Depending on what happens at tonights Union meeting, it may be the last time you will get information from Eric.
At last Thursdays Executive Board meeting, Frank (Mr. Transparency) Ponce de Leon, showed up in his good luck black Hawaiian Aloha shirt, the same one he has been wearing for years, and acting like he is no longer a Local 13 member, presented what is referred to as the “Coast Directive” on the new Casual hiring process.
Frank put his info on the overhead and Victor scrolled thru the CLRC Minutes from meeting #15-15, and the CLRC Minutes from meeting #12-04, then he put up the new “Coast Directive,” a 3 page document attached to the Minutes of CLRC meeting #15-15.
Frank did not have copies of any of the documents he is taking about, but he thinks he is being transparent.
We believe that when the members get ALL the information, they will do the right thing. Problem is all the ILWU Officers, both Local and CLRC do not want the membership to know anything.
When you read the entire Minutes from Meeting #15-15, you can see that every Local on the West Coast asked for registration for both B-men and Casuals, and you can see that all the Locals (including Local 13) submitted Coast Referrals requesting what they want in their Ports.
The CLRC does not “direct” Locals to do anything. The Locals make requests (most registration requests are Joint) and the CLRC agrees with them, or not. Some times the CLRC changes the numbers, but they do not direct anything. If the Local does not agree they can Arbitrate the matter. Both PMA and the ILWU have pursued disagreements related to numbers to be hired to the Coast Arbitrator, and both have won some and both have lost some. That is the way it works.
Problem is the current ILWU leadership does not want the members to know how things work, they aim to keep everything secret, that way they can keep their power and no one can challenge them. Not a good thing for the Union in the long run.
Here are the minutes of CLRC Meeting #15-15, click the hyperlink. CLRC-015-2015
Check item #21, that is the LA/LB referral. Also, check out all the other requests, 20 of them.
Item #21 refers to the procedure agreed to in Meeting #12-04.
Get the minutes of CLRC Meeting #12-04 at the Union meeting tonight.
Notice that the item is being discussed because of a Joint Referral from the LA/LB JPLRC.
The current 3 page outline for the new Casual hiring procedure is based on the 2004 agreement, and attached to the Minutes of CLRC Meeting #15-15.
If you want a copy of the attachment, I would go to tonights Union Meeting, there may be some copies available.
I am not going to post the secret agreement signed by Frank on June 23, 2015.
If you want one, you will have to go to tonights Union meeting.
There are no secrets on the waterfront.
Chug, chug, chug……