BARBWIRE
by ANDREW BARBANO From the 8-31-1997 Daily Sparks Tribune
 "How
will labor come back? In a strike. That's not romanticism, that's a
fact. It'll start with one plant. One plant. And they strike. And there'll
be guys across the street at a second plant, and they see it, and they
think 'Hmm, maybe we can do that.' And they win. Then somebody in Idaho
does it, the same thing, independently. And then all of a sudden you're
seeing some John L. Lewis again, a leader, but he gets thrown up, he's
just riding the thing...That's not romanticism, that's a fact."
—Ed SadlowskiChicago steelworker Sadlowski
made that wishful prediction during the darkest days of Reaganomics
and Bushwhacking. Today, he looks successfully psychic. For once, Reno-Sparks
was way ahead of the wave.Last summer's Hot August
Strike during the Hot August Nights rockfest was the precursor of better
times for workers in this country. A hearty band of about 45 Reno Hilton
security guards took on the biggest behemoth in the gambling industrial
complex and won. They became the first unionized casino security guards
in NevadaHilton fired them for
their success last January, but sometimes there is justice in the world.
Reno Hilton president Ferenc Szony was fired a few months later. Just
last Thursday came good news and bad news. The National Labor Relations
Board issued a formal complaint against Hilton. By firing the unionized
guards and subcontracting their jobs to low-paid temps, Hilton "has
discriminated and is discriminating in regard to the hire or tenure
or terms or conditions of employment" in violation of federal law, the
complaint asserts. A trial begins in Reno on September 23.In light of the charges,
United Plant Guard Workers
of America Local 1010 asked for an injunction ordering the outsourced
workers immediately back to work. Many have found other positions or
moved out of the area. Some have been blackballed, gone on welfare or
lost their homes. Now, there is new hope and dark irony.Industry rumor has it
that Szony will soon become CEO of the Sands Regency Hotel-Casino. As
described here a few weeks ago, when the Sands fired two female
dealers in 1986 to replace them with young wenches, the resulting court
decision legalized age discrimination in Nevada. On Szony's watch, the
Reno Hilton a lost a case
for firing a cocktail waitress for pregnancy.His tyrranical rule pushed
people to work while sick, resulting in more than 1,000 cases of fecal
contamination food poisoning. He should fit in very well at the Sands,
which has long been just about the most oppressive employer in Reno.The Hot August Strikes
worked magic. The UPS walkout made the Teamsters a family again. Workers
and the media focused on employee rights, a subject not taught in school
anymore.When Carlene O'Neil and
Jessica Gomes were fired by Bently-Nevada in Minden for refusing to
sign for UPS packages, they had no idea of their rights under federal
law until I told them. Now, the feds are going to bat for them, too.Thanks to the sacrifices
of these courageous people, northern Nevada workers now have hope. They
have been reminded that federal law and labor unions are still around
and can be effective when people stick together. Reno Air flight attendants
voted in the Teamsters. Unions are busy organizing workers at K-Mart,
in downtown Reno and Sparks redevelopment projects, at mines, gambling
companies and places which have never dreamed of such things. Even the
mighty culinary union may finally organize some northern Nevada casinos.Workers need only look
around them to see the alternative: backslapping instead of decent pay.
Many hotels hereabouts are still big mom and pop stores. The owners
still work the joints and put workers on a guilt trip for even thinking
about better compensation. Many must make do with a hearty slap on the
back from the boss as they scurry out the door to a second job to make
the rent.The Eldorado and Silver
Legacy host big parties in appreciation of tourism industry workers—at
least a certain segment thereof. As the Tribune exclusively revealed
last week, Eldorado policy forbids workers to speak to each other in
any language other than English. If something's burning and you scream
"fuego" or "fuocco" instead of "fire," I guess you're fired. Even during
Cinco de Mayo or the Italiano festivalA recent survey by Connecticut-based
Business and Legal reports showed that nine of 10 employers use temps
while 50% hire part-timers on an open-ended basis. Those are the seeds
of new UPS-style strikes across the land as workers finally realize
they've been losing ground for 25 years and their only strength lies
in numbers.You've got to get mad
for your pay to get even. Before you can hit a home run, you've got
to make a strike. Viva huelga!Happy Labor Day.Be well. Raise hell.
©
1982-2003, 2010, 2018 Andrew Barbano Andrew
Barbano is a Reno-based syndicated columnist and 28-year Nevadan.Barbwire by Barbano
has originated in the Daily Sparks Tribune since 1988.Nevada Instant Type in Sparks and both Office Depot Reno locations. |
