Alan Weaver Papers Related to the Sierra Employees Alliance, United Autoworkers Union, Local 2103
larc.ms.0248
Finding aid prepared by Heather Cooper, edited by Labor Archives and Research Center staff in 2013.
Labor Archives and Research Center
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
San Francisco State University
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722
(415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
2005, edited 2013
Title: Alan Weaver papers related to the Sierra Employees Alliance, United Autoworkers Union, Local 2103
Date (inclusive): 1980-1996
Collection number: larc.ms.0248
Accession number: 2002/019
Extent:
1.0 cubic ft.
(2 boxes)
Repository:
Labor Archives and Research Center
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
San Francisco State University
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722
(415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English.
Location: Materials are stored onsite.
Abstract: Material collected by Alan Weaver related to organizing Sierra Club employees, including the Sierra Employee Alliance (SEA),
United Autoworkers Union, Local 2103; and John Muir Local 100. Includes correspondence, emails, clippings, meeting agendas
and minutes, contracts, committee records, flyers and information packets. Contains various documents relating to staff reorganization
during the 1990s fiscal crisis, and domestic partner/ gay rights issues within SEA and the Sierra Club.
Creator:
Weaver, Alan
Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Labor Archives and Research Center. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the Labor Archives and Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Availability
Collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Alan Weaver papers related to the Sierra Employees Alliance, United Autoworkers Union, Local 2103,
larc.ms.0248, Labor Archives and Research Center, San Francisco State University.
Acquisition
Donated by Alan Weaver in 2002, accession number 2002/019.
Processing Information
The collection was processed in February 2005 by Heather Cooper.
Biography of Alan Weaver
Alan Weaver was an employee of the Sierra Club 1977-1997, beginning with the Hawaii Chapter and then moving to San Francisco,
where he worked in the Books Department. Weaver was involved in efforts to create greater staff involvement in the company
from the 1980s on and eventually helped to organize the Sierra Employee Alliance (SEA), which became an official representative
of employees in 1992.
History of the Sierra Club Alliance (SEA)
The Sierra Club was incorporated in San Francisco on May 28, 1892 by John Muir and other supporters in order to study and
preserve the mountain regions of the Pacific Coast. Since that time, the Club has worked to promote the responsible use of
natural resources through outreach, education, and programs which make the Sierra accessible to the public.
In 1978 the Sierra Club went through a fiscal crisis resulting in many lay-offs, which angered employees. In an appeasement
effort management agreed to the creation of the Sierra Club Stewards, a non-union employee association. The Stewards produced
an occasional newsletter, the
Independent, for some period in the mid-eighties. In 1989 or 1990, management announced that it would no longer meet with the Stewards,
claiming that it might be considered as a de facto bargaining unit. With this collapse of the only moderate alternative, many
staff were radicalized in the direction of forming a genuine union and joined forces with staff who had been exploring more
effective alternatives to the Stewards system since the early 1980s.
Beginning in 1982, individuals within the Sierra Club had hoped to organize a true union, and between 1982 and 1989 they investigated
various internationals, including OPEIU and others. Sylvana Nova, who worked on
Sierra Magazine, was a former employee of
Mother Jones, which was organized by District 65. Upon Ms. Nova's recommendation, Sierra Club staff approached District 65 for advice
and support in the organizing process. Alan Weaver, who had been an active member of the Sierra Club Stewards, contributed
significantly to the organizing effort along with Ms. Nova and Lorraine Vallejo. These employees were among the early activists
working under the advice of professional District 65 organizers to organize national staff. At the time, chapter staff were
hired and employed through the individual chapters.
Sierra Club management vigorously resisted union organizing and a National Labor Relations Board election was called in 1992.
Phil Berry was president of the Sierra Club and a lawyer at Berry and Berry, a law firm specializing in the defense of asbestos
manufacturers against worker health claims. He responded to staff organizing efforts by creating a company union (independent)
known as John Muir 100, named in honor of the 100th anniversary of John Muir's founding of the Sierra Club. During the NLRB
hearings representatives from John Muir Local 100 sat at the table with management, which was attracted to the possibility
of dealing with an independent union rather than having to face the resources, knowledge and professionalism of an international.
Prior to the election, District 65 was melded into the United Auto Workers. Those employees who chose to join John Muir Local
100 argued that District 65's absorption into the UAW compromised conservation effectiveness because the Sierra Club and the
UAW were sometimes on opposite sides of clean air legislation. The Conservation Department of the Club tended to favor John
Muir Local 100 for this reason.
In August, 1992 a three-way election was held with the following options: 1) no collective bargaining agent, 2) John Muir
Local 100, or 3) Sierra Employee Alliance (SEA). Sierra Employee Alliance (SEA) won 55 percent of the vote, having received
extensive support from the staff at San Francisco headquarters, and proceeded to bargain for a contract. John Muir Local 100,
which had no staff, simply used Sierra Club's (SEA's) contract once it had been accepted by management. Following Sierra Club's
(SEA's) victory, Executive Director Michael Fischer resigned, allegedly under pressure from Berry, and was replaced by Carl
Pope.
The Sierra Club faced another fiscal crisis during the early 1990s and worked with Sierra Employee Alliance (SEA) to negotiate
a longer work week, voluntary lay-offs, and other alternatives. As of 2005, Sierra Employee Alliance (SEA) continues to represent
Sierra Club national employees in concert with John Muir Local 100, which represents field employees.
Arrangement
The collection was not arranged in any meaningful original order upon receipt by the Labor Archives; the current order was
imposed by the processor of the collection. Folders are arranged alphabetically. The contents of each folder are arranged
in ascending chronological order, with any undated materials placed at the start of a folder.
Scope and Contents
Material collected by Alan Weaver related to organizing Sierra Club employees, including the Sierra Employee Alliance (SEA),
United Autoworkers Union, Local 2103; and John Muir Local 100. Includes correspondence, emails, clippings, meeting agendas
and minutes, contracts, committee records, flyers and information packets. Contains various documents relating to staff reorganization
during the 1990s fiscal crisis, and domestic partner/ gay rights issues within SEA and the Sierra Club.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Sierra Employees Alliance.
International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. Local 2103 (San Francisco,
Calif.).
Sierra Club.
Collective bargaining--United States--California--San Francisco.
Labor unions--Organizing--California--San Francisco.
Nonprofit organizations--Employees.
Box 1, Folder 1
Building Location Task Force
1993
Box 1, Folder 2
Domestic Partner/ Gay Rights Issues
1980-1994
Box 1, Folder 3
Employee Grievance and Arbitration Process
1989-1992
Box 1, Folder 4
Employee Investment and Staff Retention Task Force
1993-1994
Box 1, Folder 5
Employee Reorganization During Fiscal Crisis
1989-1994, undated
Box 1, Folder 6
Employee Surveys
1993-1994, undated
Box 1, Folder 7
Flyers and Information Packets (SEA and John Muir Local 100)
undated
Box 1, Folder 8
Issue Committee Correspondence re: Organizing Efforts
1992-1993
Box 1, Folder 9
John Muir Local 100 - Constitution
1992
Box 1, Folder 10
Labor Management Committee
1980
Box 1, Folder 11
Management Correspondence re: Unionization
1989-1993
Box 1, Folder 12
National Labor Relations Board Hearing
1991-1992, undated
Box 1, Folder 13
Press Clippings, General
1991-1994, undated
Box 1, Folder 15
Board of Directors
1989-1992
Box 1, Folder 16
Books Department
1986-1995
Box 1, Folder 17
Employee List
1992, undated
Box 1, Folder 18
Financial Updates/ Budget Shortfalls
1991-1994, undated
Box 1, Folder 19
Leadership and Activist Services Team
1994
Sierra Employees Alliance (SEA)
Box 1, Folder 20
Announcements
1992-1995, undated
Box 1, Folder 21
Bargaining Team Communiques
1993-1994, undated
Box 2, Folder 2
Bylaw Committee
1993, undated
Box 2, Folder 3
Contracts and Proposals
1994-1995, undated
Box 2, Folder 4
Dues and Benefits
1993-1994, undated
Box 2, Folder 5
Elections
1992-1995, undated
Box 2, Folder 7
Let's Get Organized: Flyers and Info.
1989-1992, undated
Box 2, Folder 8
Membership Correspondence, General
1992-1994
Box 2, Folder 9
Membership Lists
1992, undated
Box 2, Folder 10
Membership Meetings: Agendas and Minutes
1992-1995
Box 2, Folder 11
Negotiating Team Communiques
1992-1995, undated
Box 2, Folder 12
Newsletter (
SEA Waves)
1993-1996
Box 2, Folder 13
Outreach to Other Organizations
1991-1995, undated
Box 2, Folder 14
Staff Empowerment Process
1989-1993, undated
Box 2, Folder 15
Stewards Committee Communiques
1983-1993, undated
Box 2, Folder 16
Stewards - Newsletter,
Independent
1986-1988
Box 2, Folder 17
Strategies for Change Team
1991-1993, undated
