WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS AD?

 I tried to place it in our union magazine, ICG. I was set to pay the going rates, but it was rejected, they say, because “the magazine only accepts ads that sell products.”

 Trying to abide by the rules, I submitted this second ad, selling the new 12 On 12 Off hats:

 This one was rejected as, “too political.” I assume that TAKING A STAND IN THE FIGHT AGAINST LONG HOURS is “too political.”

 So, in an effort to conform, this third ad’s copy refers only to the selling of the lighted hat. The only words that some may consider “political” are a direct quote of an IATSE Resolution.

 Rejected again!

 In a message from Associate Publisher Teresa Munoz, I was told that the magazine/union relationship is like a “separation of church and state situation, where the magazine is separate from the union, and they don’t want to deal with anything that is the least bit ‘political.’”

 What are the complete rules to put an ad in our union magazine? Angry and frustrated with the lack of clarity, I asked to be given them in writing. To this date, I have received nothing.

 However… apparently that request didn’t go unnoticed! I received an urgent Sunday call from an obviously upset President Poster. I guess he feels it’s just Haskell, always trying to make trouble with his campaign against long hours. He told me that I don’t seem to understand the situation. He told me that he’s on a picture, and he’ll explain it to me when he “gets around to it.”

 There’s much more to this story than just the rejection of these ads. With your help, I think we need to examine the fundamental question; are we a Guild or a Union?

 A GUILD was a medieval association of similar trade or craft. Shoemakers, Tinsmiths, artisans, etc. They associated to make standards of excellence and limited the people to join by requiring high standard tests. Being a guild member was a guarantee of quality to the Feudal Lords. With mass production the quality of the shoemaker was not a factor. Working at a machine, his “guild artisan status” disappeared and Feudal Lords became corporate.

 UNION’s were formed to protect and advance the status workers. The struggle for union recognition, for the 8-hour day was full of sacrifice and courage in the face of repression and violence.

 We changed the name of our Union to a Guild. Our magazine, our literature, speak little about organizing, little about wages, safety, job security – nothing about oppressive greedy bosses or the meaning of the words, “it’s not in the budget.” We do have seminars to concentrate on all those things which may make us better technicians, more desirable craftsmen for the corporations who are now the Feudal Masters.