green unionism

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, February 5, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

The following news items feature issues, discussions, campaigns, or information potentially relevant to green unionists:

Lead Stories:

• Register now for the Future of Railroads: Safety, Workers, Community & the Environment Conferences: Richmond, California (March 14, 2015) and Olympia, Washington (March 21, 2015) - railroadconference.org
• The end of conductors? - Featuring Ron Kaminkow, MSNBC, January 29, 2015
• Labor Landscape Analysis - By Joe Uehline, Labor Network for Sustainability, February 4, 2015

USW Refinery Workers Strike News:

• 3,800 Oil Workers in Four States Enter Fourth Day of Strike - By Kate Arnoff, In These Times, February 4, 2015
• Fourth day of U.S. refineries strike ends with new offer - By Erwin Seba, Reuters, February 4, 2015
• Oil workers’ strike for safety reflects danger of fossil fuels - By Phil Aroneanu, 350.Org, February 4, 2015
• Oil workers strike for their lives - By Elizabeth Schulte, Socialist Worker, February 5, 2015
• Organized Labor Showing Signs of Life - By David Macaray, Huffington Post, February 3, 2015
• Safety Is Life-or-Death, Say Refinery Strikers - By Samantha Winslow, Labor Notes, February 5, 2015
• Striking for safe working conditions - By Ed Schultz (The Ed Show), MSNBC, February 2, 2015
• USW Oil Workers to Rally at Shell Headquarters - United Steelworkers Press Release, February 4, 2015
• WFTU in solidarity with workers in US oil refineries -  World Federation of Trade Unions Press Release, February 3, 2015
• WIN News Report: Steelworkers Refinery Strike Is About Safe Staffing - By Doug Cunningham, Workers Independent News, February 4, 2015

Carbon Bubble:

• U.S. loses oil jobs - By Jennifer A. Dlouhy, FuelFix, February 6, 2015
• Weatherford to cut 5,000 jobs, mostly in western hemisphere - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, February 4, 2015
• Weatherford to ax 3,000 more jobs as it cuts layers, execs say - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, February 5, 2015
• Weatherford to lay off 5,000 in wake of oil price decline - By Jennifer Hiller, FuelFix, February 5, 2015
• Weatherford increases layoff plans from 5,000 to 8,000 - By Jennifer Hiller, FuelFix, February 6, 2015

Green Jobs and Just Transition:

• Repower Our Schools: 100% Renewable Energy Offers Schools Savings, Health and Learning Opportunities - By Monica Embrey, Greenpeace Blogs, February 3, 2015 [related] Green Schools: AFT President Thinks Public School Buildings Need Extreme Makeover - By Randi Weingarten, Blue Green Alliance, February 4, 2015
• Solar Jobs Benefit Economy, Maybe More Than Oil and Gas Jobs - By Deborah Lawrence, Energy Policy Forum, January 31, 2015
• The War On Solar Is Real, Unlike the "War on Coal" - By Mike Gaworecki, DeSmog Blog, February 5, 2015

Other News of Interest:

• Farmworker Tribunal - Boycott Sakuma Berries, February 4, 2015
• Photos released from 2013 Entergy ANO fatal drop of a very heavy load - By David Lochbaum, Union of Concerned Scientists, February 3, 2015
• Raw log exports skyrocket in British Columbia - Wilderness Committee Press Release, Eco Report, February 4, 2015
• West Virginia Coal Mine Owners Have Blood on Their Hands - By James Green, The Daily Beast, February 5, 2015

For more green news, please visit our news feeds section on ecology.iww.org; Twitter #IWWEUC

By Garrett Brown - Portside, January 28, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

An underlying theme of California's most prominent union organizing campaigns in recent years-among warehouse workers east of Los Angeles, carwasheros in Los Angeles proper, and recycling workers in Oakland and southern California-has been worker concerns about unsafe and unhealthy conditions at work.  As labor visionaries like Tony Mazzocchi predicted, workers are deeply concerned about and can be successfully organized around workplace health and safety issues.  Rank-and-file concerns about health and safety, however, have not been taken up by union officials or lobbyists who view health and safety as a lower priority than labor legislation or gubernatorial appointees.

As a result, labor officials in California have passively watched as Democratic Governor Jerry Brown put California's state workplace health and safety agency-Cal/OSHA or DOSH-on a starvation diet. Since 2011, the agency has employed fewer field inspectors and has counted on lesser enforcement resources than under Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The unions also stood quietly by (with a couple of notable exceptions) when Ellen Widess, appointed as chief of Cal/OSHA in April 2011, was forced to resign in September 2013 following an intense employer campaign against her.

Cal/OSHA under Widess worked with Warehouse Workers United to identify the many hazards facing warehouse workers (heat, forklifts, falls) and to cite both the warehouse operators and the temporary staffing agencies as the workers' employers.  Cal/OSHA seriously investigated hotel workers' ergonomic complaints (UNITE HERE); health care workers' concerns about workplace violence and assaults (SEIU and CNA); and recycling workers' exposure to chemicals, biological, and mechanical hazards in the "green" industry (Longshore and Teamsters unions).  Yet the state's labor officials' and lobbyists' strategy of maintaining access and friendly relations with Brown and his appointees-at all costs-has undermined the resources at Cal/OSHA and led to the weakening of enforcement and worker protections.

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, February 5, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

The following news items feature issues, discussions, campaigns, or information potentially relevant to green unionists:

Lead Story:

• Register now for the Future of Railroads: Safety, Workers, Community & the Environment Conferences: Richmond, California (March 14, 2015) and Olympia, Washington (March 22, 2015) - railroadconference.org

USW Refinery Workers Strike News:

• Greens get behind striking oil workers - By John Light, Grist, February 3, 2015
• In Stand for People and Planet Over Profit, Green Groups Back Oil Worker Strike - By Lauren McCauley, Common Dreams, February 3, 2015
• Local Union President Says National Oil Refinery Strike Isn’t About Wages, It's About Safety - By Sydney Brownstone, The Stranger, February 2, 2015 [USW video]
• Martinez: Tesoro refinery among nine plants where strikes planned - By George Avalos and Rick Hurd, Bay Area News Group / San Jose Mercury News, February 2, 2015
• Refinery workers in Martinez, elsewhere go on strike - By Michael Cabanatuan, San Francisco Chronicle, February 1, 2015
• Solidarity with Striking Refinery Workers - By David Turnbull, Oil Change International, February 2, 2015
• Strike negotiators back at the table Tuesday night - By LM Sixel, FuelFix, February 3, 2015
• Tesoro Refinery workers strike over work conditions, contract - By Laura Anthony, KGO ABC 7, February 2, 2015
• Tough talk from Shell, union as refinery pay talks resume - By Erwin Seba, Reuters, February 3, 2015
• United Steelworkers stage downtown Houston protest at LyondellBasell HQ - By LM Sixel, FuelFix, February 3, 2015
• For bargaining updates call 888-429-4217

Crude by Rail:

• Safety Board Says Transport Canada Must Do More To Keep Railways Safe - By John Kristensen, Railroaded, February 2, 2015

Carbon Bubble:

• Drilling contractor may cut 2,000 jobs - By Jennifer Hiller, FuelFix, January 30, 2015
• Economist: A short-term ‘bloodbath’ in oil and gas; More layoffs - By Jennifer Hiller, Collin Eaton and Ryan Holeywel, FuelFix, February 2, 2015
• More oil jobs threatened as cheap crude persists - By Ryan Holeywell, FuelFix, February 2, 2015
• Oil rig count falls by 94 in biggest drop since 1987 - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, January 30, 2015
• Russian pipe maker OAO TMK laying off at Pennsylvania plants - Associated Press, FuelFix, February 2, 2015

Green Jobs and Just Transition:

• Greenwire: Groups pressure Congress to invest in passenger rail, transit infrastructure - Environmental Law & Policy Center, January 30, 2015 [related] Report: Long-term Federal Funding Needed in Passenger and Transit Rail Projects - By Anika Reed and Jasmine Whittington, Capital News Service, January 30, 2015
• MACED statement on announcement of President Obama’s proposed budget plan to aid Central Appalachian communities - By Ivy Brashear, Renew Appalachia, February 2, 2015
• New Report Showcases America’s Rail, Transit Manufacturing Opportunity - By the Blue-Green Alliance, Mass Transit Magazine, February 1, 2015

Other News of Interest:

• Crossing the River of Fire: The liberal attack on Naomi Klein and ‘This Changes Everything’ - By John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark, Monthly Review, February 2015
• EPA should strengthen the standards for clean air - By Heather Albright, Sacramento Bee, January 31, 2015
• In an Age of Soulless Mass Production, the Artisan Craft Worker Still Lives On - By W. Rand Smith, In These Times, February 2, 2015
• Nuclear power plant’s security changes mixed one year after ‘unusual’ death - By Joe Jordan, Nebraska Watchdog, February 2, 2015
• Review: Another Politics by Chris Dixon - By Alexander Reid Ross, Earth First! Newswire, February 1, 2015
• UWAC: More than 5500 trees uprooted in one month! - La Via Campesina, February 2, 2015

For more green news, please visit our news feeds section on ecology.iww.org; Twitter #IWWEUC

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, February 2, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s. The IWW is not affiliated with the United Steelworkers Union.

The following news items feature issues, discussions, campaigns, or information potentially relevant to green unionists:

Announcement from the United Steel Workers:

(As of Midnight, January 31, 2015) the oil industry rejected the union’s last national proposal. Based on the lack of progress and respect at the table, I regret to report that strike action has been initiated at nine locations nationally beginning at midnight tonight.

One of the locations selected for strike is the Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery (Martinez, California). A few minutes (later) the union offered Tesoro a safe and orderly shutdown, which the company has accepted. The bargaining committee will be communicating the details of the shutdown to the bargaining unit as they become available.

In the mean time, everyone should report to work as scheduled until notified by your bargaining committee otherwise. We know this is a stressful time for all our members. Please continue to stay focused and perform your duties as safely as possible.

All other locations have been offered a 24 hour rolling extension.

We can expect more locations to be targeted very soon if we don’t see substantial progress in the very near future. Everyone should clear out their personal belongings in preparation for a strike at all locations.

For bargaining updates call 888-429-4217

Jim Payne, Secretary-Treasurer, USW Local 5

Strike News:

• In Major Walkout, U.S. Oil Workers Demand Safety, Fair Treatment - By Ari Phillips, Truthout, February 2, 2015
• Oil Workers in U.S. on First Large-Scale Strike Since 1980 - Bloomberg, reposted by Earth First! Newswire, February 1, 2015 [updates]
• Offical United Steelworkers Union Strike Bulletin - Link

Appeal for Solidarity from a Rank and File Member:

If you have time we would like to start calling and emailing people of the community as well as emailing Kory Judd Chevron Richmond refinery Manager to let them know how you feel about the current actions of Chevron. Here is a list of people to call or email at the bottom. Please be professional when voicing your opinions. Let Kory Judd know how you feel about his lies about safety of the community Chevron will lose the trust of the community again if they run with replacement workers.

Chevron will be running with replacement workers that are fraudulently qualified and do not know the plants or the emergency procedures used to keep the plants from blowing up.

Tesoro has accepted an offer from USW workers to shut down their refinery safely during the strike. Why is Chevron not doing the right thing again? They are not putting safety first, they are putting PROFITS first again.

If USW workers go on strike the community will be at risk with the replacement workers. The Chevron fire department will lose their coverage because chevron relies on volunteer firefighters who are USW workers. They cannot put a fire out without them and will be risking the community again by not having adequate coverage. They will be putting the lives of the community at risk and when a fire breaks out and are expecting Richmond Fire and surrounding agencies to respond to put it out.

All this in the name of profits and unfair bargaining practices!

TELL THEM YOU WANT ANSWERS!!!!

Thank you

Robert watts (a concerned rank & file USW member)

• Kory Judd Chevron Richmond Refinery Manger - KDJU@chevron.com
• Mayor Tom Butt - 510-412-6503
• City of Richmond Fire department - 510-307-0848
• Public Information Officer/Media Relations, Richomnd Police, Sergeant N. Abetkov - desk line: 510-620-6851 media line - 510-621-1751 or Andrea Baily of Community Engagement - 510-242-5405

Other News of Interest:

• (The Bosses Claim) Refinery strikes unlikely to move gasoline, oil prices - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, February 1, 2015
• Gasoline futures up on fear refinery strikes curtailing supplies, analysts say - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, February 2, 2015
• Labor Network for Sustainability Calls for Support for Oil Strikers - By Joe Uehline, Labor Network for Sustainability, February 2, 2015
• “What Happens Offshore Stays Offshore” – Gulf of Mexico Oil Industry Veteran Speaks Out - By Cherri Foytlin, Bridge the Gulf Project, January 29, 2015
• Our Lives Are at Stake - Shell Strike of 1973: Workers Fight for Health and Safety - By Berry Weisberg - July 1973

For more green news, please visit our news feeds section on ecology.iww.org; Twitter #IWWEUC

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, February 1, 2015

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

The following news items feature issues, discussions, campaigns, or information potentially relevant to green unionists:

Lead Stories:

• Register now for the Future of Railroads: Safety, Workers, Community & the Environment Conferences: Richmond, California (March 14, 2015) and Olympia, Washington (March 22, 2015) - railroadconference.org
• How Scrappy Community and Labor Activists Took on a California Oil Giant—and Won - By Jane Slaughter, In These Times, January 26, 2015
• Shut It Down Now! Former Nuclear Plant Technician Bob Rowen on Nuclear Power - By Steve Zelter, TruthOut, January 30, 2015
• Union rejects second refinery workers contract proposal - By Erwin Seba, Reuters, January 27, 2015

Crude by Rail:

• California Cities and Citizens Speak Out Against Oil Trains - By Ethan Buckner, Forest Ethics, January 26, 2015
• The Dangers of Hauling Crude Oil by Rail - By John Kristensen, Railroaded, January 25, 2015
• Oil Train Spills Hit Record Level in 2014 - By Tony Dokoupil, NBC Nightly News, January 26, 2015
• Why New "Improved" Oil Trains Are Not Nearly Good Enough: a closer look at the many flaws of CPC-1232 tank cars - By Eric de Place, Sightline Daily, January 28, 2015

Carbon Bubble:

• Big Oil needs a Plan B. It hasn’t got one - By Giles Parkinson, ReNew Economy, January 29, 2015
• BP cuts jobs in Houston as it trims Gulf of Mexico business - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, January 28, 2015
• BP will freeze pay for most of its employees - By Robert Grattan, FuelFix, January 26, 2015
• ConocoPhillips tells employees to expect layoffs - By Robert Grattan, FuelFix, January 29, 2015
• Drilling contractor may cut 2,000 field jobs as rigs idle - By Collin Eaton, FuelFix, January 30, 2015
• The False Promise of Local Fracking Jobs - By Susan Christopherson, The Conversation, January 27, 2015
• Glencore mulls shutting down South African coal mines, lay offs - By Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.Com, January 28, 2015

Green Jobs and Just Transition:

• Just Transitions Speaking Tour with Bob Massie - Yes 2 Renewables [FOE], January 30, 2015
• Parents, Teachers and Students Ask School Districts to Go 100% Renewable Energy - By Stefanie Spear, EcoWatch, January 27, 2015
• SMA Solar to cut 1,600 jobs as European demand slides - By Christoph Steitz and Maria Sheahan, Reuters, January 27, 2015

Other News of Interest:

• 400 parts per million and class struggle - By Victor Wallis, Climate and Capitalism, January 25, 2015
• ALEC Forces the Question: Will Labor Really Go Local? - By Simon Davis-Cohen, Truthout, January 25, 2015
• Bangladesh Garment Workers Win Bargaining Pacts at 5 Factories - By Jennifer Kuhlman, AFL-CIO Solidarity Center, January 27, 2015
• Bribery Is a Bargain for Big Oil - By Steve Kretzmann, Oil Change International, January 22, 2015
• Former DNR employees say regulator stifles public information - By Jacob Barker, St Louis Post Dispatch, January 26, 2015
• The Heat Is On: Via Campesina and Allies Challenge Climate Capitalism - La Via Campesina, January 27, 2015
• The Precariat and the Basic Income: Part 1 - By Andrew Curry, The Next Wave, January 26, 2015
• The Precariat and the Basic Income: Part 2 - By Andrew Curry, The Next Wave, January 27, 2015
• 'Tiny houses' no solution to the unaffordability crisis - By Mike Stewart, Rabble.Ca, January 28, 2015
• Uber Accused of Lax Safety Practices by Delhi Woman - By Mike Isaac, New York Times, January 29, 2015
• Union workers press their case for contract demands at Lyondell refinery - By LM Sixell, FuelFix, January 28, 2015
• Up to 6,000 carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxins floating around EU - European Trade Union Institute, January 30, 2015

For more green news, please visit our news feeds section on ecology.iww.org; Twitter #IWWEUC