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  • authored by Members for Democracy
  • published Sat, Aug 10, 2002

Something Stupid This Way Comes

Coming at us full bore this week, news of yet another UFCW adventure in wastefulness: Faster than the speed of sound, Biz Unionists from the Planet Stupid might as well have been the headline. $300,000 of union members' money committed to a sponsoring a Toronto-area race car driver.

Members were outraged as union officials explained the move would raise the union's profile (we guess that it did that) and help it organize more members who presumably hang out at these events in large numbers.

MFD Contributors were scathing in their condemnation of the race car ... crash:

Scott McPherson presented a theory that would explain the UFCW's motives:

I think we should just call this what it is and spare everyone the hardship of having to endure yet another best of intentions story. Mike Fraser and his pals felt a little out of touch with the people they have the most in common with. So they opened up the members pockets, dug in deep and pulled out enough cash to buy up the first sports team that would have them. Now they get to put on the owners team hats, sit down in owners row with all the other CEO's and feel important.

Never one to hold much back when it comes to the UFCW, weiser held back even less:

Oh, yes, yes, I'd join a union because it's name was on the side of race car...

This financial outlay is obscene. The CAW is laying out $50 thousand to help the poor and the UFCW lays out much, much more to entertain the rich.

Sick, obscene and corrupt.

Even our usually circumspect forum administrator, slek, let it all hang out over this one:

Jeezus!

The absolute stupidity of the people that figured this would be a good idea to "organize" workers leaves me positively speechless.

This is no different than the UA and their fucktarded hotel. The UFCW is now using dues dollars to fund their own rednecked (Brian Noonan) weekend hobbies.

TS, whose about-to-be-laid-off brothers at Lomans warehouse (members of another UFCW local) are digging into their own pockets to fund an awareness-raising campaign, really struggled to see the light:

$300,000 on race cars. if they want to do some decent advertising first lets show them how to support the Loman boys. This is a Joke right?? we beg snivel and whine to get pittances from the union. 1 SOLID leafletter has spent over 1000$ of his own money and been reimbursed 40$ and we can give money to a race car. well we will find out this week If Fletch and the head clowns at UFCW will Ok our plea for $1500 for helium balloons to hand out to the children entering the Save On's, as we try, to leaflet the parents... But let me guess we might get sued Illegal ballooning or something. OR we spent all our money so some rich boy could play with a race car.

From Licatsplit we learned that the UFCW is just following the lead of some trailblazers in the stupid-spending department of North American labour. Some have ambitions that are really way out there.

The UA has been sponsoring Nascar's Rusty Wallace in the #2 car for a few years now. For a 5" decal on the back quarter panel of the car, the UA pays $750,000 per year. This was a big issue at the last convention and election but Maddaloni assured everyone this 5" decal would help propel the UA into the future along with helping to fund a futuristic Mars construction project! A five inch decal! Mars!

(Magic beans anyone?)

John Doe set the whole thing to music.

Richard encouraged us to put it all in perspective. This, after all, is not the worst we've seen.

On the bright side, you have to say that the $300,000 was much better spent than the $500,000 that went to UFCW big wig Tom McNutt's Webgalaxy, or the $500,000 that went to MGI Meats, or the cool mil. plus that went to Asia Web Holdings or any of the other strange things.

As for all the money that goes to Leukemia research, you would be surprised at how much of that money comes directly out of local union bank accounts. The Gala is just a big party with hugely expensive star quality entertainers. The UFCW big wigs like to hang out with the stars, so the members pay for a huge party.

There are a lot of regular business agents hanging their heads right now. How embarrassing to be associated with some of these lame brains.

And siggy even found the silver lining!

A RACE CAR!!!! They're bloody wasting our money on a RACE CAR?

Well that makes me feel better. At least I know they've got lots and when it comes to the big battle with Safeway/OFG and ufcw 1518 in B.C. in Mar 2003, there won't be any trouble supporting a long drawn out battle. Shoot those yahoos scared me, a few months ago 1518 was asking for a dues assessment. Geez the whole time the national is rolling in it, what kidders eh?

Once again we find ourselves asking...

How can any union that represents some of the lowest paid workers in our society and wants to organize more of them, think for a minute that it will attract members with a racing car? Even if the demographics were right (which they are not - our own research indicates that car races are frequented mostly by middle-aged, professional men who earn an average of 50K a year), why would anyone be so stupid as to assume that slapping a union's name on the side of something that is highly likely to crash and burn will appeal to the hearts and minds of working people? It's a union not a tin of cat food!

You don't get members with advertising - you attract members with good contracts, exceptional service and values that workers can connect with. Advertising is a business tool. So are some unions I guess. (an outraged remote viewer in MFD forum).

It's the culture, stupid or is it the stupid culture.

We hear the term organizational culture a lot, often in connection with business. But culture is not limited to business organizations. Any group of people has its own culture. These excerpts from a brief article called The Power of Culture provide a sense of what organizational culture is all about:

The term "culture" originally comes from social anthropology. The concept of culture was coined to represent, in a very broad and holistic sense, the quality of any specific human group that are passed from one generation to the next. The American Heritage Dictionary defines "culture" more formally, as the "the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought characteristics of a community or population.

We have found it helpful to think of organizational culture as having two levels, which differ in terms of their visibility and their resistance to change. At the deeper and less visible level, culture refers to values that are shared by the people in a group and that tend to persist over time even when group membership changes. These notions about what is important in life can vary greatly... At this level culture can be extremely difficult to change, in part because group members are often unaware of many of the values that bind them together.

At a the more visible level, culture represents the behavior patterns or style of an organization that new employees are automatically encouraged to follow by their fellow employees. ...Culture in this sense, is still tough to change, but not nearly as difficult as a the level of basic values.

Once established, organizational cultures often perpetuate themselves in a number of ways. Potential group members may be screened according to how well their values and behavior fit in. Selected members may be explicitly taught the group's style. Historical stories or legends may be told again and again to remind everyone of the group's values and what they mean. Senior members of the group may communicate key values over and over in their daily conversations or through special rituals and ceremonies. People who successfully achieve the ideals inherent in the culture may be recognized and made into heroes. The natural process of identification between younger and older members may encourage the younger members to take on the values and styles of their mentors. Perhaps most fundamental, people who follow cultural norms will be rewarded but those who do not will be penalized.

Look over the MFD web site and you will see one example after another of biz union culture, how it is communicated, perpetuated and how members are rewarded and penalized for adhering - or not - to the biz union cultural norms.

The UFCW's enthusiasm for racing cars has a lot to do with its organizational culture. Scott, in his post (above) nails it when it says, "Mike Fraser and his pals felt a little out of touch with the people they have the most in common with. So they opened up the members' pockets, dug in deep and pulled out enough cash to buy up the first sports team that would have them. Now they get to put on the owners team hats, sit down in owners row with all the other CEO's and feel important."

That's a good example of the impact of an organization's culture on its behavior. It's about being with those who you perceive are your own kind. Those who do the things you do and think the way that you think and enjoy the kinds of activities you enjoy. It's about being with people with whom you feel you have some common ground. The biz unionists don't call themselves "CEO" for nothing. They don't structure their unions like a business by coincidence. They don't use the language of business just because it's handy. They do these things because they have adopted, in a very real sense, a business culture. So they do business-like things.

Business culture provides the leaders and their hangers-on with status, a sense of being importance inside and outside of their organization and acceptance by those they admire (business men).

It's hard to believe that what passes for union culture is really representative of the culture of the community of workers. It's not. The reaction of the UFCW members to the union's generosity to racecar drivers, is a strong indicator that not only is there a disconnect between the union and its members, it's quite likely that there are actually two distinct cultures operating within the "labour movement". The elitist biz culture of their leaders and the misunderstood (if not completely ignored) culture of the Power Source. The sooner we grasp it, understand it and promote it, the better.

Cultures can be very stable over time but they are never static, Crises sometimes force a group to reevaluate some values or set of practices. New challenges can lead to the creation of new ways of doing things.

Sufficient crises and turnover, coupled with the lack of perpetuating mechanisms, can destroy a culture or make it very weak. But conversely , cultures can grow to be extremely strong - where there a re many common values, behavior patterns, and practices, and where the levels of culture are tightly interconnected. ...all contribute to the emergence of strong culture.

Until then, the labour movement will be going round and round, lurching this way, swaying that way, crashing and burning.

What our contributors had to say this week about changing union culture.

Bill Pearson:
Tonite I attended our monthly Labor Speaker's Club. The evenings discussion centered on the American Postal Workers Unions (APWU) efforts to break their mold of public sector representation. For the past two years, they have been trying to organize private sector haulers. It is the right kind of thinking, though there has been a fair number of critics who are trying to stop it.

After hearing reports from the organizers, we opened the meeting up to floor discussion. Lots of good comments and analogy. I made a statement as to the importance of bringing workers back into the process, and changing leaders who weren't willing to change. An African American postal worker chimed in "that's not enough." He made a very convincing argument that just changing leaders wasn't good enough. His contention was, the rapid advances in our economy and the changing nature of work, forced us to become more aggressive than just being reactionary. He suggested workers and their unions had to inject themselves into the factors that would determine where we would be. I think in essence, he was saying if there is to be a new world order, we better propel ourselves right into the middle of helping shape those outcomes or we would be left behind. It made perfect sense, it's just so far from where we are today, it's frightening.

In Arthur Shostiks book Cyberunion, he claims we need to look into the future. Using 5 year increments, we can begin to make long range plans to insure workers aren't forgotten. The only thing I see wrong with his assessment is the burning question: how do you go from a structure where you are barely a reactionary to where you are a visionary and dictating expectations. And tougher yet, are we capable of rallying enough workers to insure that we have a say in tomorrow's economy?

No faith:
Yup we members are just like the proverbial saying about mushrooms..kept in the dark ..yada yada yada. Guess I should go to these union meetings..um where? when? Oh, I guess I'll have to call and ask when these meetings take place because we certainly NEVER get any postings on our union board at work. Or maybe they get put up on my days off and get taken down when I get back to work. Diligent, must be more diligent. Oh who the heck am I kidding? I have so given up on these corrupt pricks that they can do just about anything and none of us know or care anymore. I guess we need our asses kicked into getting on the ball. It's not like we can do anything anymore, they just do what they want when they want. But I always get the letter in the mail after the fact. And about the national website..I should check them out too, because I think they are being more truthful then the letter that was sent to us about the temporary leave.

Scott McPherson:
Democracy UFCW style

Have faith, these guys will always be ready with shovel in hand to dig their own graves and so far they're doing a hell of a job. Every dirty trick, every backroom deal and every member they ignore weakens them and makes them more and more vulnerable. Workers are the union, they are the power source and one day it'll get bad enough that people will wake up and see these phony's for what they truly are. And justice will be swift.

about_unions:
In my political opinion the actions by UFCW Canada or UFCW International against all said individuals so named above suck.

Anyone who belongs to UFCW who has an once of honor and integrity in my political opinion should have already written UFCW International stating their disgust for the actions of their union UFCW International et al against said individual law suits.

In my political opinion UFCW Canada and UFCW International should spend less money suing union members and more time representing members like the Lowmans workers.

about_unions:
Could be that "Look what we did for you". "We tried our very best, but that is the way it goes sometimes. "There is only so much we can do, management has right too you know."

Hey, it does not matter the union, the routine is the same.

Lets see what UFCW 1518 has to say in the very end. I'll bet I'll be right.

As one rep once said to me-"You win some, you lose some".

Lets see if the talk of UFCW local 1518's is all smoke and mirrors and no action.

Lets all put on our 3D glasses to see all the smoke and mirrors of UFCW local 1518.

Fellow members do not get caught up in their political and psychological warfare rhetoric. Remember rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive speaking etc.

Keep Pounding on your union. Make them accountable in the public domain. Don't let them come out smelling like a rose, for I fear they are beginning the shmoozing, to do just that.

Loman life:
I feel obligated to mention that we have had some indications from the union that leafleting your own store may be frowned upon. I believe the K-Mart decision places no such restriction but you should be aware of this. There are those among us who have spouses/friends working at certain stores and prefer not to leaflet there. There are those who like to leaflet their own neighbourhood store for the fact that they know so many people. It is a personal thing.

I can tell you that you will get into some very interesting and informative conversations. You will get to know your customers in a more intimate way. People are genuinely interested in the issues of our dispute as they reflect a wave that is passing over the province.

What can you do? How much time do you have for this? You can start by getting some detail and sharing it with family and friends. I personally see this site as the only source for detail so far. Use the search engine under archives.

This fight is very much about that wave and what will be left for family, friends, communities, and this province. We have been subject to corporate shenanigans that could make us the "poster boys" for the wave:A shell company shows up one day. OFG still owns the building and the stock in it. A few faces change but nothing else. But your check now has a new name on it. The shell company seems incapable of doing anything but push out paper. We suffer fairly obvious and consistent assaults to our cost-per-case figures. What was recently regarded as one of the best crews in the business is now, at least on paper, not cost-effective. The union draws no attention to the fact. We get termination notices. The union says pay for your own leaflets. We have to apply pressure to get our chief shop steward to the retail conference.

A memorandum comes out of nowhere with a promise. Stop everything while the MOU works it's magic. NOT. It all but ends an enthusiastic beginning to our leafleting campaign. What has the final say are the details the members didn't get until the ruling was read.

It doesn't get any better from there.

I sincerely hope that you get involved and get a head start on next springs retail negotiations. Get to know your union.

Siggy:
Union Stewards Prayer

Grant me, Oh Lord, the genius to explain to my brothers and sisters the policies and plans of our great union even though no one explains them to me.

Give me the understanding that I may forgive the apathetic member, curb the overly ambitious member and accept the views of the member who does nothing until I have done something, and then tells me what I should have done and how I should have done it.

Oh Lord, make me formidable in debate, logical in argument and fearless in confrontation. Let me be a lawyer, actor, mathematician, sage, philosopher, sociologist, and economist; pleasing, cajoling, threatening, and belaboring so that I make the best of a good case and a good case from no case at all.

Teach me, Oh Lord, to stand at all times with both feet firmly on the ground …. Even when I don't have a leg to stand on.

Posts with the Most:

Scott McPherson:
Nothing is going to help workers more than the realization that we have far more power than the employers. Today's union leaders contribute to this ridiculous notion that our employers are "the masters" and we the workers are the "slaves". And this has most workers feeling powerless.

Marx once said "religion is the opium of the people" well I thinks it's just a fair to compare today's unions as the drug of choice for working people. Rather than educating members on their true power they contribute to the disempowerment of workers because an unmotivated workforce is one that also feels powerless to hold their union leaders accountable.

WE the workers hold all the power because we make up the majority of the population. DUH! We hold the balance of power during elections, we are the customers for the business's stores/shops etc. and it's our needs that should be first. The only thing that prevents us from realizing our true potential is greed. How many of our own members shop at Walmart because they can save a buck or two? this is what's killing us more than anything. It's this greedy unwillingness to sacrifice for the greater good that has 1% of the worlds population controlling 90% of the worlds wealth.

Loman life:
"The UFCW Econo-fight" has merely reached another embarrassment threshold. In keeping with their policy of doing the right thing only when the embarrassment threshold reaches critical levels, do we see action. Once again it has been breached and so more talk.

Why leave real action to this late stage is a big question for many. "The UFCW Econo-fight" seems to have blown it's budget on legal maneuvers that have been, so far, unsuccessful if not questionable.

According to the holder of the purse strings, in his July 31 letter to the warehouse members, Ivan Limpright advises that more will be spent chasing the MOU decision to the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

At the same time we have had difficulty getting any dough spent on real communication to the public. A warehouse member had to spend his own time and money getting a leaflet put into a local newspaper. Word has it that $130 got him 3,000 leaflets inserted into the paper. Sounds like good value to me. We have repeatedly questioned why this has not been continued??? All I can tell you is that it has not. The union re-imbursed the member. The embarrassment threshold had been breached and so they had no choice.

Is there good news? There are some words which bear repeating which may turn into good news. From the July 26,2002 letter from Brooke Sundin to Angie Schirra, Secretary Treasurer, BC Federation of Labour, "Moreover, as of the week of July 29, 2002, Local 1518 members employed in OFG's retail food stores, as well as our Union's members from Safeway, will join the warehouse members in further expanding our leafleting campaign."

Although it is not mentioned in this letter, the word is that retail should not leaflet their own store.

The invite to retail is not mentioned in Ivan's letter to the warehouse membership five days later. It does say in bold copy, "What is of utmost importance is to make sure we get as many members as possible taking part in the leafleting campaign that is taking place." It advises us to "Please see Tony Evangelista for more information". No contact information of any kind is given.

I also enjoyed Ivan's empathy regarding overtime:
" We realize there is ongoing frustration with having to work overtime when the Collective Agreement says it is voluntary." Most interesting when the LRB ruling does not mention the word overtime once in their ruling regarding illegal work practices. The legal analysis on the ruling, from UFCW's law firm, mentions the word 5 times.

"The UFCW Econo-fight" is about to spin out of their control. They know it and I think the embarrassment threshold got crossed once again. Warehouse members have a hard time deciding who has screwed them the most, UFCW or the OFG/Loman shell game. So far it looks and feels like both.

Good links:

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