Today workers and unions are under attack in Wisconsin, Ohio, and other states in the United States and other countries. There is indeed too much greed, too much profits, too much suffering by the poor. In 1989 and 1999 there were two Battles In Seattle as action was taken to protest corporate greed.
In 1999 the Battle In Seattle was at the World Trade Organization meeting where thousands of union members joined with other community organizations to demonstrate against unfair trade agreements and other elements of globalization which favored rich nations and multi-national corporations.
Roger Yockey, author of "People are #1"
“People Are #1” is a book by Roger Yockey which tells the story of another, earlier Battle In Seattle. In 1989, thousands of union grocery workers were on strike for eighty-one days. The striking and locked-out workers walked picket lines in the Puget Sound area of Western Washington State proclaiming that “People Are #1”, not corporate profits.
The story of the members of the UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (AFL-CIO) who waged the battle against corporate greed is
presented in the book not only from daily newspaper reports, but more importantly by striking and locked-out workers. Interviews with rank and file union members and union officers and staff are included in the book. But a special source is “The Picket Liner” a publication of UFCW Local 1105 which arrived every morning on the picket lines. The union daily newsletter told of scabs, and skunks, and support from other unions, churches, community organizations, and customers who refused to cross the the picket lines. This is the saga of determined union members who were determined to stay walking the picket lines as long as necessary. The workers won!
The author participated in the grocery strike of 1989 as a staff member of UFCW Local 1105. Roger Yockey hopes this book preserves a significant story in
labor history. Just as union, church, and community members stood together in solidarity outside grocery stores in 1989 and won against corporate greed, the struggle continues today. And “People Are #1 , not corporate profits in 1989, 2011, always!
“People Are #1” by Roger Yockey is the story of thousands of union grocery workers who were on strike for 81 days in 1989. The striking and locked-out workers walked picket lines in the Puget Sound area proclaiming that People Are #1, not company profits. It was a fight against corporate greed won by the workers and their union with the strong support of other unions, church and community organizations, and consumers.
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The book is available in paperback for $12 with money from the sales of the book in a special offer going to Community to Community, C2C. A copy signed by the author can be purchased for $12 a book plus $3 for shipping and handling by writing to Roger Yockey, 15026 40th Avenue West #4-104, Lynnwood, Washington 98087, and sending a check, payable to Roger Yockey. Please write the number of copies and your address and that you are a C2C supporter. Roger will send a check to C2C for each book sold.
Readers of “People Are #1” will also read about the boycott of Chateau Ste. Michelle winery and the United Farm Workers Union (UFW) seeking collective bargaining representation.
The book also tells of a historic 1974 boycott and strike in which “the strikers were virtually all Chicanas and 85 percent were women” who fought not only for wages and benefits, but also for dignidad, dignity.
You also will read how C2C supported grocery workers recently.
Purchase of“People Are #1” offers you and opportunity to learn about a part of labor history and to support C2C.
