Knowing the news.
Nov. 25th, 2003 08:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
libertangoNeil Postman once pointed out how news was a manufactured commodity by noticing how very few stories have an actual, direct impact on one's life.
Usually that's true for me. The people and places in the news are usually pure entertainment.
But today, for the second time in seven days, I heard someone I know speaking as a guest on The Tavis Smiley Show on NPR.
It was Jim Santangelo, who these days is the President of Joint Council 42 of the Teamsters (scroll down a bit on that page to see Jim's mug and bio).
Back when I was a shop steward for Local 630 of the Teamsters, at Gallo Wine in Commerce, Calif., Jim and I were part of the union side of the table in negotiations for a new contract. He represented the truck drivers, as Secretary-Treasurer of Local 848. Why the clerical staff (which, as a computer operator, I was part of) and the drivers belonged to two different locals, I don't know.
Jim was on Tavis' show because of the grocery strike down in LA. Yesterday, the Teamsters announced they were going to start observing the picket lines of the cashier/checkers, who are striking against Safeway. This effectively means Safeway isn't going to be getting any new groceries to stock on their shelves.
Jim's take on it was that Steve Burd, the CEO of Safeway, was trying to unilaterally cut off the health benefits of his employees, and was willing for the strike to go on forever to do so. He also, in not so many words, opined that Burd was an intransigent, stubborn, counterproductive asshole.
So Jim basically said that if cutting off supplies to Safeway in Southern California doesn't work, they may go national... Because the Teamsters' negotiation with Safeway, Albertsons, and Kroger is in two years, and they know the outcome of this strike will settle all parties' approach to the next negotiation.
My point?
My point is, to paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, I know Jim Santangelo. I've worked with Jim Santangelo. I wouldn't go so far as to call him my friend, but still. More particularly, I've worked with Jim Santangelo in a negotiation exactly like this one, with the same make-or-break issue between the union and management, with managerial representatives who were... hm. Less than fully cooperative and/or knowledgeable. {cough}
And Jim had no problem with them.
So, for Jim to come out and say what he said about Mr. Burd at all -- let alone, on national media -- in the middle of a negotiation...
God. I shudder to think just how bad Burd must be to deal with.
So, effective today, I am boycotting Safeway, for the duration. Not that we shop there all that often, and yes, I have more than a twinge knowing![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
girlpirate works there...
But it seems to me to be the right thing to do. And I ask you to do the same, if you think it's at all practicable for you.
Usually that's true for me. The people and places in the news are usually pure entertainment.
But today, for the second time in seven days, I heard someone I know speaking as a guest on The Tavis Smiley Show on NPR.
It was Jim Santangelo, who these days is the President of Joint Council 42 of the Teamsters (scroll down a bit on that page to see Jim's mug and bio).
Back when I was a shop steward for Local 630 of the Teamsters, at Gallo Wine in Commerce, Calif., Jim and I were part of the union side of the table in negotiations for a new contract. He represented the truck drivers, as Secretary-Treasurer of Local 848. Why the clerical staff (which, as a computer operator, I was part of) and the drivers belonged to two different locals, I don't know.
Jim was on Tavis' show because of the grocery strike down in LA. Yesterday, the Teamsters announced they were going to start observing the picket lines of the cashier/checkers, who are striking against Safeway. This effectively means Safeway isn't going to be getting any new groceries to stock on their shelves.
Jim's take on it was that Steve Burd, the CEO of Safeway, was trying to unilaterally cut off the health benefits of his employees, and was willing for the strike to go on forever to do so. He also, in not so many words, opined that Burd was an intransigent, stubborn, counterproductive asshole.
So Jim basically said that if cutting off supplies to Safeway in Southern California doesn't work, they may go national... Because the Teamsters' negotiation with Safeway, Albertsons, and Kroger is in two years, and they know the outcome of this strike will settle all parties' approach to the next negotiation.
My point?
My point is, to paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, I know Jim Santangelo. I've worked with Jim Santangelo. I wouldn't go so far as to call him my friend, but still. More particularly, I've worked with Jim Santangelo in a negotiation exactly like this one, with the same make-or-break issue between the union and management, with managerial representatives who were... hm. Less than fully cooperative and/or knowledgeable. {cough}
And Jim had no problem with them.
So, for Jim to come out and say what he said about Mr. Burd at all -- let alone, on national media -- in the middle of a negotiation...
God. I shudder to think just how bad Burd must be to deal with.
So, effective today, I am boycotting Safeway, for the duration. Not that we shop there all that often, and yes, I have more than a twinge knowing
girlpirate works there...But it seems to me to be the right thing to do. And I ask you to do the same, if you think it's at all practicable for you.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-11-25 10:38 pm (UTC)Before anything else let me say that I'm likely to follow your lead within the next few weeks (I live in northern California, so there's no strike here yet, though no doubt it's coming soon).
So, that said, and agreeing that health benefits for Safeway workers should not be given up, nor should we support two-tier employee structures... for once I have a smidgen of sympathy for Safeway's position, as well as for their workers.
The reason: Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has plans to move into Southern California in a big way. Wal-Mart's unbelievably loathsome employment practices and low pay permit them to keep prices extremely low -- so Safeway is justly afraid that Wal-Mart will eat its lunch. While I think Safeway is demon spawn, I know in my heart of hearts that Wal-Mart is Satan Itself.
Here's an article in Fast Company that clued me in about some of this: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html)
So my plan for Safeway is to boycott them, and for Wal-Mart, to find the cemetery holding their crypt and bang a stake through their heart.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-26 12:49 pm (UTC)I'm with you on this matter. I'd be boycotting the local Safeway-owned chain, but I gave up on them after the product changes Safeway instituted.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-26 04:23 pm (UTC)Usually that's true for me. The people and places in the news are usually pure entertainment.
It was true for me too until I got involved with Jordin. What happens in DC and elections and statehouses all over the nation materially affect our life insofar as they affect funding for scientific and space research. And how the administration in DC views that and related issues. It's weird.
MKK