Friends, please post and circulate. Thanks, Matt Noyes

1. New Articles from Union Democracy Review: Hiring hall breakthrough; one woman's journey from fieldhand to "wireman."

2. New Audio: from the AUD conference on Confronting Corruption in Labor Unions.

-----------------------------------------

1. New Articles:

Breakthrough? Plumbers and Fitters Local 375 hiring hall rule provides for member recourse.
AUD friend, attorney William Schendel, brought to our attention what may be the first instance by a local union to place, in its hiring hall rules,a procedure that allows for member recourse when the member believes that s/he has been unfairly treated by the hiring hall. Section threeof Article IV "Responsibilities of Hiring Committee and Hiring Agent" of Local 375 of the Plumbers & Pipefitters, is reproduced below inits entirety.

A long journey: from fieldhand to "wireman"
By Patricia Burnham-Cummings
"...These hardships, coupled with the fierce tenacity and courage of my mother, gave me the stamina and perseverance to make a change and pursue the IBEW apprenticeship program in 1975. Hard work and long hours did not deter me. Learning a new, well-paying union trade gave me the challenge that I needed."

Find all the articles here: http://www.uniondemocracy.org/UDR/UDRhome.htm

2. New Audio:from the AUD conference "Confronting Corruption in Labor Unions --Rank-and-file insurgency? Government intervention? Internal reform? Assessing a half century of effort."

Mike Sullivan -- Former reform leader of Roofers Local 30,who experienced a disastrous federal trusteeship."If the judge's plan was to destroy the union, he succeeded. It definitely wasn't to restore democacy to the union and let the hardworking guys have a shot at it."

Susan Jennik -- Attorney who served as in-house counsel for a number of trusteed Teamster locals; former Assistant Attorney General, NYS Labor Bureau; former AUD Executive Director; currently represents Longshore Workers Coalition and various unions."Yes, it's important to have a rank-and-file organization, but afterall what's the point? What is our ultimate goal here? Our ultimate goal is to build a decent labor movement..."

Eddie Kay -- former Secretary Treasurer SEIU local 1199; advisor to reform group in Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181."Involvement of workers will establish some sort of democracy and you have to start from that and most labor union leaders are scared s*** ofthat because it eliminates their ability to run the union as they think is the correct way..."

Hear these and other talks: http://www.uniondemocracy.org/Education/audconffightingcorruption.htm

(RSS feed -- http://www.uniondemocracy.org/rss/rss.xml)