Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing Conference early registration deadline extended to April 7

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 1 Apr 2011, at 10:59 AM, Doug Chamberlin wrote:
> 
> On 3/31/11 11:29 PM, Sharon Villines wrote:

>> For next years conference, just get a clause in the contract so you can 
>> cancel if there is a strike. I don't know the right wording but get legal 
>> advise. That's the advise of union friends.
> I think your union friends have not thought it through because this 
> solution is simplistic at best.
> 
> First, strikes are not the only action you might consider serious. 

I was hunting and pecking on my iPhone so I was being brief. The recommendation 
to get legal advice on the wording was to cover all desired eventualities. My 
friends are professionals who work with unions, AFL-CIO and NEA, so they know 
what they are talking about.

The second problem, once you have the penalty waived, is finding another venue 
at the last minute. Most are scheduled years in advance. And people have made 
their reservations.

I'm persuaded by Tom's argument as well that if the union has not been willing 
to negotiate with us and shown no concern for damage to the association, how 
far do we go in supporting them? Continuing to honor our contract with the 
hotel and providing education to our members is a solution that benefits both 
parties. Canceling the conference would do nothing to help UNITE HERE and would 
do little or no damage to the Sheraton with their huge budget.

This is from the website of the Society of American Archivists who are 
confronting the same situation in Chicago:

        • The union has called for a boycott of the Hyatt, Hilton, and Sheraton 
hotels in the Chicago metropolitan area. No strike has been called.
        • The Council invited hotel representatives and union representatives 
to meet with us for 30 minutes each, during which they made their case(s) and 
responded to our questions.
        • Given the groups' different perspectives, it's difficult for us to 
know the facts. We have checked with the National Labor Relations Board to 
determine if facts regarding the dispute are available. The NLRB has informed 
us that there have been no filings with the Board involving Local 1 and the 
Hyatt in the past year.
        • A federal mediator is involved. We have checked with the Federal 
Mediation and Conciliation Service to determine if facts regarding the dispute 
are available. FMCS operates in a strictly confidential manner and is not able 
to provide facts in the dispute.
        • As of now we have made no plan to move or cancel the conference.
        • Cancellation of our contract would have a crippling effect on the 
Society’s finances, amounting to between $400,000 and $700,000 (or 
approximately 20% to 30% of SAA's annual budget) depending on the date of 
cancellation.

http://www2.archivists.org/news/2011/update-on-chicago-hotel-labor-dispute

Another view of the union is given in Wikipedia where you can read about the 
not uncommon disputes between unions who routinely try to steal each others 
members and staff. Their staff and leaders are extremely well paid and function 
with liberal expense accounts. Very few are still organizing unpaid in the 
sweatshops. An NEA leader once explained to me that they pay their staff as 
they think all their members should be paid — top dollar and as much as the 
traffic will bear. "I get the salary I want my members to get so they know if 
they stick with me, they will get more money." Member dues pay that salary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNITE_HERE

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org