District 10 Builds Union;
Council Coincides with ROC
ONTARIO, Calif.
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| Bryan Martindale is ready to ROC and roll. |
The first meeting of the District 10 Regional Organizing Council coincided with the quarterly district council meeting. On
Thursday, June 27, District 10 kicked off its Regional Organizing Council with training in the morning, followed by afternoon leafleting
at distribution centers in Ontario.
The ROC is made up of members from three shops that are a part of amalgamated Local 1421 – Stepan Chemical, Graham
Packaging and Industrial Alloys. Bryan Martindale from Stepan and Jaime Lopez from Industrial Alloys were elected ROC
co-chairs.
Members were enthusiastic about helping to build the UE in District 10, but the real fun started when they hit the gates.
The ROC covered five warehouses in the afternoon, including one where they were met with the boss’s unmistakable hostility.
POOR CONDITIONS
Conditions at this warehouse, which employs almost all Latina immigrant workers, were very poor. Management employs 21
armed security guards, who did their best to try to intimidate the workers from talking to the UE members, and tried to deny the ROCers
their right to be there. But ROC participants held their positions and stayed at the gate long past the expected end time for the day.
The following morning the ROC covered another four warehouses. As District 10 carries out more warehouse organizing, the
ROC will continue to meet and participate in this new organizing.
The District 10 Council meeting began Friday evening with a presentation on the Corporate Agenda at Work by UE Dir. of
Org. Bob Kingsley. Unfortunately, the reality described by this presentation was very familiar to UE members. District 10 recently
saw the closure of Industrial Wire, Local 1422, which is owned by the same company as Industrial Alloys. In addition, General Cable, Local
1014, will be closing its doors in July.
Maria Gonzalez, District 10 secretary and a General Cable worker, gave delegates a report on the closing. She also
spoke about her feelings of pride in being a part of the UE. District 10 presented a certificate to Maria for her years of dedication to
the District.
UE Local 1010, based in Ontario, hosted both the ROC and the District Council meeting.
