“Negativity’s too enchanting, Cuz the world seems so depressing (…) We all need inspiration.” A bit of it here, at least for me, in three short wobbly news stories.
Workers Prevail in Independent Union Authorization Card Count
Majority of East End Food Co-op Workers Demand Union RepresentationPITTSBURGH, PA—A clear majority of workers have chosen union representation at the East End Food Co-op, Pittsburgh’s only member-owned natural and organic food market. The East End Food Co-op Workers Committee, affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), held an independent union authorization card count after their employer refused to accept the workers’ signed cards as
democratic proof of union support. The Thomas Merton Center, a well-known and respected peace and social justice organization since 1972, facilitated the card count and verified the results on July 6, 2006.On behalf of the Thomas Merton Center, Board member Michelle Burton Brown stated in a written declaration of confirmation, “The East End Food Co-op Workers Committee, an affiliate of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), has obtained a clear majority of workers who wish to have the IWW serve as their exclusive bargaining agent for the purposes of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement covering wages, hours, and all other terms and conditions of employment with their employer, the East End Food Co-op.”
“We couldn’t be more pleased with these results,” said Hope Anne Nathan, a Co-op worker. “We’ve worked really hard to reach out to all of our co-workers and discuss the union so they could make an informed decision. Workers’ support for the union was obvious to us. Now we’ve clearly proved it with a neutral, third-party counting the cards and recognizing the Workers Committee as the
bargaining agent.”Evan W. Wolfson, another Co-op employee said, “The law doesn’t yet compel employers to accept the results of an authorization card-count, but we’re certain that most Co-op’s shoppers and advertisers understand what happens when workers feel disrespected and voiceless. The quality of the Co-op is going to suffer if management doesn’t start listening to their employees.”
The Workers Committee began its organizing drive with the IWW on May 15, 2006 to improve working conditions, pay and benefits, and to address long-standing issues of low staff morale and high turnover. The Co-op employs approximately 50 workers who would be covered by a labor contract should the union prevail in its quest for legal bargaining rights.
At the June 26th meeting of the Co-op Board of Directors, the Board and General Manager heard several testimonials from employees and Co-op members overwhelmingly in favor of unionization and the card-check process. Without making a statement either for or against the union, the Board abruptly departed from it previous practice of dealing with the union and delegated authority and control over union matters to the store’s General Manager. Since then, management has disavowed the card-check process in favor of a secretive ballot election and has hired Braun Consulting Group, based in Seattle, Washington – a known union-avoidance firm with experience in dealing with union campaigns at
consumer co-operatives.Contact:
Stacey Clampitt (412)758-9045
East End Food Co-op Workers Committee
WeRunItIU460@yahoo.comPO Box 90315
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Union Wins Landslide Victory - Shattuck Cinema Workers Pull Through with Vote for The IWW
BERKELEY 6:30 PM — This afternoon workers at Landmark Shattuck Cinemas voted an outstanding 22 to 2 in favor of unionization. Despite new promises by Landmark and an attempt by CEO Bill Banowsky to thwart the union attempt, workers at the Shattuck say they’ve never really been worried about the vote.
“I’ve felt extremely confidant that the union would go through since the beginning.” said Ryan Hatt, cinema employee age 21. “Support has been almost unanimous since day one. There was no contest, if you would have asked me two months ago I could’ve guaranteed a landslide victory.”
Now that the vote has gone through, workers are looking ahead to the contract negotiation process. Contract negotiations at Kendall Square Cinemas in Cambridge, MA, the only other Landmark theatre to hold a union, have been moving extremely slowly with Landmark officials meeting only the bare minimum requirements to keep the negotiations process “in good faith” over the last year.
“We knew all along that the negotiations process would be the difficult part,” said Rachel Amberg, cinema employee age 18. “But we’re ready to do whatever it takes to make sure Landmark doesn’t jam the gears. If Landmark was really interested in “good faith” negotiations, we could get the whole process taken care of in under a month.”
Though the struggle may not be over, w
orkers at the Shattuck are looking with high hopes towards the future, and with massive support from the citizens of Berkeley and a landslide victory now behind them, that future looks bright indeed.
“We couldn’t have made it without the Berkeley community.” Said Jason Ramsey. “They’ve been very supportive the whole way through and we just can’t thank them enough for it. It’s good to know they have our backs.”
Contact: Organizer, Harjit Gill - (415)374-5711 or harjit@iww.org
Starbucks workers continue to join the IWW despite intimidation, harassment, and constant violations of the law.
At 2:45 on Friday, June 16th a delegation of the IWW Starbucks workers union entered Starbucks at 57th and Lexington.
Workers on the shop floor put on their IWW union pins and let the company know that they too were members of the Starbucks Workers union. Workers stopped working as they presented theirdemands to their store manager Patrice Britton.
The Store manager refused to take the list of demands and ordered everyone back to work. Workers spoke out and let the manager and customers know their concerns. Meanwhile several wobblies were passing out leaflets outside letting customers know what was happening inside.
There was chaos on the floor where the manager was telling workers to get back to work meanwhile customers were asking what was happening and why they weren’t being served. There was shouting and arguing.
Finally District manager Veronica park arrived and quickly singled out the leaders. Isis Saenz and Charles Fostrum were told to count their registers and clock out. They refused and then were taken into the back room.
Management yelled at the two to clock out and they continually refused. Isis constantly accused management of anti-union discrimination to which manager Patrice Britton exploded in anger. District manager Veronica Parkseven had to calm Patrice down several times when he began to get worked upand out of hand. After 10 minutes workers were finally allowed to go backto work.
This is the 5th Starbucks store in NYC to establish a public organizing committee and make collective demands from the company. Some of these demands included a guaranteed 30 hour work week, an end to the 1-minute lateness policy, an end to unfair firings. Workers also called upon the company to stop all illegal anti-union activity, stop violating federal labor law and to abide by the National Labor Relations board settlement (http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/712). Take action!
Call Starbucks management and let them know you do not approve of worker exploitation and the continuing anti-union campaign. Tell them to stop intimidating and harassing workers and allow us our right to organize.
* Store Manager Patrice Britton: Work: 212-486-1632 Cell 917-528-6409
* District Manager Veronica Park: Cell : 201-970-1118
* Regional Director Kathy Mcleod: Cell : 917-862-145 or Work 212-613-1280 ext 2226
* Regional VP James Mcdermont: Work: 212-613-1280 ext 2201