the process.
The downside is that all almost all of the International VP's seem to be total machine heads. The whole political dynamic was there in the room I am not schooled enough to figure it out.
It would be nice if a few current of ex-machine heads would come on board to explain the process a little better.
I must admit the speech Dority gave in the afternoon was not too bad once he got past all the lies about their great achievments in Thunder Bay.
All in all it was a bunch of boring BS mixed with more boring BS. Not to fear for tommorrow brings the big million dollar party where all the little machine heads go to fill up their tanks for the next five years.
It looks as though some of the machine heads mean some serious business about growing the union but it appears that it will be grown at our better contracts expense.
Of course, the resolutions that did not get accepted were the ones propsed by Local 789 and or the old REAP locals. Resolutions very similar passed just fine. What a bunch of babies. Saying that they are acting like children is giving them credit for too much experience.
All in all it was a good learning experience for one who would like to mount a serious attack on the machine before my life ends.
If anyone has the slate that got (re)elected, it would be fun to post their salaries behind their names. Not that hard, and kinda revealing, given the rejection of the proposal by 135 to cut VP's $20,000 a year gift (payoff).
Here's the other thing. I'm hearing rumors that those of us retired are in for a rude awakening in the cost of our retirees insurance. In anticipation, i have drafted a remarkable story called "Confessions of a Union Man." It is an interesting piece of work where i literally go to confession with a Catholic priest.
I hate to get all macho and stuff, but if the boys thought i was nuts when i was on the job, they ain't seen nothing yet. Has retirement mellowed me?Canyousayonemeanmaliciousmotherfucker.
Dang, now i have to go back to confession 
quote:
posted by Bill Pearson:
If anyone has the slate that got (re)elected, it would be fun to post their salaries behind their names. Not that hard, and kinda revealing, given the rejection of the proposal by 135 to cut VP's $20,000 a year gift (payoff).
File Number: 000-056
Affiliation/Organization Name: FOOD & COMMERCIAL WKRS AFL-CIO
Designation Name and Number: NHQ
City and State: WASHINGTON DC
The 2002 U.S. DOL LM2 report was just posted on July 1 here .
The .pdf weighs in at 2661KB with 137 pages.
It takes some doing to sift through it, but here are the Top 5 anyway. 
President Douglas H. Dority $394,982
Secretary-Treasurer Joseph T. Hansen $288,736
Executive Vice Presidents
Sarah Palmer Amos $247,125
Anthony M. Perrone $240,254
Michael E. Leonard $243,311
Total = $1,414,408
Hey, in racecar terms, that's only a buck a member. 
(I think I want my [U.S.] dollar back.)
These aren't 'elections' at the conventions! They are simply bulldozing tactics, accomplished by intimidation and coercion, which have worked in the past and continue to work for the time being. I "know" it is going to change. I saw the emergence of democracy at the last UA convention and an almost upheaval of the acclamation process! Left the incumbents asking, "What the hell happened?"!
The machine is getting worn and the parts are rusty from not getting oiled as much as they used to. It's a great thing when we can keep a constant eye on these proceedings and I would like to thank you unionnow for the great updates. Good Job!
Duffbeer, these salary quotes don't even take into consideration their expense accounts do they? Our officials, (as a rule of thumb), have expense accounts equal to or greater than their salaries and these accounts are much harder to track!
Good job Duff, but because i'm a big fairness guy, those are the totals after expenses. So you all had a chance to see fairness in action, i posted it below.
The fact of the matter is, the International staff are pikers compared to some of the local union presidents. This will become more telling when we start doing the math on why the retirement plan and health insurance plans are in trouble.
Learned a long time ago, there are explanations for everything. If something is broken, look, and you will find why. I've been complaining for years about some of this stuff. Guess it was to the wrong people, because now they are going to make the retirees pay for the sins of the stupid and the greedy. The only way for justice to be served is to put the turd back in the pockets of those it belongs.
Just for shits and giggles, here is the UFCW leaderships LM2"S . I requested it in decending order and with only those officers making more then $100,000 a year in salary. Better yet, i have copies of years past, so i can compare the increases that some of the boys have taken, shameful.
BTW, someone has to explain the #3 position on the charts. Dennison IA...$369,000 for a secretary treasurer...gotta be a mistake or a ?
You'll note that the Canadians get paid less, but you must realize that all reporting is in US dollars, so if you translate Mike Fraser's VP salary into Canadian funds the amount reads the same as his US counterpart gets. For example, if a US employee gets $75 thousand, and the Canadian gets $56 thousand, when you convert the US $56 thousand to Canadian it comes out to $75 thousand Canadian.
That brings me to Danny Gilbert's pile-o-dough. He was the prez of 1000a and slips that job to Corporon and then jumps into a job as Assistant to the Canadian Director. Nice move for the extra pension. However, how the hell does he manage to chew up close to $40 thousand Canadian in expenses?
www.ufcw.org
President Douglas H. Dority and Secretary-Treasurer Joseph T. Hansen and the entire Dority-Hansen team: Executive Vice Presidents Sarah Palmer Amos, Anthony M. Perrone, and Michael E. Leonard; 46 Vice Presidents at large; and four Canadian Vice Presidents were reelected by acclamation by Convention delegates.
"We are all part of the UFCW team," Dority told delegates. "We're going to make it happen in organizing, at the bargaining table, and in politics. We're going to make it happen for workers in every UFCW-represented jurisdiction across North America."
Dority charged delegates to be union builders and movement builders— urging they look beyond today's problems to tomorrow's opportunities—with a commitment to lead. "That is our job, our role, our obligation," he told delegates. "Now is the time to lead."
"The test of this Convention," he said, "will come not in a day or a week or even a year. The test of this Convention will be in what kind of union we leave for our children and grandchildren." Pointing out that the UFCW must offer an alternative to the unrestrained selfishness and greed that passes for public policy, Dority urged delegates to define the issues, take up the fight, and organize, because the UFCW is the better way.
He called on the governments of Canada and the U.S. to end their war on workers. "We must take as our mission and our obligation in the U.S. to restore American democracy," he urged delegates. "We must return government to its proper role of protecting and promoting the well-being of all the people. We must remove George W. Bush from office."
Dority called for the Convention to provide a mandate for an action agenda. "There is no limit to what we can do in North America," he said. "We have the hardest working, most productive workers in the world. We have strong communities. We are people of integrity and values. And we have one of the strongest , most progressive, most active worker organizations in the world. Our great union must become even greater, stronger, and more active."
46 Vice Presidents at large; ?
or was that 46 "LARGE" Vice Presidents?
From the Floor. Day 3 Act 6 Scene 4
Today was a half day with an opening speech by UFCW Secretary Treasurer Joe Hansen. Dority was stumbling around at the Canada party last night. It is shocking to see this guy in action. One wonders and wonders and wonders as all the machine heads cheer him on.
We could not help but notice that S. T. Hansen looks like that disgraced former FBI agent turned soviet spy Robert Hansen. Could you post a picture of the two Hansens together? The resemblence is quite striking.
They trotted out the strike commitee from Thunder Bay to celebrate one of their big victories in Canada that I have been hearing about for the last couple of days. I have been trying to figure out why they would lie to me when I finally realized that they were not lying. There were big victories, victories for the machine and not the workers. Once you start to look at it from their perspective you can rationalize how easily they can lie. Lies about the big victories in Canada are lies from a workers perspective, not the machines.
It is important to notice that the Canadian speakers were far more reserved about the events in Canada. It was the American side shouting victory in Canada.
To digress, the day before Gary Doer spoke and I have to say that he was most impressive. What are your thoughts on Gary?
There is quite a bit of material to post on the internal political side that I will have to post later as I put it all in perspective.
The rest of the stuff most mostly the usual boring BS.
Just in from the party and I have to admit it was flippin something to see.
As I walked around the convention and the party I could not help but notice that 99.9 percent of the people there look like the people I work with. Less than .01% run this show and we must begin to target and expose them for what they are in a slow methodical fashion.
I am so burnt by this whole thing I do not know what to say or where to start so give me a few days and I will put some things up for everyone to think about.
"You ain't seen nothing yet." Who the hell was the group that sang that? But i digresss.
Thanks for the posting, UN. I was kicking myself for not being there, as i read these accounts and talked to folks. I heard they were heaping praise on the TEAM, for all of their accomplishments. I sat wondering in amazement what they were? I'm hearing the control is spectacular, and i guess if you can control who is there and what is spewing from the mouths of those in attendance, it's easy to SAY anything. Been their signature move for a long time.
Today will be butt ugly. The boys in one sweeping motion will destroy any ability for small locals to survive. The massive percapita increases will choke locals of 10,000 or less right out of existence. I'm looking forward to your report, but the numbers are terrifying. Percap-$5 to $7 over 5 years. 3% payroll tax, so on a local like 789 with a payroll of $800,000, thats an additional $24,000 a year. The packinghouse $1 will become mandatory, and payable by all locals with packinghouse workers, lots of smaller locals there.
At 789, our per cap payments and other charges from the International will be over a million dollars this year, and thats before the increases. The revenue stream for them apparently is endless. Almost. As the settlements they get in the next 5 years continue to be concessionary, members will rebel. The bottomless pit will be met very soon.
Oh yeah, today is the day they cut the heart out of the promises they made to all of us on staff. They rail against employers who have made lifetime commitments to their retirees, and reneged. Now it's their turn. They are going to put the boots to all of us, working and retired. The difference is, the folks still working will take that action and further increase their salaries to compensate. Those of us retired will just eat it.
Today will not be a good day for the machine. The lavish party will have influenced many of the delegates. The unlimited booze and the fantastic food spreads will have softened the masses for the vote on more money. They'll get it, the control thing will work once again.
It will be the last time. Because before the curtain goes down in Frisco, the shit will have hit the fan. See boys, you can't control the internet. Several people have asked why i didn't go to the convention and battle it out one last time. Cause there, they could turn my mic off, or have their chosen crew boo me off the floor. There you reach a handful, here you reach millions.
By days end President Dority, and the rest of you so enamored by your words crafted by the professional writers and spin doctors, the walls will come tumbling down. No more dirty little secrets locked in closets, no more pigs at the trough. You have thrown your last party, especially as Rome and the members burn back home.
Talking to a person on the phone from Frisco yesterday, he summarized it better then i've ever heard, "they have no shame."
Damn; this old age thing is getting to me. Congrats on the marriage of your daughter last year Doug. Sorry i missed the big event, but i did manage to print out a copy of the wedding registry list for Traci and Tom. I'll see if i can't find them something special.
Go on STRIKE on the increase, pay what ever was due before the vote, and go on a boycott of the rest of the amount,file lawsuits go to the press, and give Doug the middle finger!
quote:
46 Vice Presidents at large; ?
or was that 46 "LARGE" Vice Presidents?
quote:
See boys, you can't control the internet. Several people have asked why i didn't go to the convention and battle it out one last time. Cause there, they could turn my mic off, or have their chosen crew boo me off the floor. There you reach a handful, here you reach millions.
BP, you have certainly done some backsliding since I first met you on MfD! You've become one of those radical, internet savvy, activists it seems!
Just kidding Bill! I couldn't agree with you more! The Hogs can't say your out of order and flip the mic switch here can they? They could come on here and boo you but they are either afraid to place themselves into a position without any facts to back up their stance or they have been warned by the big boar hogs not to participate else they have their mountain oysters severd up on a platter! It's probably a little of both but I think the latter is probably the biggest reason we never see any of them here or on any other member oriented websites for that matter!
I love this thread. I can still remember our last convention and how busy we were on the internet. We had many of us at the convention who were relaying info all day long and we used list-servers, e-mail, message boards, and telephones to keep the membership updated. You know, the way it should be! Had em' threatening lawsuits against all the owners of the websites! Had em' shook up for a while! I loved every fricking minute of it too! Y'all nail their hides to the wall!
quote:
It is important to notice that the Canadian speakers were far more reserved about the events in Canada. It was the American side shouting victory in Canada.
These guys are so whacked I can hardly believe it. Every day the news is more and more shocking. I'll bet the Canadians are reserved about events in Canada. There's nothing good for them to talk about and they know that they can't just make some stuff up anymore. We're sitting here ready to set the record straight at drop of a hat. Maybe that's why the snivelling bastards aren't shooting off their mouths about their great feats of organizing and their great feats of bargaining anymore. Or maybe its the whole "rolling back wages cuz walmart's coming" campaign that's got them keeping a low profile.
I can't believe that they're crowing about the Thunder Bay fiasco as if it's their crowning achievement for the year. That was another shining example of an employer putting on the "bend over or we're leavin' town" and the machine heads bending over, after the members being out on strike for several months. Safeway still hasn't left town that I've heard of and I'll bet they had no intentions. I think there's a big old DFR floating around about that whole mess. (Note to self: Follow up on Thunder Bay DFR.)
The US crowd must really be running short of stuff to cheer about if they're proclaiming some kind of victory in Canada. Holy crap! What's going on in Canada is going to hasten their descent into the muck.
This is like Khrushchev saying "We will bury you". Was Doug banging a shoe on the table by any chance?
quote:
To digress, the day before Gary Doer spoke and I have to say that he was most impressive. What are your thoughts on Gary?
Gary Doer is a biz unionist's best friend. He's your typical NDP'er. Loves those biz unions because they support his campaigns and promotes labour-management cooperation. (What the hell's he doing flying to California to lip off at a UFCW party?) I don't doubt he sounded intelligent. The guy's a politician after all. Consider also the great orators that preceded him to the podium. I'll bet my dog would sound pretty impressive too if he followed that line up.
I remember some UFCW guys LOL at the "South Park" movie in July of 1999 and even joking about the "Blame Canada" song,
OK I sung the part "Blame That Bitch Anne Murray to"
and I made fun of Brian Adams.
Will the Canadians ever forgive me?
I did buy most of the RUSH Albums and I own the DVD of
"Strange Brew"
I have just written a new song about those who SUCK in the UFCW!
I'll get it on to a mp3 soon and somebody over at the 588 can download play if backwards and find the "HIDDEN" meaning and my master plan get every one hooked on "PERSIMMON FAVLORED JELLO"
muh hah hahah hahah haha!
From the Floor-The Day After- Day four
The volume was considerably lower today as the few delegates that did care to show up on time were hung over. What a Day. I would call it Tragedy and Hope after that famous book by Carroll Quigley.
As President Dority stumbled through reading every last word over the teleprompter I could not help but wonder whether he was in a state of permanent senior moments. Sara Parker Amos was given her turn to speak and I though see came out looking and speaking very well but I have to admit I have not a clue what she said or if it even had any relevance. She did not hold my attention at all.
The high point of the speaking day is when the real (and very nice looking) Erin Brockovich gave an incredible speech that had every one of those old union toads listening at first quite intently on the edges of their seats and toward the ends with legs crossed. As Erin finished her speech all the old guys rushed out to the bathrooms. You should have seen the lines. It was worse than being at a crowded ball game during the seventh inning stretch. I thought it was funny because they all die their hair every other week and buy bottles of Viagra by the case in their quest to keep up. At ten bucks a pill, its cheaper than crack.
The big issue of the day was the dues increase and I have to say I was quite impressed with some of the opposition. One of our sister locals, Local 101 UFCW, sent three people to speak against the increase. One President from a right to work state got up and explained that he couldn't sell the dues increase to his members and it would be hard to justify. 3 others from Right to work States said that they could and they will.
When it came to put it to a vote the NO votes out shouted the AYES. Dority had to force the Ayes and the Nos to stand up and show themselves. We all stood up and I would guess that about 20% of us were on our feet. Many did not stand for fear of being targeted. If they did, it might have been close enough for the leadership to do something drastic like call a time out and huddle.
If there were even a little organized opposition this time we would have gave them fits. I WAS TOLD almost all of the old REAP locals that created so much havoc in Chicago in the last convention are now gone. A couple good leaders retired and the rest were put out of business by the machine. There is one left in the Bay Area that the machine has been after for years but has been able to stay one step ahead of the lynch mob.
We were given the published report to the 5th Regular Convention and it has a wonderful picture of Dority in handcuffs. It also has all the mug shots of all the International VP's. Since 1998 there were 137 UFCW unions dissolved and 35 UFCW District Councils and Joint Councils dissolved. There were 9 new locals chartered in the last 5 years, 7 councils and 2-chartered bodies. Our dynamic leadership not only brings us victory in Canada it brings us a president who has 'distinguished himself as a union builder'. I think extinguished would be a better term.
There were 115 mergers in the last 5 years. The old corporate merger machine has not been what it was in the ‘80's either; even with all that cheap money out there.
Guess I am running a little long here. Have not had time to read thru the rest of the report but it looks like the usual PR job mixed with as little financial stuff as they could put out.
We need a national leader to stand up. The edifice is cracked and with the right approach, leadership and tactics we could turn their partying days into the worst days of their lives.
Despite all that I have said I know that there are some good people in the UFCW International trying to accomplish some good things against the Backdrop of a bunch of UFCW International VP's that must deliver the votes at convention time and run operations against any enemy of the machine between conventions.
Hang on, help may come some day.
Thanks for the post RV; I have not laughed that hard in a long time.
The folks at Bills old local have been trying to contact you but the firewall at the kiosks have blocked your address.
quote:
We're sitting here ready to set the record straight at drop of a hat.
That may be but as unionnow said, access to this site has been blocked from the public computer kiosks at convention. The porkchoppers will have to wait until they get home this weekend to log on.
Has anyone ever been to a steward training convention with the ufcw,,wild stuff there too !!! 
I felt like i was at a "Moonies" convention that was sponsored by The Price Is Right full of luxurious cash and prizes!!!!!! 
I would be really interested in hearing more about the moonie-ish stewards' session. I've thought for a while now that many of the tactics that undemocratic unions use are very similar to those used by cults (the same in many cases). We wrote an article about this a while ago. This one also deals with this subject, in a lighter way.
From the Floor Day 5
Its over and thank God. My stomach could not stand much more of this. I am sure that everyone backstage is celebrating their victories.
I will try to put some stuff up in the coming weeks as I try to make some sense out of the pagentry of our convention.
I need to correct something.
]
The top Canadian UFCW/TUAC union machine heads were up front cheering their many victories in Canada along with team USA. I should have posted more clearly by saying that some of the Canadian delegates were more reserved in the depiction of the victories in Canada
I was there and the folks have no shame.
But, I got to meet a few of my MFDer's cyber buddies such as Robbie D and Union Now, and I got to meet some real workers... so it wasn't a total loss.
I know that I might get shredded for the next statement- but I worked for Bill Pearson so I considered myself mentally tough (BP-I learned many things from you) and it kind of surprised me that a lot of the rank and filers weren't outraged over the per cap/dues increase. I figured when we voted that about thirty percent of us stood up and said no.
It was good seeing the brothers and sisters from 538 and some old P-9ers who still raise hell.
I think the structure will have to implode and fall apart before we can take back the UFCW- if that is what we want.
SOLIDARITY!
St. Paul Trotsky