Berkeley Honda on Strike - Important Picket Action (Sat) and other ways you can help

ALL OUT SATURDAY!
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Students for Labor Solidarity is calling for your support!

** Join a PICKET against UNION BUSTING BERKELEY HONDA,
this SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15th, at the North End Zone / Memorial Atadium

** Meet at Berkeley Honda picket line (Shattuck at Parker)
between 10:00-11:00 AM, and carpool to the stadium, or
just show up at the North End Zone at 11:30 to join the picket.
The picket will last one hour.

Tim Beinke, hosts his "free tailgate party" at Kleeberger Field, right next to
Memorial Stadium. At the last home game, Tim himself physically stole stacks of
fliers from Berkeley Honda picketers and the UCPD
intimidated the picketers and tried to deny them the right to pass
out their leaflets. We need a show of support for these workers,
who have been on strike for months now, against a man
so callous that he put a sign up at his dealership in response to the
strike claiming the dealership was having a "strike sale". We also
need a show of support against the intimidation of the UCPD,
against their encroachment on our first amendment rights in favor
of the crass business interests of the university.

For Maps:
Berkeley Honda (picket line):
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=2600+Shattuck+Ave,+Berkeley,+CA
Kleeberger Field: http://berkeley.edu/map/maps/CD67.html
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more detailed info below!



BACKGROUND
============
As of June 1, 2005, the Doten family sold their dealership after 40 years in
Berkeley. The service, department employees, mechanics, service writers,
detailers and parts technicians have been represented by the Machinists Union
(IAM Local 1546) and Automotive Teamsters Local 78. They'd gotten decent wages
and benefits that had enabled them to work at the shop for an average of 20
years and to live in this community.

At first, the new owner promised that he would recognize the union. In a spirit
of cooperation, they asked him to honor the old union contract, with a one-year
freeze in wages, giving time to negotiate a new contract. He refused. Workers
asked him to maintain the current staff for a period of 100 days before making
any decisions about which employees to keep or terminate. He refused. Instead,
he replaced 50% of service and parts department staff (with average tenure of 20
years) with individuals with none or minimal experience; eliminated workers'
pension; and flatly refused to hire the shop steward, a 31-year employee,
replacing him with a new trainee.

Strike sanction has been authorized by the Central Labor Council, Alameda County
AFL-CIO. For more information, please call Don Crosatto at 638 6705 or the Labor
Council at 632 4242.

THE UCB CONNECTION
===================
First Person: UC, Berkeley Honda: Free Beer, But No Free Speech
By ZELDA BRONSTEIN
"There's a strike at Berkeley Honda. The owners of the business have raised
big bucks for Cal. Is UC siding with the dealership to the extent of bending or
breaking campus rules about free speech and free alcohol? Based on what I
observed on campus last Saturday afternoon, the answer appears to be yes."

Read more about the outrageous treatment of the berkeley honda picketers by
Memorial Stadium :
http://www.berkeleydaily.org/text/article.cfm?issue=10-04-05&storyID=22441

JOIN THE PICKET AT THE DEALERSHIP!
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Workers also need people to picket the sales entrances of Berkeley Honda. Carol
and Harry Brill will be coordinating this campaign. Either send an email or call
us at (510) 559-3138. Harry Brill can be emailed at: <harry.brill at
sbcglobal.net. We are requesting that you volunteer a little time, from one
hour or more during the following days and hours:
Monday through Friday: 6-8pm | Saturdays 3-6pm | Sundays 12-6pm