New Yorkers get early start on '7 days in June'

By Roy Rydell

NEW YORK - With its June 10 action, the New York City Central Labor Council jumped the gun on the AFL-CIO "7 Days in June" campaign to focus public attention on the problems workers face when they attempt to join together in unions to improve their lives.

The New York rally is part of a series of nationwide demonstrations, picket lines and public hearings which will take place nationally June 19 to June 25. The AFL-CIO placed such importance on this series of actions that they issued a special manual on organizing for these events.

At 3 p.m. on June 10 in midtown Manhattan, 500 rank-and-file trade unionists representing New York's labor movement took to the streets.

They were protesting a seminar being held by the notorious law firm of Jackson Sears, whose legal specialty is advising clients on how to defeat attempts by their employees to unionize. The seminar took place at a hotel operated by the Manhattan Club.

Behind police barriers, the unions put on a loud and militant demonstration. At the rally there were union banners carried by members of Laborers Union Local 79, Carpenters Local 608, Teamsters Local 807, the United Retail Storeworkers Local 3, District 1115 of the Service Employees union, the Hotel and Motel Trade Council and Transport Workers Union Local 100.

Ed Ott of the Central Labor Council came with the slogan, "Union-busting is disgusting." He urged full support for the campaign around the right to organize.

Anthony Espeziale, president of Laborers Local 79, also addressed the crowd, denouncing efforts to find legal ways to thwart the efforts of workers to organize.

City Councilwoman Christine Quinn, who represents the Chelsea area of the city, also spoke in support of the workers right to organize.

Mickey Williams, a representative of Carpenters Local 608, said, "It's about time that the workers got off their knees and fought back."

The Central Labor Council issued a leaflet, which explained that the National Labor Relations Act is often used today to sabotage union elections, avoid bargaining and stall union recognition. The council blasted the role of law firms like Jackson Lewis and the $300-million-a-year union-busting consulting industry.