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Cesar Chavez Holiday March Ends With "Turn Off 10News" MessageMarch 31, 200910NewsUnfair.com signs dotted the downtown landscape today as NABET-CWA Local 54 members took part in the all-union Cesar Chavez Holiday march, demanding a stronger voice for workers. The march began at 1 p.m. with a The theme of the rally, "Military Town — Union Town," tied in to the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. At the kick-off rally, San Diego-Imperial Counties CEO Lorena Gonzalez said, "After 5 years of service, enlisted service members can earn $3,000 per month plus health benefits. But thousands of veterans come home to non-union minimum wage jobs — half the pay and no health insurance. The Employee Free Choice Act will give veterans a fair shake. They put their life on the line by signing their names on the dotted line and enlisting. The nation they defend was formed by the Founding Fathers signing their names to the Declaration of Independence. Veterans and their co-workers should be able to form a Union at the jobs they find the same way they joined the military — by signing their names. The Employee Free Choice Act equals a fair shake for our veterans." Elected officials and union leaders joined members on the 5-mile march. A highlight of the march occurred on the way from the County Administration Center to Spanish Landing. To highlight the organizing drive for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees and to show support for airport workers, the march went right through the middle of all three terminals at Lindbergh Field. Travelers were surprised and employees were delighted. One marcher said, "You can always tell the managers. They never smile." The march ended with a rally and dinner at Spanish Landing, capped off with coverage of the 10News Boycott. Alongside Local 54 Vice-President Robert Buchanan, President Dennis Csillag told the crowd, "The situation at Channel 10 is more than just a labor dispute — owner McGraw-Hill Broadcasting is union-busting. Union-busting consultants take in over 4 billion dollars every year in the United States alone. As a business, Channel 10 should not benefit from attacking its own employees. Our members deserve a fair and equitable contract. That’s why the labor council sanctioned a boycott of 10News that began on election day and continues today. I want to remind you to turn off Channel 10 News. Don’t watch it. Don’t give interviews to the station. Tell your families and friends. Visit 10NewsUnfair.com to find out more and don’t shop at the stores you see listed there. Union-busting has already cost the station millions and McGraw-Hill needs to know that it's more profitable to negotiate a fair contract." Lorena Gonzalez wrapped up the event: "Our current system of labor laws is horribly broken. Sixty million Americans say they would join a union if they could, but decades of anti-worker policies have made that nearly impossible. By working to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, we can put the freedom to join a union back in the workers’ hands," said Gonzalez. Other events also marked the Cesar Chavez Holiday, including a parade held on March 28. NABET-CWA Local 54 was a sponsor of the Cesar Chavez Commemoration Breakfast, held on March 30 at the Convention Center. The theme of the Breakfast was "Coming together through service for one another." The keynote speaker was Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union along with Cesar Chavez. Huerta is now President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, an organization dedicated to community organizing. In addition to honoring Chavez, Huerta spoke of the importance of passing the Employee Free Choice Act. "It is an absolute necessity," said Huerta, urging attendees to contact their legislators. The 10 core values of Cesar Chavez are: teach someone; sacrifice for others; help someone; determination; nonviolence; accepting of all people; respect for life and the environment; be proud; knowledge is power; and be creative. Related Links NABET-CWA Executive Council Visits San DiegoFebruary 20, 2009NABET-CWA's Sector Executive Council — comprising national officers and regional vice-presidents — held their quarterly meeting in San Diego and February 19th was designated as Solidarity Day. Solidarity Day began with the Sector Executive Council (SEC) hosting a morning breakfast for Local 54 members at the Airport Hilton on Harbor Island. SEC members and staff representative Don Jernigan then joined a lunchtime all-union rally in front of KGTV. Union members from across the county gathered for the rally, whose theme was "One Day Longer, Local 54 President Dennis Csillag thanked the crowd for its continued support and told them that many of KGTV's newscasts were rated number one when this dispute began. "Through poor management decisions and the strong support of union families like yours, some 10News broadcasts are now in 5th or 6th place in a 6-way race. While that's not what we want to see, that's what happens when you focus on union-busting instead of the core business." Csillag also thanked the SEC members: "Joining us today is NABET-CWA’s Sector Executive Council. Their solidarity and financial support is vital and has enabled our members to keep standing strong." NABET-CWA Vice-President Jim Joyce reminded the rally-goers that he told them at the start of this dispute that our members would outlast the union-busting management. Joyce engaged the crowd by running down the list of departed managers: "News Director Mike Stutz. Is he here today?" "Gone!," the crowd shouted. "One day longer, one day stronger!" "Assistant Chief Engineer Mike Walborn. Is he here today?" "Gone!," the crowd shouted. "One day longer, one day stronger!" "General Manager Derek Dalton. Is he here today?" "Gone!," the crowd shouted. "One day longer, one day stronger!" "News Director Gary Brown. Is he here today?" "Gone!," the crowd shouted. "One day longer, one day stronger!" "Marketing Director Don Wells. Is he here today?" "Gone!," the crowd shouted. "One day longer, one day stronger!" "And my favorite union-buster. Broadcasting President Ed Quinn. Is he here today?" "Gone!," the crowd shouted. "One day longer, one day stronger!" Joyce said two of the remaining holdover managers — Mike Biltucci and Patrick Givans — have both had unfair labor practice charges against them upheld. The charges included threatening and intimidating employees. "San Diego went blue on election day — electing a slate of candidates and approving propositions that are important to working families like us," said Csillag. "And on election night, the first-ever sanctioned AFL-CIO boycott of a San Diego television station went into effect — the extremely successful boycott of 10News. The credit goes to union members like you, led by the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council. Under the excellent leadership of people like Lorena Gonzalez, Evan McLaughlin, Ryan Mims, Anthony Saavedra and Geshalem Perez, working families are in a better place today. But that's only the beginning. We must all continue to fight for fairness and justice in the workplace and important legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act. And that’s why you’re here today. Without your support, we could not continue our fight for a fair contract. And we thank you," said Csillag. Labor Council CEO Lorena Gonzalez talked about the 10News boycott. "After talking to (KGTV GM) Jeff Block and then meeting with Local 54 Executive Board members, we are energized to take this boycott to the next level. (McGraw-Hill Broadcasting President) Darrell Brown and Jeff Block will not succeed in busting this union. As your Vice-President Jim Joyce said, "One day longer, one day stronger." Following the rally, the NABET-CWA SEC members returned to their business meeting and approved additional funding for Local 54. According to Local 54 Vice-President Robert Buchanan, "This keeps our mobilization efforts fully funded through September, 2010. We are grateful for the solidarity and moral and financial support from the Sector Executive Council. Together with the Labor Council and the 120,000 union families in San Diego County, our members will continue the fight for a fair and equitable contract." It's been 3 years since negotiations first began on a new contract for workers at KGTV. The prior agreement expired on January 31, 2006, but most of the terms and conditions remain in effect. Negotiations came to a standstill on March 16, 2006, when management presented the Union Negotiating Committee with a "final" offer. That offer was overwhelmingly turned down by the Local 54 membership at a ratification meeting on March 25, 2006. Several weeks later, KGTV implemented parts of the offer and Local 54 members began a mobilization campaign. Related Links |
kick-off rally at the San Diego Convention Center and continued to Civic Center Plaza and the County Administration Center, ending with a rally at Spanish Landing. From teachers to the building trades, from healthcare and domestic workers to television workers, local union issues were addressed along the way. 
A true American hero, Cesar Chavez was a civil rights and labor leader; a religious and spiritual figure; a community servant and social entrepreneur; a crusader for nonviolent social change; and an environmentalist and consumer advocate.
One Day Stronger."