Wildcat Strike for the Central Falls 100

[tonysam]

It was the summer of 1962 and I was seventeen and working as a summer replacement for those steelworkers who were on vacation. I was just out of high school and the world of work was new to me. I was working in the five-stand. It was a huge machine that squashed flat plate steel into thinner rolls at the US steel plant in Pittsburg, California. I turned around suddenly to hear a foreman yell at a worker for moving too slowly and in a fit of anger told him to get the hell out and go home. Head down, the diminutive worker headed out of the five-stand area towards the front of the plant. Word quickly spread among the other workers of what had happened to their union 'brother.' In what seemed like a flash, but was more like an hour the head roller slowly shut down the line as the foreman screamed orders to get back to work. All to no avail.

The other 10 or so workers, including myself--even though I did not quite understand, began to head to the front office. In doing so they gathered other workers along the way--all the other workers--in the sheet metal part of the plant. All of whom initiated what was then called a 'wildcat' strike. Although forbidden by their contract these steelworkers were yelling, screaming and cussing about the unjust dismissal of their fellow union 'brother.' As the leaders of the group went into the front office most others and I stood outside. As a neophyte I listened to the passionate exchanges that were taking place between these men. The bottom line was that they were not going to go back to work until their 'brother' was back at their side on the line. At that time there were three shifts at the five-stand. As my dad and uncles who worked at the plant later told me, all the shifts refused to work until the worker returned. Within two days he had came back with no reduction in pay and the foreman was reprimanded.

...

As I watched the ABC newscast tonight I saw 100 of my fellow teachers from Rhode Island being fired from their teaching and counseling positions. Arne Duncan was quoted as approving of this action. He approved of it! I saw their pain and that of their students. There was no due process for each individual, just a mass firing. The foreman just yelling at them to go home. I immediately recalled what I had experienced over 48 years ago. Although I have taught for over 38 years and am now retired, my soul screamed for justice. There were my teaching brothers and sisters stark and alone.

I think what would happen if the other 6 million teachers, public, private, charter, university and retired refused to teach until these 100 were reinstated? How can we stand by and watch this abomination happen? Where is our outrage and our courage?

link

Somehow I think this would flop. Teachers are too scared to lose their jobs, and in many states, they can't strike anyway.

Too many scabs are standing in line to take their jobs.

[FBaggins]

1. I'm not sure that even the Central Falls 100 will strike.

Half of them have hopes of regaining their jobs (and less hope of finding one elsewhere) and it's likely that most of the teachers hope that they're in THAT half.

It is an inherently union-busting design. And yes, RI I'm pretty sure that RI is one of the "may not strike" states. I don't know, however, whether that's built in to the law, or the contract. If it's the contract, that has already been broken.

[hughee99]

2. And even local public opinion may not play that well for them...

The superintendent had to chose from four federally guided models. The first option the school administration wanted to go with, the "improvement model" didn't require firing any teacher, but it definitely added work to the teachers (summer training, longer school days). For these extra hours, the state was offing to pay $30 per hour for the extra hours (which works out to about 60k a year, or roughly in line with what a teacher was making per hour anyway in RI). The union rejected this offer, they wanted $90 per hour for the extra hours. When that option was rejected, the next choice was to go with the "turnaround model", AKA the union busting model.

I'm not saying the union wasn't right to ask for more money (than what they would have normally made per hour) for this extra work, but from a PR standpoint, some see it as 100 teachers getting fired because they weren't willing to settle for $30 bucks an hour and instead wanted 3 times as much. In this economy, people without jobs, or people making less than that aren't usually sympathetic.

[Hannah Bell]

3. you repeat the propaganda verbatim. & it wasn't just teachers who got fired, btw.

[hughee99]

4. I realize that, but as it's being reported,

they're not getting a ton of support outside the teaching profession. The I believe the administration fully intended to go with the second option, and only offered the first one for PR purposes. The union had more issues than just the per hour pay, but that was, in fact, one of the issues. I understand why they wanted more, they're being asked to essentially work overtime but at regular pay. As it stands, though, they're losing the PR battle.

[Hannah Bell]

5. possibly because most reports, like your, catapult the propaganda.

e.g.:

"The union had more issues than just the per hour pay, but that was, in fact, one of the issues. I understand why they wanted more, they're being asked to essentially work overtime but at regular pay."


no. they were asked to work overtime at NO pay.

[hughee99]

6. If the American Federation of Teachers is putting out a statement

and not disputing the propaganda, would you say they're doing a good or a bad job with PR?

http://www.aft.org/newspubs/press/2010/022410.cfm

The truth is that the school offered to pay them at regular wages for summer classes and extra training, but not for the extended class day or for performing additional duties during school hours.

[radical noodle]

7. I believe teachers need a better voice

It seems to me that the unions have done a pretty poor job of PR in the last few years. Teachers desperately need someone to be a good voice for them, someone with experience in media communication and public speaking. As public schools begin to close and downsize, it is an opportunity for teachers to lead unhappy parents and communities in the right direction. I hear much support of teachers on the street right now, but little in the media. War has been declared on public education and if we don't fight everyone will lose.

[hughee99]

8. I agree. Regardless of the actual circumstances,

they're getting beat up in the PR war. If the DOE and federal government are getting involved, I'm skeptical that they can win without public opinion on their side.