Graphic Communicator photos by Herald Grandstaff

GCIU Pres. James J. Norton emphasizes a point to tri-conference delegates.

GCIU Secy.-Treas. Gerald H. Deneau addresses tri-conference delegates.

Ron Holman, who was president of Phoenix 58M when former local leaders offered to host the 1999 tri-conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., welcomes delegates.

Organizing Committee member Brian Earl of Seattle 767M points out some Organizing Committee recommendations for inclusion in a GCIU General Board concept to establish cooperatives involving multiple local unions to hire an intern organizer.

By Herald Grandstaff

James J. Norton, president of the GCIU, advised delegates at the joint North American Commercial, Newspaper, and Specialty Conference that local unions need to put a high priority on organizing, if they want to see the GCIU recover its membership losses, grow, and continue to be strong.

Norton observed that 55 to 60 percent of the printing and publishing shops in the U.S. and Canada are represented by the GCIU. He noted, however, that 30 years ago, two-thirds of the printing industry workers in both countries were unionized.

Norton said a goal is to have at least 10 percent of GCIU's members trained as organizers. If the current training trend continues, he said, that goal is possible.

Focusing on volunteerism, Norton said that if local union volunteers would donate just one-fourth to one-half a weekend day to organizing, the potential for gaining members would be great.

GCIU Secy.-Treas. Gerald H. Deneau reported that AFL-CIO Secy.-Treas. Richard L. Trumka is counseling labor unions to be careful where they deposit their pension funds – to avoid contributing to a financial institution that is an enemy of labor.

Deneau reported that organized labor accounts for more than $5 billion in checking accounts – 75 percent of which are controlled by local unions. Of all pension fund accounts, labor controls 26 percent of $5 trillion.

He said the GCIU is being especially careful about where accounting and investment funds are deposited.

Regarding public politics, Chuck Huggins, Arizona State AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer, predicted that the 2000 election would be "a tough row to hoe" because of deep pockets of corporations to influence politicians against working men and women.

One way to confront this situation, he said, is to have intensive voter registration drives.

During a newspaper Organizing Committee report, Los Angeles 404M Organizer Marty Keegan warned that if organizing is not made a priority, "we'll be dead in six or seven years."

Organizing Committee member Brian Earl of Seattle 767M read some committee suggestions to establish cooperatives for several locals to share costs with the GCIU to hire an intern organizer.

Another suggestion was that the director of organizing resolve which local would gain the targeted workers before a campaign is launched.

Another urged local leaders start thinking about which locals they want to co-op with.

Although the action by NANC delegates is not binding, a resolution urged the General Board to establish organizing cooperatives for locals and keep the current 50-50 organizing subsidy. The concept as adopted by the General Board is to eliminate 50-50 organizing subsidies.

Delegate reports included an observation by Detroit 13N Pres. Jack Howe that the Internet can be a "valuable tool for labor" because of the large potential for communicating with people who surf the web.

Howe indicated that the Internet can be used to swiftly – and relatively inexpensively – share information.

San Francisco 4N Pres. Denis Mosgofian reported that the local is facing its "biggest struggle" in Monterey at Knight Ridder's Monterey County Herald and in San Francisco where the Hearst Corp. is buying the Chronicle and selling its Examiner newspaper. He was not optimistic about his local members affected by the sale.