1/23/03 Dart Update Captive Audience Meetings Part II

The first of a new wave of captive audience meetings started yesterday. One of the key discussions of their presentation was our credibility. They put a projection of a petition we filed with the NLRB and claimed we purposely excluded the warehouse department. They made claim they had to request them, and alluded to the voting date as our request. One of the In Plant Committee members spoke up and said that they were mistaken and that he in fact was present when we filed. This really helped, and I admire the courage it took for him to confess his involvement. It impressed his co-workers I am sure. He is a lead hand in the Warehouse and has been there a long time. We have our strongest support out of this department, so the allegations were not only false, but it would have been ridiculous for us to have excluded them as they claim. The original petition we filed is now being distributed to others in the plant the real truth. We am not the issue, it is wages and benefits they need to stay focused on. I was hoping that Dart would take the high road. Oh well.

We saw new people all day at all our meetings. The company said they would be having meetings once a week until the election. So far they have not been overly damaging to the campaign.

At our afternoon meeting we had an overflow crowd. California Area Representative Bob Crane was present (In tow with relief Rep Greg Jones) and explained how the unit was bargained with the NLRB and took a lot of heat off me. He encouraged the people and explained the AWPPW history. The meeting was getting loud and rowdy until Gerald Cawvey gave a speech on union meeting rules of order and etiquette of one question at a time with courtesy for fellow workers during the meeting. It was well timed and worked good. The workers were excited and perturbed about the company propaganda and were venting.

Our house calls have been really positive with lots of help from the In Plant Committee themselves. Jeannie Shell and the IPC really organized the House call books and I really appreciated that time consuming task. On a sad note, one of our In Plant Committee people was there at our motel helping a few days ago, and his seven-year old daughter had to go to the doctor. He found out she has leukemia and they are looking for a bone marrow transplant match. Keep them in your prayers. He spent days at the hospital, but had to return to work to make wages for his family to live on.  Larry Adams, Mack Bumanglag, Martin Perez, Stephanie Garcia, Gerald Cawvey and Javier Reynoso make up the crew this week.

The NLRB agent handling our Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) has taken a leave of absence to pursue a hockey dream. (He is a goalie) I don't know if this has set back our charges or what. Wait and see is the name of the game when it comes to this NLRB business.

David Herrera is Captain of the ship until I return to help next Tuesday. I have been in Corona since Dec. 28 and need to go home to take care of family business. Below is this week's newsletter.

Editors note: This newsletter was created for DART employees by DART employees for the purpose of educating the workforce on the progress of the union campaign and the benefits of working union. Inside this newsletter.

· "I'll get back to you!"
· Union Meetings
· Common questions and answers about being union

"I'll get back to you!"


A few months ago you had the pleasure of participating in "captive audience" meetings against your own will. Representatives for Dart let you know about "hidden benefits" you did not realize you had and explained how well you were all being treated. Workers asked questions and were repeatedly told, "I'll get back to you!" It has been quite awhile now, have they got back to you? No they did not. Why? They want to make it look like they are addressing your problems, but in reality they are ignoring you and waiting for you to give up hope.

You will be forced once more, against your will, to attend meetings in the near future. Be sure to keep the focus at the meetings on your issues. Make them address your wages, benefits, pension and working conditions. The only way you can be sure that they address your issues is through collective bargaining. Hopefully Dart will take the high road and keep this process informational and not confrontational. The workers deserve to be able to make an educated decision.

Attend your Union Meeting!


· Tuesdays at Midnight after swing Shift at the Dynasty Suites Hotel 6th Street & Paseo Grande.
· Wednesday's 8am - Dynasty Suites.
· Wednesdays 2pm & 4pm - Pizza Palace Magnolia and Rimpau.

Common questions and answers about being union


How much are union dues and initiation fees? Where does the money go?

You will pay $15.52 a month to the AWPPW office and your new local will decide on the difference to run your own daily business. You will not pay initiation fees. The money that goes to headquarters provides each local with legal representation, training of your officers, organizing and a defense fund. You will not pay a cent until you have completed the process, and vote on a new contract with the bargained wage and working conditions you agree to with the company. The AWPPW is a non-profit organization and all money expenditures are public knowledge, disclosed to the Department of Labor.

Will Dart try to move the plant? NO!

Dart has already publicly stated they would not move their Corona operation and in fact plan on expanding. It is illegal for Dart to move any part of their operation while in an organizing campaign. Companies do not close because of a union; they close if they stop making a profit.

Will we have to go on strike? NO!

The AWPPW cannot put workers out on strike. Employees from your plant would have to vote to do so. 98% of all contracts are decided without a labor dispute! We are not soliciting that as an option. Most of our contracts have no strike clauses. Dart will probably insist on this for your first contract.

Who is going to run our local? YOU WILL!

You will elect a bargaining board and officers to run your newly formed local from workers you work side by side with. They will be taken out of your plant and trained by the AWPPW at the association's expense.

Will Dart know how I vote? NO!

The election to decide if you are to be union is by secret ballot and is controlled by the National Labor Relations Board.

Will Dart have to bargain a contract with us? YES!

Even Dart management will tell you that they have to bargain in good faith, and that the NLRB will monitor to the point of mediation if there is a break down in negotiations. All of your wages and benefits will be frozen, and you will bargain from there.

If you have any other pressing questions, please call toll free
1-877-99A-WPPW.



Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

Looks good so far!
RM