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Alan Weaver Papers Related to the Sierra Employees Alliance, United Autoworkers Union, Local 2103
larc.ms.0248
larc.ms.0248
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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.
. 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
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.
Collection is open for research.
[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.
Donated by Alan Weaver in 2002, accession number 2002/019.
The collection was processed in February 2005 by Heather Cooper.
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.
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.
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.
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.
John
Muir
Local
100
, which represents field employees.
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.
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.
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.