ILWU Victory in Olympia!!

On January 11th, food service workers employed by Fine Host Corporation at The Evergreen State College voted by close to a 3-1 majority to join the ILWU.  The workers will be affiliated with Local 47 (now Local 5). The vote was 31 for the Union, 12 against and 6 challenged ballots.

The challenged ballots were all challenged by the employer, and presumably were Union supporters. The food service workers initially held discussions with four different Unions before deciding on joining the ILWU.  They were helped in the campaign by rank-and-file activists from ILWU Locals 5, 23 and 47 and from the IBU.

During the campaign, the workers had substantial support from students, faculty and staff on the campus. They also began functioning as a Union without waiting for the NLRB, winning a grievance that resulted in the reinstatement of an unjustly terminated member. 

Statements of solidarity or support can be sent to ILWU Local 47 President Keith Bausch, or to ILWU International Organizer Paul Bigman, and will be forwarded to the Fine Host workers.

In solidarity,
Paul Bigman