Originally posted on another truck board by "Quicksilver"

I don't know about you but in Chicago 705, we kick $5.00 a month to our Strike Fund.

Now that Hoffa has usurped the Local 705 negotiations, the question comes up,

Will ANY local in this country be "ALLOWED" to exercises their right to strike anytime in the future?

That my fellow members is a very big question mark, isn't it!

Or will these corporations and captains of industry get in our leaderships ear and continue to suppress our wages at the very least.

We will have at the very least 5 years before we can exercise our rights under our contracts.

So, for example Chicago local 705, WHY do we need to contribute $5.00 a month x 20,000 members = 100,000.00 a month x 12 = 1.2 million dollars a year x 5 years = 6 million dollars at the end of 5 years Whew! that is a lot of money just hanging around.

NOTE: Not only that, but the paltry "ten times your hourly rate" to stand on a strike line is just plain 1950 money.

We make here $23.06 per hour, so we would get, if, you put in (I think 3 days on the line) get $230.60 from our local. Then IF the International contributes something around an additional $100.00, you get a big $330.60 per week.
That, is just about enough money to pay for gas and eat hot dogs all week on the strike line huh!

And not much else! added

THE POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE IS TOO GREAT TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE THIS MUCH TO THE STRIKE FUND!

Especially when the International can intervene at any time and prevent any local from exercising their right to strike if and when necessary.

Remember this, "what is done to one of us, is done to all of us

We all need to look at our individual locals strike funds to see how much we do contribute and write by-law changes that reduce the amount to a lesser level we can be more comfortable with in the long run.

Should the leadership at the International level change and the right of self- expression of a local (read that as the right to conduct your locals business as you local deems necessary, i.e. Strike if required) get reinstated, we only need wait until the next January to change our respective by-laws back to whatever is necessary for our locals strike funds.

We can also reduce the monthly contribution now and in the fourth year ramp it up again.

We should still contribute to our strike funds but at a much reduced rate, maybe $1 or $2 a month for now.

Something to think about