This story in the TS seems premature. Times-Standard Online - Strike talks at Humboldt Creamery They are still negotiating and a strike is your last plan of defense in a contract war. I know it is in Teamster's Representative Dave Hawley's best interest to make this issue public to get sympathy, but all it did was stir the pot way early. I would have liked to see the TS interview some long term employees to see what the worker sentiment is. Come on, there are over 100 of them to talk to. One thing that shocked me in the story is to find out the average wage at the plant is under $16 an hour. That is around a dollar less than our entry pay at Evergreen Pulp.
It was great that the Arcata Playhouse received front page news. I know some of the people involved and I hope to enjoy the venues soon. But why did the TS basically ignore the great hullabaloo of the Arkley center? If nothing else they should have treated it as great significant historical piece of Eureka being brought to life. Maybe many of the TS staff was not around when this was a important fixture in Eureka residents lives. And how do you ignore the hundreds who enjoyed the opening and the thousands who have checked it out. Jealousy creates poor journalism?
What is with TS editor Rich Somerville feeling the need to respond to hyper blogger Capt. Buhne in an editorial? Talk about some paranoia in the TS editorial den. Times-Standard Online - Anatomy of a blog exclusive Take a chill pill Rich!
I just think the TS stand of trying to ignore all things Arkley is kind of weak. The Eureka Reporter has brought a healthy competition of wages to the mix. Writers and staff of each paper have reaped some financial rewards in this mix and that has been good for our local economy. I am a subscriber to the TS and was a paper boy in the 60's and also a paper street vendor in Eureka. I have also been an occasional writing contributor in the sports section since the 70's. So I do have a long history with the TS. But I think they can do better. Snivelling and ignoring isn't helping.
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8 comments:
The T-S got more courageous about the Eureka Reporter after Somerville became editor. Before then, the T-S talked about "the other" paper. But now they directly address the issues that arise. I appreciate that.
Times Standard sucks; full of inaccuracies and mistakes. I subscribed for many years but recently gave it up. The Reporter isn't any better. In fact, it may be worse.
Heraldo evidently resides on a different planet then the rest of us. The T-S courageous? Now that is a laugh. Their paper is the shits and I for one am glad that the ER came on board in HumCo to rattle the bullshit the T-S has been shovelling down our throats. I love it when the T-S calls my home harrassing me to buy a subscription. I get to tell them personally how biased they are and how much they suck. Nothing but AP articles and puff pieces that no thinking person gives a shit about.
I didn't say the T-S was courageous, but that they've gotten "more courageous" regarding the Eureka Reporter. For the longest time the T-S wouldn't even mention the ER. That tunnel vision approach didn't serve public discussion about the "newspaper war."
Richard - I was going to post something about the article as well, though I figured you might have a good take on it. I'm hoping there'll be some sort of follow-up and I'll be sure to link to your posts on the subject.
My question is, what are the Teamsters doing in the milk business?
Eric: That is a good question. Why Teamsters? I know they used to represent Mestle ice cream workers in Bakersfield. I am not bagging on another union, but the Teamsters in Bakersfield did something so grievous they lost their right to represent those workers. I had a crew of organizers leaf the plant (In about 110 degree temperature, why Nestle would have an ice cream plant there is beyond me. Oh, yeah, one in Visalia too.) so they could have an chance to join the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW) but they had little use for the union or at least the Teamsters. I went to the Teamsters hall to find out what had happened and they were not receptive to my questioning.
Let me say this though, a bad union is better than no union at all! From the workers point of view.
Have a Humboldt Creamery day!
I agree. I was a teamster once, when I worked for UPS - and this was back when the leadership was supporting Reagan. I'd much rather the Longshoremen been the union, and there had been some talk of switching over but it never happened.
I wrote about my experience. Let's see if I can dig it up.
Here it is.
Actually, I've been in several unions, including 2 teachers unions. I don't suppose I can count the National Lawyers Guild.
We lawyers can use some hymns.
The morning, the evening, the middle of day;
They're the same to the lawyer, who toils away...
Just doesn't have the same ring to it.
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