FC: Unions sue member for posting constitution on the web

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[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: lapalme () mail com
To: declan () well com
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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