Library Juice 4:22 - June 14, 2001

Contents:

1. ALA/MARRIOTT PROTESTS: IN THE TRENCHES
2. King Book Awards Canceled - Washington Post story
3. Sanford Berman's resignation from SRRT & PLG, and reaction
4. Chronology of the SEIU Local 790 Librarians' Caucus re Marriott
5. ALA Executive Director responds
6. Resolution to be submitted to ALA Council on hotel contracts

Quote for the week:

"It is arguable that the success of business propaganda in persuading us,
for so long, that we are free from propaganda is one of the most
significant propaganda acheivments of the twentieth century."

- Alex  Carey, "Managing Public Opinion: The Corporate Offensive," 1978, in
Taking the Risk Out Of Democracy

Personal Homapage of the week: Georgen Gilliam
http://cc.usu.edu/~georgen/

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1. ALA/MARRIOTT PROTESTS: IN THE TRENCHES

Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 10:01:25 -0700
From: "SFPL: FREE & EQUAL ACCESS" <andreag[at]sfpl.lib.ca.us>
To: PLGNET-L[at]listproc.sjsu.edu
Cc: ANDREAG[at]SFPL.ORG
Reply to: andreag[at]sfpl.lib.ca.us

All librarians, library workers, conference attendees, and
everyone else who supports Local 2 are invited to join San Francisco
Bay Area library workers in three days of protests at the San Francisco
Marriott. These actions are scheduled for the following days:

SIEGE V: TWO ALL-DAY PROTESTS: Friday and Saturday, June 15 & 16, 6:00am -
10:00pm

SPECIAL ACTION: ALA AWARDS RECEPTION/INAUGURAL BANQUET: Tuesday, June 19,
4:30pm - 7:30pm

THE INAUGURAL BANQUET ACTION IS A VERY SPECIAL PROTEST AGAINST
THE ACTIONS OF ALA LEADERSHIP, WHO HAVE IGNORED THE PLEAS OF
MEMBERS AND MARRIOTT WORKERS TO MOVE ALA EVENTS OUT OF THE
MARRIOTT.

Don't let Marriott and ALA think it's just business as usual.
Let's stand up for the Marriott workers, and all workers, who
struggle for a better life. We can do it! Come and join us on
these days of protest.

For more information on the SF Marriott labor troubles, see Local
2's boycott website at <http://www.sfmarriottboycott.org>

In solidarity,
Andrea V. Grimes
For the Local 790 Librarians' Caucus
________________________________________________________________________top

2. King Book Awards Canceled - Washington Post story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58343-2001Jun12.html

"The decision to cancel 'is based on the leadership's concern that the
event was becoming a pawn in a larger, more complex political agenda,'
said association spokeswoman Carole McCollough in a press release."

________________________________________________________________________top

3. Sanford Berman's resignation from SRRT & PLG, and reaction

[SRRTAC-L:6329] Marriott -- from Sanford Berman
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 11:47:20 -0700
From: "Diedre Conkling" <dconklin[at]OregonVOS.net>
To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l[at]ala.org>

Sandy has asked me to post this letter for him.  I am sadly following his
wishes.

I have to admit that I find it interesting that the Coretta Scott King
Awards Breakfast was unable to be moved from the Marriott but the
scholarship bash with Three Dog Night was able to be moved (tickets
purchased at mid-winter have the event at the Marriott not the currently
scheduled Hilton).

I think most of us are in for a rude awakening in San Francisco.
Personally, I will not be stepping into the Marriott for any reason.  I also
hope that we can find a policy that will have significantly more teeth so
that we will not have this situation arise again at future ALA Conferences.

Diedre Conkling         Lincoln County Library District
                                  P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR  97365
                                  Phone & Fax:  (541) 265-3066
                                  E-mail:  dconklin[at]OregonVOS.net

-------------

Monday, June 4, 2001

WWMD?

What would Martin do?

Certainly, he would not attend an event at a labor-boycotted hotel.  Not
even an ALA Conference event called the "Coretta Scott King Awards
Breakfast," sponsored by a Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) task
force.

My understanding is that the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees (HERE)
International Union, Local 2, which has declared a boycott against the San
Francisco Marriott--ALA's headquarters hotel--intended to picket the
Marriott several times, including Tuesday morning, June 19th, before and
during the CSK Awards Banquet.  However, "leaders" of both SRRT and PLG
(Progressive Librarians Guild) pressured Local 2 to cancel the Tuesday
morning demonstration.  Believing that such pressure (indeed,
bullying)--presumably exerted to avoid embarrassment for SRRT and the CSK
Task Force (although cloaked in phoney claims of "racism")--violates the
most elemental principles of social responsibility and progressive
librarinaship, wholly undermining SRRT/PLG's ostensible commitment to
support and demonstrate solidarity with poor and oppressed people, I
herewith resign with a mixture of sadness and disgust from SRRT and PLG.

This matter should have been solely about applying leverage on the Marriott
to secure justice for its underpaid and disrespected workers, NOT about
avoiding embarrassment for relatively comfortable librarians of whatever
color.

I'm also resigning to protest the appalling hypocrisy manifest in the
militant, pro-boycott rhetoric appearing in "Library Juice" and the "SRRT
Newsletter" and the actual, anti-labor behavior of those selfsame
"militants."

--Sandy Berman
ALA Equality Award Winner, 1989

Sanford Berman
4400 Morningside Road
Edina, MN  55416
952-925-5738

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Response to Berman
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 23:04:27 -0700
From: "Elaine Harger" <eharger[at]agoron.com>
To: "PLG" <plgnet-l[at]listproc.sjsu.edu>, "SRRT Action Council"
<srrtac-l[at]ala.org>

Dear SRRT and PLG Colleagues,

Although I'd rather ignore Sandy Berman's diatribe just now forwarded by
Dee, I can't.  Neither can I begin to express my anger and disappointment
at the accusations that he levels against me.  All I can do is to provide a
brief explanation of the situation Sandy is referring to for those many of
you who have not been involved in the matter at hand.

In January, when the boycott became known, all SRRT meetings were pulled
out of the Marriott with the exception of the Coretta Scott King Awards
breakfast.  The reason given was that a contract had been signed and there
were cancellation fines of anywhere between $20,000 and $40,000 - money
that would go straight into Marriott's bank account.

Librarian members of the boycott support committee in the Bay Area informed
Local 2 that there were three large events taking place inside the Marriott
that should be picketed:  Sunday evening's Newbery/Caldecott Awards,
Tuesday morning's Coretta Scott King Awards, and Tuesday evening's ALA
Awards/Presidential Inaugural Banquet.  These pickets would be in addition
to all-day pickets planned on Friday and Saturday.

The union ignored the librarians' recommendation to picket all three events
and singled-out the Coretta Scott King Awards as the ONLY special event to
be picketed.  When I learned of this, I immediately e-mailed my reaction,
which was that Local 2's decision to single-out the CSK Awards might appear
to conference attendees to be racist and certainly smacked of favoritism
toward mainstream ALA events.   These were the sentiments of several other
librarians involved in the matter, although there were others (Sandy among
them) who believed that the CSK Awards especially _deserved_ to be picketed
because of Martin Luther King's support of labor causes during his life.
I, needless to say, do _not_ agree with that position.  What does it mean
when we demand high moral standards from one group and not another?  Should
moral standards be so flexible?  Shouldn't we hold all to the same
standard?

The primary point of my position was, and remains, that if the union wanted
to select only one special event to picket, it should be an event most
tied-in to the ALA power-structure that has refused to relocate all events
scheduled for the Marriott.  After all, when demonstrations against
government policies, for example, take place in Washington D.C. they
usually target the White House, the Pentagon, or some other seat of power.
If organizers of pickets or demonstrations are going to make choices, one
assumes they're thinking strategically.

Sandy calls me (though, of course, not by name) a hypocrite and a bully.
It appears that he has developed a low tolerance for differences of
opinion.  And his idea that I was concerned about SRRT being "embarrassed"
is ludicrous.  When was SRRT _ever_ worried about being embarrassed?  When
has SRRT _ever_ wanted to avoid a difficult situation?  The suggestion is
absurd.  I spent seven years as the librarian at a school of labor studies
here in New York City, and I know a thing or two about unions.  I
understood and was informed about what was going on, and I acted in full
awareness of the complexities of the situation.  I was not ignoring or
minimizing the struggles of the hotel workers, I was not working to avoid
embarrassment.

As it turns out, Local 2 appealed directly to Coretta Scott King, who
requested that the awards breakfast be moved.  The breakfast has been
cancelled.  I urged the CSKTF chair to consider holding the awards portion
of the event at some other location, but that appears unlikely, which is
most unfortunate.

Yes, ALA did pay whatever the cancellation fine was to move the Three Dog
Night scholarship event - it's too big a money-maker not to, and perhaps
the band made it known that they'd refuse to cross the picket-line.  Of
course, ALA would NEVER pay big bucks to relocate a SRRT event, even one as
popular as the Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast.  It will be a lasting
shame in the history of ALA that the awards will not be given this year - a
wonderful, glowing celebration for the authors and illustrators of books
for children, books dealing with the African-American experience.

So what do we have in the end?  The Newbery/Caldecott will take place
without a picket and, in spite of the pickets, ALA big-wigs will dance the
night away at the Inaugural Banquet.  The CSKTF shells out
tens-of-thousands of dollars to the Marriott hotel - for nothing.  Sandy
Berman publicly denounces his former long-standing colleagues.  How does
any of this help the members of Local 2?

Elaine Harger
Librarian, W. Haywood Burns School
New York City

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Re: Response to Berman
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2001 11:00:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: Frederick W Stoss <fstoss[at]acsu.buffalo.edu>
To: Elaine Harger <eharger[at]agoron.com>
Cc: PLG <plgnet-l[at]listproc.sjsu.edu>, SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l[at]ala.org>

Elaine,

Thank you for providing a history of recent events leading up to the
decision to cancel the Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast.

I, too, was disheartened to read Sandy's WWMD message for two reasons.

First was the inaccurate portrayal of activities that were at the time of
his writing still ongoing to resolve this matter in a fashion other than
cancellation. Second was the tone of personal attacks Sandy gave, in what I
can only call uncharacteristic fashion. For this I have to add a note of
disappointment.

As I said in my message last night there can be no victory claimed by any
party. Elaine's message outline in succinct prose the casualties of this
battle.

This is tragic and nothing less.

It is also the time time to start rebuilding, re-thinking, re-gaining a
focus and getting on with the future.

Fred Stoss
SRRT Coordinator

________________________________________________________________________top

4. Chronology of the SEIU Local 790 Librarians' Caucus re Marriott

Editors' note: When the "Caucus Liason" is referred to in this document,
that is Andrea Grimes, the author.

This is an important documentation of many of the developments
leading up to the present situation.

DOCUMENTS OF THE MARRIOTT STRUGGLE:

A CHRONOLOGY OF THE LOCAL 790 LIBRARIANS' CAUCUS

What follows is a chronology of events, from the perspective of a
West Coast caucus member, surrounding the labor troubles at the
San Francisco Marriott and their impact on the upcoming ALA
conference. The chronology has been reconstructed from information
taken from correspondence, listservs, meetings, and my participation
as a member of the Local 790 Librarians Caucus.

Action--not words-- in support of the Marriott workers, and their
struggle to get a decent contract (two regular days off, health
and retirement benefits, etc.)-- this is what brought us together,
and what has led us to call for actions against the Marriott
Corporation. This desire for a better work life is not just the
story of the Marriott workers, but it is our story, too. Decent
working conditions and wages, respect for our work and
experience, good health and retirement benefits, these rights are
what we struggle for(and which some of us have won). Many people
in the library community working in solidarity, are working to
make a difference. We had hoped that ALA would be in support of
these actions as well.

Andrea V. Grimes, SFPL
Local 790 Librarians' Caucus Liaison

Chronology

September 4, 2000
Labor Day, Mayor Willie Brown calls for boycott of the SF
Marriott and its worldwide chain. Article appears in San
Francisco Chronicle:
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/09/05/MN51701.DTL>

January 2001
Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union, Local 2 requests
help from SFPL Librarians' Guild, Local 790. An informally
structured group begins working together to make ALA and members
aware of labor problems at Marriott

January 24
14:17 Librarians' Guild Officer(San Francisco Public Library)
contacts ALA Councilor-at-Large & Progressive Librarians Guild
member, Mark Rosenzweig for assistance in moving co-sponsored
lecture, out of Marriott, due to labor troubles at that hotel.
Questions raised about exerting pressure on ALA to move most
meetings out of Marriott; does ALA consider potential labor
problems in convention cities before reserving hotels? Many SFPL
librarians will not cross a picket line or go into boycotted
hotel.

15:10 Message from M. Rosenzweig to Social Responsibilities
Round Table and Progressive Librarians Guild listservs, insisting
on answers and action. Suggests that Conference Planning and ALA
Executive Board act quickly to see what can be done to change
locations.

January 25
13:56 Email invitation from SFPL Librarians Guild officers to
San Francisco Bay Area Librarians(PLGnet) to meet Monday, January
29, with H.E.R.E Local 2. Presentation by Local 2's Boycott
Committee on the Marriott labor situation, followed by
brainstorming session.

January 26
19:06 Mary Ghikas sends message to ALA Council list, on behalf
of ALA's Chicago headquarters: "I have been following this
discussion. We are doing some additional fact finding and will
get a response for you as quickly as possible."

11:16 Adelaide Chen, Local 2 Boycott Coordinator, sends
letter(forwarded via email to PLGnet) to Progressive Librarians
Guild, alerting members to the fact that the American Library
Association's choice of the downtown Marriott as its headquarters
hotel is a disaster. "The ALA will be breaking a boycott,
potentially crossing picket lines and siding with corporate
lawbreakers." Letter sent to Library Journal by SFPL Guild
officer.

14:45 Mark Rosenzweig sends Chen letter to ALA Council,
President, and Executive Director.

January 29
Email discussions begin on various dislists and by SF/Oakland
librarians regarding ALA's contract with Marriott.

San Francisco and Oakland librarians meet with Local 2.
They form the Local 790 Librarians' Caucus and agree to the
following:

1. Request that ALA refrain from contracting with Marriott Hotels
   at any future conferences until Marriott cleans up their act.
   
2. Conference goers should try to arrange staying at alternate
   hotels, in SF and Oakland.
   
3. Plan to design stickers in support of Marriott workers.
   
4. Find ways to alert future conference goers of labor problems
   so they may make informed decisions about where to stay during
   conference.

No progress in negotiations with Marriott.

January 31
13:34 Caucus liaison sends Jan 29 meeting info to PLGnet

14:20 Information Sheet from ALA, citing "facts" about labor
problems at Marriott. No indication that ALA has spoken with
anyone other than Marriott.

18:02 M. Rosenzweig sends email message to ALA Council, with
cc's to PLGnet, SRRTAC, W. Gordon, M. Ghikas, S. Orange, requesting
that a letter of concern be drafted regarding ALA's policy about
unionized facilities; that ALA's reservation was predicated on
the belief that there would be a speedy remedy to the impasse
created by management; ALA's displeasure at the protracted
non-recognition of Local 2's demands; support of librarians for
Local 2; and unlikelihood of considering Marriott as an option at
future conferences if dispute is not settled.

No official word from ALA Executive Office. No contact with Local 2

FEBRUARY

February 1(approx. date)
Nine of eleven San Francisco Supervisors send letter in support
of Local 2, to Nancy Kranich, ALA President. See Library Juice:
<http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol4/LJ_4.21.html#6>

February 3
American Libraries online news report, "Union urges Conferees to
Boycott Marriott." http://www.ala.org/alaonline/news

Library Journal news report, "Marriott Workers to Picket During
ALA,"
http://www.ljdigital.com

February 5
SFPL Public Affairs Chief tells Caucus Liaison that City
Librarian and other members of library administration will not
step foot into the Marriott.

February 6
Meeting of Local 790 Caucus and Local 2 Boycott coordinator.
Caucus agrees to a joint letter to address statements in the ALA
"Fact Sheet." Letter will ask librarians to avoid staying at
Marriott and try to move their meetings elsewhere. Update sent to
PLGnet, and forwarded to SRRTAC list.

February 14
Joint letter signed by Adelaide Chen, Local 2 Boycott
Coordinator and Andrea V. Grimes, for Local 790 Librarians'
Caucus. Letter sent via email and U.S. mail to librarians, ALA
Executive Board. Posted on Library Juice:
<http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol4/LJ_4.6.html#11>

February 16
ALA sends out updated Information Sheet, and acknowledges that
information was provided by the Marriott and National Labor
Relations Board. Still no contact with Local 2.

February 20
Librarians' Caucus meets with Local 2 Boycott Coordinator:
updates, strategies for possible actions. Letter campaign
continued.

REFORMA moves programs out of the Marriott.

SRRT moves meetings, lectures out of the Marriott.

ALA Awards Reception & Inaugural Banquet, Newbery/Caldecott
Awards, Coretta Scott King Awards & Breakfast, and Scholarship
Bash remain at Marriott.

MARCH

March 3(approximate date)
Boycott Coordinator informs Caucus Liaison that Local 2's sister
local: HERE, Local 1, Chicago, sent a delegation to ALA Executive
Offices to brief ALA on San Francisco labor situation, and that
ALA refused to meet with Local 1.

March 5
San Francisco Labor Council President, Josie Mooney, sends letter
to ALA, in support of Marriott boycott, Local 2 and Local 790
Librarians' Caucus.
Requests ALA move events out of Marriott and to other locations.
Copy of letter given to SFPL City Librarian and Library
Commission; on file at Locals 2 and 790.

San Francisco Public Library Commission unanimously approves
resolution to ALA:

"Resolution requesting the American Library Association to make
alternative arrangements for its meetings, events and lodging
that are currently scheduled for the San Francisco Marriott Hotel
for its annual conference to be held in June 2001; and supporting
the boycott of the San Francisco Marriott Hotel that is being
requested of all ALA conference attendees by Local 2, Hotel
Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union(HEREIU),
which represents 925 workers at the Marriott, and Local 790,
Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents
public library staff in San Francisco and Oakland." Complete
document available on Library Juice:
<http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol4/LJ_4.21.html#6>

March 6
SFPL resolution faxed by library administration to ALA Executive
Office. Also sent via email to library workers at SFPL, PLGnet,
American Libraries, LJ, and elsewhere.

March 30
12:30 SFPL City Librarian meets with library staff to discuss
ALA, boycott against Marriott, and resolution passed by library
commission. City Librarian tells staff that SFPL will try to help
ALA move as many events out of the Marriott as possible.

SFPL City Librarian tells ALA that SFPL will try to accommodate
ALA in any way it can, in moving events, programs out of Marriott
(approximate date)

Still no official contact between ALA and Local 2.

APRIL

April 5
Local 2 Boycott Marriott website up and running.
http://www.sfmarriottboycott.org

Scholarship Bash moves to the Hilton(approx time period).

Still no official word from ALA, no contact with Local 2.

MAY

May 3
Caucus & Local 2 verifies that Coretta Scott King Awards &
Breakfast being held at Marriott. Discussions begin about ways in
which Caucus, Local 2 can work together with SRRT and CSK
taskforce to present a unified stand against the bad faith
actions of the Marriott. Possibility of event moving from
Marriott unknown.

May 9
12:56 Local 2 Boycott Coordinator sends message to caucus
liaison: CSK Awards Breakfast, Newbery/Caldecott Awards, and
Presidential Inauguration still scheduled to take place at
Marriott. Local 2 hopes that CSK event might be moved because
"groups sponsoring event have a progressive background."

In same message: Local 2 tells Caucus of offer by member of
SFPL's Friends & Foundation Board, to pay for events to move out.
Board member wants meeting with Caucus and Local 2. Caucus
refuses financial help, based on concerns of possible conflicts
of interest; potential improper use of donor money by F & F.

May 16
Discussions continue on PLGnet, SRRT-AC, ALA Council listservs
regarding ALA's lack of official acknowledgement of Local 2
organizers of boycott. One councilor writes: "Except for some
provision of information to attendees who support the boycott
about how if they wish to they can make some alternative hotel
reservations, nothing really has been done. And organized
labor in SF is not unaware of this. Perhaps we don't care what
unionists think of the Association? It is one thing to have made
the mistake in the first place of making the Marriott the
Conference Hotel. It is another not to have issued an official
statement of support for the union, perhaps a pledge not to book
at any Marriotts until the dispute is settled. How much is it
costing to celebrate while the supporters of the food workers
demonstrate? I think members might want to know.There is
still time to do something representing active support for the
workers and public regret for choosing the Marriott."

May 17
16:48 Local 2 confirms dates of two-day siege: Friday and
Saturday, June 15-16, from 6:00am - 10:00pm, at the Marriott.
Union wants to be "out there for the Coretta Scott King Awards
Breakfast."

San Francisco Examiner publishes piece on the Marriott labor
struggle:
"Labor Lawyers Do Leg Work: Visiting Attorneys March to SF
Marriott to Join Mayor Brown in Rousing Support of Hotel
Workers." (front page)
Caucus member, Donna Mandel, at demonstration, reports to caucus
that close to 1,000 people participate, contrary to news report
of 200.
<http://www.examiner.com/news/default.jsp?story=n.marriott.0517w>

May 18
American Indian Culture Night (OLOS/AILA), scheduled for the
Marriott, is canceled.

May 20
President-Elect Mitch Freedman, moves his private reception out
of the Marriott.

Inaugural Banquet for John W. Berry remains at the Marriott as
planned.

May 21
14:30 Local 790 Librarians' Caucus holds action meeting, and
recommends three separate actions, in addition to the two-day
siege of June 15-16.
In message to SRRT member, caucus liaison writes: "Flyers to be
handed out during conference registration day, announcing date,
times for demos. We're getting these dates confirmed with Local
2, since they'll have to do a lot of the organizing, but
basically we're going with their two all-day demos on June 15-16,
then 2-hour demos during the days when the top three events take
place: President's Inauguration, Newbery/Caldecott Awards, and
CSK Breakfast Stickers to be handed out during conference
registration day, and througout conference: 'LIBRARIANS SUPPORT
MARRIOTT WORKERS! CLOSE THE BOOK ON THE MARRIOTT! ALA CONFERENCE
JUNE 2001.' Boycott coordinator takes this back to Local 2 for
staff consideration. Concern about getting people out for three
extra events, especially after two all-day sieges. Caucus liaison
assumes Local 2 will report back to caucus before issuing flyer.

Caucus member contacts President-Elect Mitch Freedman, for
assistance in moving events out of Marriott.

Local 2 begins contact with Coretta Scott King staff.

18:51 "We Go to the Rock:" American Indian Library Association
reschedules Culture Night on Alcatraz.

May 24
15:15 ALA Councilor M. Rosenzweig drafts resolution on Marriott
Resolution to be presented to ALA Council, SRRT Action Council,
"requesting the ALA formally express regrets that it did not make
alternative arrangements for its meetings, events, and lodging;
and expressing solidarity with Local 2 and its supporters in
Local 790, which represents public library staff in San Francisco
and Oakland."

May 25
10:02 Caucus liaison sends message to caucus members and boycott
coordinator recommending that actions be redirected at "ALA
itself and Marriott, for their outrageously callous behavior in
regard to the sensitivity of this labor dispute."

17:24 Local 2 sends flyer alerting Bay Area unions to two day
siege and "special action" for CSK Awards Breakfast.

Intense discussions by caucus members, PLG and SRRT members about
Local 2's planned actions, specifically action scheduled for CSK
Breakfast. Some try to remain focused on three recommended
actions, while others push for direct actions on ALA itself;
still others believe single action during CSK Breakfast is necessary.
Rampant discussions - disagreement within caucus - takes place during
the next few days. Some misinformation and communication
problems. Caucus liaison recommends that since local group does not
have enough information, Local 2 should work with those who do:
CSK Taskforce, etc.

May 26
9:27 Caucus liaison sends message to Local 2 Boycott coordinator
requesting that special action for CSK Breakfast be stopped.

May 28
9:38 Caucus liaison sends message to caucus members and members
of PLG, SRRT: "Liaison takes responsibility for acting to stop
CSK action, and substituting the Inaugural [Banquet]. We all
agreed (at the May 21 meeting) that picketing at the Inaugural was
one of the best ways to get across our message. Local 2 putting
its energy into two-day siege."

Caucus member reports to liaison that President-Elect Mitch
Freedman refuses to attend Inaugural Banquet if it is held at the
Marriott.

May 29
15:04 Adelaide Chen, Boycott Coordinator, is moved to another
campaign to pull out groups from the Marriott; the rest of the
ALA boycott campaign is now responsibility of Dave Glaser, Lead
Organizer, Local 2.

Dave Glaser contacts Caucus Liaison to report that Local 2 jumped
the gun by issuing flyer with "special action" for the Coretta
Scott King action. Mistake will be corrected: flyer will be
withdrawn and action canceled.

May 30
Local 2 schedules action for Inaugural Banquet.

Still no official word from ALA.

JUNE

June 1, 2001
Coretta Scott King sends letter to Nancy Kranich, President, ALA
(cc's to Caroloe McCullough, CSK Task Force Chair, and Dave
Glaser, Lead Organizer, Marriott Campaign, Local 2), expressing
"deep concern about the ALA's decision to hold the Coretta Scott
King Awards Breakfast at the San Francisco Marriott.

"As you know, the San Francisco Marriott is being boycotted by a
broad range of labor unions, human rights and respected community
leaders, as a result of the hotel management's refusal to bargain
in good faith with the union. After reviewing materials about the
boycott and workers' grievances, I can only conclude that the
boycott is justified. I therefore appeal to you to move the
Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast to a more acceptable
venue" Complete letter posted on Library Juice:
<http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol4/LJ_4.21.html#6>

June 4
Caucus liaison is informed by Local 2 that the CSK Awards
Breakfast has been cancelled. According to Dave Glaser, Local 2
President Mike Casey, contacted Mayor Willie Brown, asking for
help in finding another venue for CSK. Glaser reports to Caucus
liaison that Mayor Brown offers to host CSK Awards at City Hall -
free; that Mayor also offers services of Charlotte Maillard
Schultz, Chief of Protocol, in assisting CSK taskforce(Schultz is
noted throughout the city and beyond for her sparkling events).
Glaser relays offer to CSK Taskforce Chair, Carole McCullough,
and Satia Orange, ALA Office.

Sandy Berman resigns from PLG and SRRT.
Text of resignation in this issue of Library Juice (4:22).

June 5
Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast officially canceled. Press
release issued by Satia Orange, ALA Office. For entire press
release see http://www.ala.org/news/v7n7/breakfast_cancelled.html

June 10
15:26 William Gordon, Executive Director of ALA, "in a letter
dated Sun 10 Jun 2001, sent (so far, only) to ALA Council in
response to Councilors' inquiries about elements of the
chronology of dealings with and about labor-dispute ridden
Marriott Conference Hotel, remarks in conclusion: 'ALA's position
has been consistent: we have an existing contract, signed in
1997, with the San Francisco Marriott.'"

June 11
13:24 message from Local 2's Dave Glaser to Caucus Liaison: ALA
leadership refuses to move Inaugural Banquet out of the Marriott,
although they were offered an inexpensive alternative.

SFPL City Librarian offers free space at the library for last
Executive Board meeting, which is to take place Wednesday, June
15. ALA refuses offer, and will hold last meeting in the
Marriott.

June 12
Local 2 and Caucus members prepare flyers, stickers, and finalize
actions which will take place at the Marriott during the
conference. The following message is sent to librarians and
listservs.

"All librarians, library workers, conference attendees, and
everyone else who supports Local 2, are invited to join San
Francisco Bay Area library workers in three days of protests at
the San Francisco Marriott. These actions are scheduled for the
following days:

Siege V: Two All-Day Protests: Friday and Saturday, June 15-16,
6:00am-10:00pm.

THE INAUGURAL BANQUET ACTION IS A VERY SPECIAL PROTEST AGAINST
THE ACTIONS OF ALA LEADERSHIP, WHO HAVE IGNORED THE PLEAS OF
MEMBERS AND MARRIOTT WORKERS TO MOVE ALA EVENTS OUT OF THE
MARRIOTT.

Don't let Marriott and ALA think it's just business as usual.
Let's stand up for the Marriott workers, and all workers, who
struggle for a better life. We can do it! Come and join us on
these days of protest."

Stilll no official ALA contact with Local 2.

June 13
Washington Post story about cancellation of Coretta Scott King
Awards:
"King Book Awards Breakfast Canceled."
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58343-2001Jun12.html>

[N.B.: This final irony hasn't escaped us: the theme of this
year's conference is "Libraries: Cornerstone of Democracy." The
San Francisco Marriott workers and many library workers across
the country, are deprived of a democratic workplace!]

AG
________________________________________________________________________top

5. ALA Executive Director responds

[ALACOUN:6076] The San Francisco Marriott/Local 2
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 13:48:00 -0500
From: "William Gordon" <wgordon[at]ala.org>
To: ALA Council List <alacoun[at]ala1.ala.org>
Reply to: wgordon[at]ala.org

I have been asked about the dates when certain events occurred.

The contract with the San Francisco Marriott was signed on November 6,
1997.  The December, 2000 mailing of housing/reservation information to
Council members indicated that labor negotiations had not been concluded
between the Marriott and Local 2.  All subsequent information about housing
contained this same information. News items about this issue appeared in
the March and April issues of American Libraries .  I received a letter
from Local  2, Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union, on January 3,
2001; it was dated January 17, 2001.  I acknowledged receipt of the letter
in a telephone call I received on January 24 from a Local 2 representative.
Most Executive Board members also received letters from Local 2; these
letters were received at various times. Most Executive Board members also
received telephone calls from Union representatives. This office has not
kept a log of the telephone calls.  The nature of the letters and telephone
calls was to ask that ALA move all events from the San Francisco
Marriott.  A resolution from the San Francisco Public Library Commission,
asking that all ALA events be moved from the Marriott was received by fax
from Susan Hildreth on March 7.  Receipt of this document was acknowledged
by telephone.

ALA's position has been consistent: we have an existing contract, signed
in1997, with the San Francisco Marriott.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

ALA Excecutive director responds: The San Francisco Marriott/Local 2
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 18:20:48 -0400
From: Mark Rosenzweig <iskra[at]earthlink.net>
To: alacoun[at]ala.org, member-forum[at]ala.org

William Gordon, executive director of ALA , in a letter dated Sun 10 Jun
2001, sent (so far, only) to ALA Council in response to Councilors'
inquiries about elements of the chronology of dealings with and about
labor-dispute ridden Marriott Conference Hotel, remarks in conclusion:

"ALA's position has been consistent: we have an existing contract, signed
in 1997, with the San Francisco Marriott. "

That is not a "position." That is a datum.

Was/is  the position that, since 1997, nothing could or should have been
done by ALA  with regard to changing its selected conference Hotel for the
2001 Annual?

More questions follow:

1. Was ALA aware of a labor dispute in November 1997 when the contract was
signed?

2. Between then & Dec. 2000, when the conference registration forms were
mailed, did the ALA Exec. monitor & report on the labor dispute it mentions
on the registration form?

3. Did they officially express any concern that in three years the dispute
had not been settled and, if so, is there any documentation of this?

4. How/when did the Executive Director respond to the June 17th Letter
from Local 2 HEREU? Is this documented?

5. What was the response of the Excecutive Board to the letters etc from
Local 2 asking ALA to respect the boycott

6. What/when was the response to March 7th appeal by SFPL Library
Commissioner Susan Hildreth re respecting the boycott?

7. Were you, the Execeutive Board & the President, not, at any time,
contacted by Local 790's boycott support caucus urging action in support of
the Marriott boycott? If so when, what did they say, what did you reply?

8. What was the reply of President Nancy Kranich to the letter she
received from Coretta Scott King, urging her to get ALA to move all events
from the boycotted Marriott and may we see this document of response if it
exists?

Mark Rosenzweig
Councilor at large
________________________________________________________________________top

6. Resolution to be submitted to ALA Council on hotel contracts

ATTN: Resolutions Committee Chair, Councilors and Members

Resolution on Hotel Contracts for ALA Meetings

Whereas ALA meetings generate thousands of dollars in revenue
for the host cities of our meetings;

 And whereas hotels and conference centers are the most direct
beneficiaries of ALA meetings through ALA contracts;

 And whereas many ALA members are union members or supporters and may
not or may not want to cross strike or informational picket lines;

 And whereas ALA has negotiating power and freedom of choice in
choosing conference hotels;

 And whereas ALA hotel contracts already include a strike clause,
providing the flexibility to void contracts with hotels where workers
are on strike;

 Therefore be it resolved that all ALA hotel contracts will contain
both a strike and a boycott clause, providing the flexibility to void
contracts where labor bodies have endorsed either type of organized
action;

And resolved that this resolution be circulated to all major hotel
chains in the usual ALA conference cities.

Mark Rosenzweig, Councilor at large  & Al Kagan,  SRRT Councilor--
seconders TBA

[Relevant  ALA Policies include 7.1.1, 7.1.2, and 7.1.3; because they
specify other equity-related issues for conference hotel contracts.
and  54.11 because of its commitment to collective bargaining and trade
unions.]

________________________________________________________________________top

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