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Sunday, April 26, 2020

Pope Francis, George Eastman, And Union Organizing At Costco And Trader Joe's

Compas,


Except for his first job as a stock boy at Mohican Market in Rochester, New York, my dad spent his entire work life as an optical engineer for Eastman Kodak Company, which -- back when the world's population was far less than it is now -- employed nearly 500,000 people worldwide. (Currently, Kodak employs 1600 people in Rochester and 6000 worldwide.)

Notably, George Eastman loathed unions. 

An interesting datum about Eastman is that his suicide note read: "To my friends: My work is done. Why wait?" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Eastman

To prevent unions from making headway at Kodak, Eastman paid his workers -- and gave them benefits -- that unions could only dream of. (My maternal grandfather, Julius Joseph Noll, was the treasurer for the Carpenter's Union and the Glazier's Union in Rochester, New York.)

In a meaningful way, I think Kodak's treatment of workers can be considered a victory for unions by way of the implicit progressive pressure they applied.

Whatever unions' shortcomings may be, it is the only structured, socio-political mechanism we have to prevent Capital from running roughshod over the working class. (One of the many feathers in Pope Francis' hat is his ardent advocacy on behalf of unions. (See a brief "bibliography" on this topic at the bottom of this email.) 


Great Graph Showing The Relationship Between Union Strength 
And Workers' Quality Of Life

Trader Joe’s and Other's Suppress Unionization Efforts During Pandemic



Michael Sainato
April 23, 2020
The Guardian
As workers become increasingly concerned about workplace safety, employers have been suppressing organizing efforts


The Teamsters Union represents more than 15,000 Costco workers at 55 locations in California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. Costco has more ...
Oct 30, 2013 - Organized by the Teamsters, Costco is union-friendly and meets workers on an even playing field when it comes to bargaining, and as union ...

Search Result

Web results

Jun 28, 2017 - Labor unions must guard and protect workers, but also defend the rights of those "outside the walls," particularly those who are retired and the ...
Jun 29, 2017 - Why Pope Francis just called labor unions “prophets”. The pope just lashed out at "advanced capitalist societies." Again. By Tara Isabella ...
Jul 6, 2017 - Distinctly Catholic: Pope Francis' speech to a delegation from the Confederation of Trade Unions in Italy was short but remarkable, using ...


Jul 14, 2017 - Speaking to representatives from Italian organized labor, Pope Francis blessed the work of labor unions. Meeting at the Vatican during their ...
Jul 8, 2017 - Pope Francis delivered an address to the Confederation of Trade Unions in Italy (CISL), and his message is a compelling one. It can be read in ...
Sep 2, 2019 - At a time when labor unions are weak, Catholics still have a place in the ... of Popes Pius XI, John XXIII, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis.

Oct 23, 2017 - Now, prompted by the Pope, a new generation of labor priests and ... at the union's headquarters a few months before Pope Francis's 2015 visit ...


Great Graph Showing The Relationship Between Union Strength 
And Workers' Quality Of Life



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