Washington State Ferries food services talks end - information picketing b

[pnorman]

Just received the following from Paul Bigman (regional Organizer ILWU):


From: [email protected]
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 00:44:42 EST
Subject: Washington State Ferries food services talks end - information picketing begins

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

I just received a telephone call from Jay Ubelhart, Vice Chair of the Puget Sound Region of the Inlandboatmen's Union (IBU). The IBU, as you probably know, is the marine division of the ILWU, and represents the deck and shore crew on the Washington State Ferries, including the food service workers.

As you probably also are aware, WSF has threatened to end food service on the ferries, effective January 1 2004. WSF attempted to take bids for the food service which would, for the first time, guarantee neither continued union representation for the workers nor, in fact, continued employment for the workers. Sodexho, the current food service provider, bid on the contract, despite false claims you may have read from WSF that no one entered a bid.

On December 8, the Marine Employees Commission ruiled that WSF's refusal to require new contractors to honor the terms of the IBU contract was illegal - that a new contractor must honor the collective bargaining agreement.

IBU members at Sodexho last week ratified a new agreement with the employer.

But Brother Ubelhart informs me that Mike Thorne, the union-busting head of WSF, is moving ahead to eliminate food service on January 1 - and eliminate the jobs of 150 IBU members who provide that service.

JOIN WITH IBU MEMBERS -
PROTEST ELIMINATION OF
FOOD SERVICE AND
FAMILY WAGE JOBS -
INFORMATIONAL PICKETING AT
ALL WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES
TERMINALS -
BEGINNING TOMORROW
(WEDNESDAY 12/31)
For further information, please call
Jeff Engels, IBU Regional Director
206-284-5040, ext. 17

pnorman
STAND UP, KEEP FIGHTING http://shows.implex.tv/wellstone/