perma-temps

Tom Lehman TLEHMAN at lor.net
Sat May 29 13:52:00 PDT 1999


Gordon, your idea sounds pretty main-stream to me. I would caution you that some visionary labor leaders have gotten into serious trouble when they attempted to try something new.


>From my perspective at the foundation of the union totem pole, that's the part
below the ground, I have always found the upper echelons of union leadership to be very approachable. Particularly when they find out you are not looking for honest graft, a job for a relative or some other self serving non-sense. That you actually have the cause of the people at heart.

Your email pal,

Tom L.

G*rd*n wrote:


> Doug Henwood:
> > ...
> > Unions, which have noted the growth of temporary services in
> > manufacturing with dismay because such workers are extremely difficult to
> > organize, are looking for ways to tap into that discontentment.
> > "We're trying to get a good handle on it, to figure out the best
> > strategies," said Chris Owens, assistant director of public policy for the
> > AFL-CIO. "But because many temp workers move from one job to another, it is
> > harder to locate them."
> > ...
>
> If I knew any union officials, I'd suggest that the unions
> organize their own temp agencies. Back in the dark ages,
> when I was a boy, many jobs were available only at the
> union hall, so in a way they must have done it once (in
> effect if not in name). Once they were organized, the
> members could manage the agencies themselves as co-ops.
> If the agencies are really getting a 40% fee, that would
> provide a nice margin to attract worker interest _and_
> capitalize expansion.
>
> But I don't know any union officals. It's probably because
> of all these screwy ideas I have.
>
> Gordon



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