FC: Unions sue member for posting constitution on the web

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Tue Feb 26 2002 - 20:43:28 PST

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    [If only William Gammert had someone to stick up for his rights... Like a 
    worker-formed collective organized for mutual interest that could stand up 
    to the authorites and defend his right to be free from oppression! :) 
    Anyway, the Subject: line is a little misleading. The lawsuit is not just 
    about posting the union's constitution but also defamation and breach of 
    contract. Also, it looks like the lawsuit was filed last year; it's unclear 
    what has happened since. I invite UFCW to reply. --Declan]
    
    ---
    
    From: lapalmeat_private
    To: declanat_private
    Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 15:39:19 -0500
    Subject: Fwd - spelling corrected (oops)-  Union sues member for posting 
    constitution on the web
    
    The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union has joined
    with UFCW Canada and Local 777 in a lawsuit charging a grocery clerk with 
    copyright infringement for posting the union's constitution on the Web.
    
    In a move reminiscent of the Church of Scientology's prosecution of
    critics who published internal church documents on the internet, the
    UFCW is also seeking a gag order against the clerk, William Gammert.
    The gag order seeks to censor or shut down his site while the lawsuit
    is pending.
    
    The UFCW is also suing over alleged defamatory comments about Local
    777 and its president, Gib Whitlock, on Gammert's Web site. On the
    site, Gammert referred to the UFCW as "the United Fraud and Corruption
    Workers" and questioned whether Whitlock's compensation arrangement
    amounted to bribery. The suit also tries to hold Gammert responsible
    for comments posted to his site's Guest Book.
    
    Gammert, a part-time clerk who earns $7/hr, is seeking pro bono legal
    assistance.
    
    Text of the  lawsuit:
    http://www.ufcw.net/files/pdf/williams_writ.pdf
    
    Gammert's Web site:
    http://www.geocities.com/ufcw777
    
    Source of this article:
    http://www.retailworker.com
    
    
    
    
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