Photo by Local 583M Organizer Hank Huber

Pat Prejza, left, a steward at the Alameda Newspaper Group's prepress operation, and in-plant organizing committee member Dave Peterson look forward to GCIU power.

"Power to the people, baby!"

That's a comment by San Francisco 583M Pres. Lee Lahtinen after prepress workers at the Alameda Newspaper Group voted by a 68 percent margin for representation by Local 583M.

Lahtinen said the victory resulted from "an effort in excellent organizing, and we were able to keep some key in-plant committee people together under adverse conditions."

"The battle's over," he said, "but the war isn't won – yet. We still have to negotiate a contract."

Application to the National Labor Relations Board for an election was made in January. The election was June 4.

Lahtinen said that Organizer Hank Huber "did all the work" in coordinating the drive and making sure in-plant committee members were standing firm. "Kudos should go to all of the people who hung in there. I just showed up at a few meetings to give some encouragement," Lahtinen said.

Huber noted that the in-plant committee "took a positive and fun approach to the campaign, organizing a pie party, several union shirt days, a Valentine's Day action, and a barbeque. The committee members also kept a positive spirit during a long unit determination hearing in which several committee members testified."

Huber praised the in-plant committee members as "holding the employer accountable" for several issues that made the employees unhappy.

Martha Usher, who handles a range of prepress work, indicated she was very encouraged at what can be won for the employees in a first contract. She has worked at the operation since 1962.

"For the first time," she said, "I feel like I have a future with the company. It's a good feeling to know we'll all have backing on what's fair."

Usher added that "it'll be good for the company, too. For new people, they will be starting to work at a company that has more structure, more security, and it'll be employee-friendly. That means a lot to somebody coming in."

She noted that she had been promised a raise after a wage freeze was lifted. The wage freeze was lifted about a month ago, Usher said, but she has yet to see a pay raise.

Usher added that "one poor guy has been there a couple of years and hasn't gotten a raise beyond what he was hired at."

She figured that "when the dust settles, it'll be to the company's benefit."

According to inside sources, management imposed a very prickly attendance policy, set stiff rules about eating at desks, treated workers with contempt, refused to provide a communication system for couriers, and kept wages low. Employee morale was low.

A group of employees, fed up with conditions, did research about labor unions and determined that workers should opt for a union and that the GCIU would be the best one.

Jeff Clay, a member of the in-plant organizing committee and now on the negotiating committee, said he looked forward to working under an improved wage agreement. He praised those in-plant committee members who stayed with the campaign.

Usher was amazed that management could not understand why workers voted for GCIU representation. "My Lord!" she said, "Are they deaf and blind – both?"

Photo by Hank Huber

A vote by Alameda Newspaper Group workers to become a San Francisco 583M bargaining unit is celebrated by, from left: Kathy Loon and Martha Usher in ANG ad services, courier Angela Newman, courier Laura Drake, and Local 583M Pres. Lee Lahtinen.