A Friendly Letter to AFSCME Members Choosing to Continue Working During the Strike

Disclaimer:  I am writing as a rank-and-file member.  No one asked me to do this.  This letter contains no hostility and is not an attempt to “make” anyone feel guilty.

Greetings to all:

It’s been a hot, tiring, interesting, empowering, unifying three days on the picket line.  I’ve met wonderful folks from every corner of this campus who love their jobs and their “U” as much as I do.  The only thing missing is you, and that hurts.  The more of us that strike, the more effective and therefore the shorter this strike will be.

You all have your reasons for not striking.  Your decision is your own.  My motivation for writing is to address a few of the concerns, fears or preconceptions you may have:

“I made this choice and I’m kind of having second thoughts, but now it’s too late.” 

You can change your mind and join us at any point! If picketing, you do not need to picket your own building if that’s too uncomfortable for you.

“I simply am not in a financial position to be able to afford losing pay.”

You’re in good company—a lot of picketers I’ve visited with are in tight situations and myself am divorced with my kid in college.  BUT:  Our strike support fund has been growing astronomically thanks to donations large and small.  There is now an application form available on your union website to access those funds if you have a need. During the 2003 AFSCME clerical workers strike (and that one had less community support than this one), I understand that all members who applied for assistance got what they needed. You may also elect to find a temp job during the strike.

“If I’m on strike I am required to picket.  Picketing means I have to put up with a lot of hostility.”

Not true in either case. Though it certainly is best if you can help in some additional way, the most important thing by far is not to report to work.  Non-picketing ways to help include working at varied tasks around strike headquarters or in the strike kitchen.

I’ve picketed at several different locations and have found extraordinary support across the spectrum and almost no overt hostility. Remember, this is Minnesota!  If folks have negative views, they are more likely to avoid rather than confront you.

“As a loyal, vital and conscientious University employee, I don’t feel I can do this to my co-workers/faculty/the students.”

That may be the toughest one for those of us on both sides of the picket line.  It helped a lot when I sat down and talked to my co-workers ahead of time—to remind them that this action is in no way intended to punish them; that the more of us go out, the shorter the strike will be; that once negotiations have broken down, this legal and effective tool is the one left in our kit; that I felt obligated to stand with the other union members.  Wouldn’t you—haven’t you, many times—gone above and beyond for your coworkers’/ supervisors’ sakes?  For a short while now, it’s their turn.  The whole point of a strike is to cause some temporary discomfort and disruption as a reminder of how vital we are and in order to apply pressure for a settlement.  They will have to try and understand.

Many of us in AFSCME are women working in traditionally female jobs.  We are the nurturers, caregivers, relationship-builders, peacemakers (hmm…also sometimes enablers).  It may go against your grain to do something as “feisty” as striking, but we—YOU—are a force with which to be reckoned.  University administration knows that, or it wouldn’t try so hard to convince you not to strike.

“I’m afraid I could lose my job.”

You cannot be fired for striking, nor can the U legally hire a permanent replacement for you.

“It doesn’t seem to me that the U’s offer is that bad.”

I would invite you to take the long view.  The strike isn’t merely about this one contract, but about precedents and trends:  Our wages not at least keeping up with inflation.  The U attempts to lump step increase “apples” in with contract across-the-board raise “oranges”.  Using lump-sum offers as a panacea.  And the overall trend of trying to weaken unions on campus.

“The union’s never done anything for me, why should I bust my butt?”

Well, for starters, you will get the raise that the union wins for ALL of us, certainly a better raise than you would get without the union!  If you want info about what else AFSCME does on behalf of its members, or how your dues are spent, call or e-mail the leadership of your local or of AFSCME Council 5 (please wait until the strike is over—they currently have their hands full and are looking pretty tired).

Even if you can’t see how you individually benefit from this particular union at this particular place and time, I hope that you will consider the historical impact.  The labor movement in this country created the middle class.  They fought—and some died—not only for fair wages, but for an end to child labor, a 40 hour work week, weekends, sick leave, overtime pay, paid holidays and vacation, a safe workplace, no firing without just cause, etc.  Without their work we would not have worker’s compensation, unemploy-ment benefits, Social Security and OSHA. Looking at Third World labor conditions today will give you a window into our own past.

The erosion of middle-class wages and benefits we’ve seen in the last couple decades is largely the result of the weakening of labor laws—we can all do our bit to reverse that trend. 

I hope that I may yet meet some of you on the picket line!

Respectfully yours,

Laura Dillon
Principal Lab Tech
AFCSME 3937 member