This is a tremendous letter. It's one of the most thoughtful analyses of the worker disposal phenomenon that I've ever seen. It also addresses the human side of the phenomenon in a way that really connects the reader with the people who are being affected by the layoffs (unlike the mainstream union and academic literature).
Darryl is one of the leaders who will be shaping the future for workers. There are many others like him out there and I'm hoping that in the weeks and months ahead, we hear from more of them.
Keep the faith Darryl and tell us more about what's going on.
Their crisis, not ours
Their crisis, not ours
In many ways it seems that workers at Lomans warehouse in Langley BC have experienced the best that the world of business and business unionism have to offer: A 10-year collective agreement that was supposed to keep their employer competitive, demands for further concessions - soundly rejected - two years ago and more recently, layoff notices.
According to the conventional wisdom, workers who are deprived of their livelihood should accept their fate with quiet dignity, go quickly to the land of discarded workers and blame themselves for their misfortune. It's a business decision after all.
The workers at Loman's aren't buying any of this. Earlier this year, 250 of them were informed that their jobs will disappear for good this fall. Their employer had lost a contract to provide warehousing services to Overwaitea Food Group, a big player in the grocery industry in western Canada. After 10 years with Lomans, OFG was taking its business elsewhere.
The workers were not willing to take the news with good humour. They knew the business well and understood its competitive advantages and operational weaknesses. Some believed that if anything had put the company in an uncompetitive position, it was poor management. They began demanding answers from the employer and action on the part of their union, UFCW Local 1518. When the UFCW seemed reluctant to take up their cause, they threatened direct action of their own.
They've been asked to sit tight, keep quiet and put their faith in the British Columbia Labour Relations Board (where Local 1518 has filed a claim that OFG and Lomans are common employers and have been since 1992) and an odd 1995 Memorandum of Understanding that the union claims gives it the right to unilaterally cancel its current contract. Local 1518 recently notified both Lomans and OFG of its decision to cancel the contract and commence bargaining. Last week Local 1518 served 72 hours notice of its intention to strike. To date, a strike has not begun and the union's right to strike under the mysterious MOU has been challenged before the BC LRB. A decision is expected later this week.
Darryl Gehlen is a worker at Lomans who has stepped forward to rally his brothers and raise awareness of their situation. In a letter that he distributed to them today, Gehlen takes a long hard look at their situation, their options and offers a plan for action.
Gehlen's letter is an exceptional analysis of the games the biz-guys play with workers and their lives and an eloquent call for support from a public that he believes has had enough of this shit. Most astutely, Gehlen hits the nail on the head about the cause of his employer's crisis of competitiveness - "The crisis is not ours", he says, "It's their's".
Dear Brothers,
It seems that we might be tested. At times like this we are reassured by knowing as much as possible about what we are facing and what our options are. Once we have that information and a chance to digest it we usually feel more committed and confident in choosing a course of action and making it effective.
In talking with many of you, I understand that you are extremely motivated to win this battle. There is anger, frustration, confusion, and many questions. Mostly I sense you are royally pissed off. Ten years of frustration and resentment and doubt are now going to be expressed with a vengeance in this battle. We never wanted this but if that's the road we have to go down then so be it.
But how did we get to this point? How does this all make sense? Once the enemy and it's agenda is defined we feel much better about planning and executing our defense.
General Membership meeting tonight and Loman crew will be well represented. I think they have some questions for Brooke about if he knows that we exist and if he knows that there is a labour dispute happening and if he knows that it involves his organization and if he knows that he is legally required to represent them. Stuff like that.
How did things go at the meeting Loman Life?
Little Jimmy --"He's apt to sell you a car or buy you out."
Gettin' rich is what it's all about. Does little Jimmy have the cajones to visit the guys at Loman and tell them why he's pulling the business? Could he tell them why he sold them to Loman in the first place?
Does little Jimmy really care? Hey Jimmy, WWJD?
Why don't the brothers troop down to Jimmy's office with some pickets and ask him to explain why he needs the extra coin so badly?
Sure. Do it! And make sure you rattle Glen Clark while your down there. He sure came across as a union supporter when he was premier, and I don't think he ever met a microphone he didn't like.
If nothing else, mabey he'll say something stupid and give you guys some publicity.
quote:
mabey he'll say something stupid and give you guys some publicity
Just build him a porch!!! 
Maybe then after the RCMP has tailed ya for a bit and recorded your every move (at taxpayers expense of course) they might actually grab a brain and figure out who the real criminals are...like OFG and Slaveway...