The once mighty ILWU, known for the solidarity of their “rank and file,” has become a pathetic bunch of greedy idiots run by closed groups on Facebook.
Each Local has a closed Facebook group that comprises over 10% of the total membership for the Local, which is known as a quorum.
Union meetings, both membership and Executive Board, require a quorum in order to conduct any business.
The Facebook groups go to the meetings, and the Facebook groups vote.
If you look at the numbers of voters in the run-off elections in LA/LB for example; just under 2200 of the 7000 members voted, and 2894 members are in the Local 13 Facebook closed group. Local 13 2017 spring run off final results
What does that say?
It says the ILWU is run by the Facebook clique.
At Local 19 and Local 23, the Facebook clique attends Union meetings and make changes to work rules, dispatch rules, and their constitution, because they constitute a quorum.
Check out the Facebook rants of Local 23 President Dean McGrath;
Dean refuses to provide JPLRC Minutes to members, in violation of a previous NLRB Settlement Agreement, and puts members from Local 19 on 6 months no-travel to Tacoma for something Local 23 members are fined $50, then quits the group because he does not want to talk about what he is doing, outside of his closed Facebook Group.
On March 23, 2017, Local 23 signed another NLRB Settlement Agreement which will be posted in the Local 23 Dispatch Hall and on Local 23’s Facebook page. Oh, and here as well, as soon as it is available.
More, much more, to come….