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Joseph Goebbels (the German Minister of Propaganda during the Nazi rule), in a rare moment of honesty, once explained his success in convincing people of his lies. Start with a Big Lie-the more outrageous the better-then just keep repeating it. Don't debate it. Don't explain it. Just repeat it.

I am reminded of this propaganda tactic when I hear some of the "reasons" why Messengers haven't yet effectively united to solve our problems both on and off the job. This is not to say that people stating these reasons are Nazis or liars-just that they're repeating things that've been repeated more than they've been discussed. So at the risk of being disgusting I'd like to get some things discussed.

"We can't do it"-- Now just how rich would we all be if each of us had a penny for every time we've heard this one? The client doesn't think we can go far or fast or handle an oversize. But we do... time and time again. Those are cases we face on the job as individuals. Then there's the collective issues we face as a community. When we faced the September 1989 crackdown many of us really didn't think we could resist the power of the city government. I didn't think we could either but I also knew that I sure as hell was going to try. And we won. The next month the Quake closed the Bay Bridge and many of our employers didn't think we could handle the out of town tags. But we did and now it's common at many companies for us to get on BART or CalTrain or just ride across the Golden Gate or down the Peninsula. And in 1996 even our own brothers and sisters in other cities were nervous about our ability to organize the CMWC. Yet we put on the best ever Championships and made many innovations in the CMWC that remain to this day. This year we've just succeeded in doing tags through a record rainfall season.

Now some people say we can't organize ourselves to increase our incomes and improve working conditions. Organizing a union in the 90s is a tough challenge but before we say, "We can't do it," let's remember all those times we heard that in the past.

"Messengers are too individualistic to form a union"­ The implication here is that individualists don't join unions. Give me a break. It takes guts, brains, heart and more than a little nerve to form a union ­ especially in these days. Harry Bridges, Cesar Chavez, the Reuther brothers and Dolores Huerta were not sheep or automatons. They were rugged individualists in the fullest sense of the term. The dockworkers and sailors who won the 1934 S.F. General Strike had nicknames like Suitcase, Patch 'em Up Red, Ape, Pelican, Spike, Overcoat, One Round, Forty Fathoms, Left Rudder, T. Bone, Hamburger, O'Hoolee How Red, Lantern Jaw, Soap Box, Ham & Eggs, Fine & Dandy, High Hat, High Pockets, Coconuts, Long Nose, Moon Face, Kokomo Kid, Freddy the Trout, Lord Love A Duck, Scrapper and Diamond Stew. Don't some of those names sound familiar? In other words those were guys like us! They were sea dogs and we're gravy dogs.

We're San Francisco Bike Messengers. We can do it... and we should.

Your President,
Howard Williams

B of A return tag

Paine Weber
$1,084,379.02
-Cole Miller

It seems that News Flash made a slight error in the last issue and wrongly reported that Flash Messenger did not have Workman's Comp. Sorry guys. But when the article was originally written and supposed to be published, you hadn't had it yet. Congrats!

And speaking of congrats... Ultra Ex has raised its commission. Sort of. The 4% increase only takes place under certain conditions. You must wear your helmet and uniform, you can't miss an hour of work during any work day, for any reason-including a doctor's appointment. And, apparently a lunch. Ultra Ex messengers recently had to sign a meal waiver, waiving their right to take a lunch. Is that legal?

Doc also recently raised long board rates. Short board rates are still pretty low though. And now he gives clients the first 25 lbs. free.

By the way, that 4% commission increase brings Ultra Ex's walkers and riders up to 44%, not 54% commission. Seems Doc has blacked out that 8% discount he tacked onto the messengers tags last year.

Speaking of commission increases... ProMess riders got together and effectively made some changes at their company, stating that if they made more money and were treated better they'd be happier, more productive workers and would stay at the company longer.

They got waiting time decreased from the first 15 minutes free down to 10 minutes. And weight decreased from 25 lbs. free (ouch) to 15 lbs. (ow). They've also negotiated a rain day bonus, which I'm not too clear on. I think you have to work a 7-hour day and it has to rain more than 3 hours in that day for you to receive a $20 bonus. I've got conflicting reports on that, so don't quote me. They also got a 2% commission increase. But as one ProMess rider put it, 52% of dick is still dick. ProMess, like most companies in SF, needs to raise their rates.

ProMess and Ultra Ex both promised their riders more comfortable uniforms in the form of jerseys. Tho, it still hasn't happened for either company. Talk, talk, talk...

And speaking of lycra... DMS, RMS, UPG! Be sure to read Joel's explanation of the Universal Payout Grid. I sort of picture Greg Austin looking like Peter Seller's Dr. Strangelove in the movie "Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Love the Bomb." Lay off the crack guys. Not all of us have learned to love the rock, and we can't understand how the UPG benefits the DMS, or is it RMS, riders.

And back to uniforms... Congrats to Brian Blakley of Q.S. on designing the new King uniforms. They look great!

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