Members of SDS Support Goodwill Truckers' Strike

About 20 members of Harvard SDS are supporting a work stoppage by truck drivers at Morgan Memorial Inc. SDS members are leafleting are urging customers not to enter Goodwill Stores, which are operated by Morgan Memorial.

The stoppage, which began July 8, was precipitated by the laying off of 15 workers. Currently all 74 drivers in the department are refusing to deliver goods to the branch stores.

SDS' role in the work stoppage will probably not take the form of active demonstrations. Neale Koblick '69 explained, "We don't want to usurp the drivers' role. They're primary in this."

An SDS pamphlet stated the drivers' demands: union recognition, reinstatement of the fired workers, increased wages, improved working conditions and more fringe benefits. According to the pamphlet, raises are arbitrarily given, with no regard to seniority.

kobolick said that the company had already agreed to reinstate the workers. Negotiations to settle the other demands will be held as soon as the drivers hold elections to choose union representatives.

Stuart Chase, Public Relations Director of Morgan Memorial, did not comment on the charges made by the drivers. He said, "It is necessary to view all the facts. I will wait to comment until the union officially presents the demands."

Morgan Memorial, Inc. is a non-profit organization providing jobs and training for 350 handicapped Bostonians. The transportation department picks up old clothes and other donations to be sold at the Goodwill Thrift Stores.

According to Chase, Morgan Memorial is not hiring other drivers to replace the strikers. "We are appealing for volunteer help," he said, referring Goodwill's request that people bring their own contributions to the stores.

However, a former employee of the Morgan Memorial personnel department claimed that the company had advertised for strike-breaking truck drivers. He resigned in support of the strikers.

Commenting on SDS' involvement in the work stoppage, Chase said, "SDS has a perfect right to distribute material and talk to people." He further stated; "The main thing necessary is to negotiate and get to work to serve the handicapped people.