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UE Local 1110 Resistance and Recovery Tours stops in Cleveland |
Cleveland Jobs with Justice asks Walmart - Do you really believe in democracy in the workplace? |
Once again, the weather cooperated - the rain stopped long enough while 45 activists from several of our sister unions and organizations joined us at Walmart to challenge them about their role in the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace. We wanted to know if they really believe in democracy in the workplace. We wanted to know if they would allow their workers to vote in a secret ballot election. We provided the voting booth, ballots and the ballot box. All Walmart management had to do was allow their workers the chance to vote, on their breaks, without the fear of being fired. But, it came as no surprise, Walmart management would not allow the ballots to be distributed and told our leaders that no voting would take place in any Walmart store! So, Walmart, it looks as if you really do not believe in democracy in the workplace afterall. It seems you just use this as a way to try to convince elected officials and the public that you really are not the "Beast of Bentonville" like we know you really are. The "Beast" never seems to change. You just want to continue to fool the public by making some of us think you have. Well Walmart, we are not fooled! You are the perfect example of why we need the Employee Free Choice Act. |
Close to 70 Cleveland Jobs with Justice union members and community activists attended the Cleveland stop of the Resistance and Recovery tour to hear the incredible story of UE Local 1110. Union President Armando Robles told about the union take over of Republic Windows and Doors at the end of 2008. Company officials, at the urging of Bank of America - (yes, the same Bank of America who received $25 Billion in TARP money as part of the financial bail out) violated the Warn Act by closing down the factory without giving the employees proper notice and could not pay earned vacation pay because. Bank of America cut off the company's line of credit. Union members and officials occupied Republic Windows and Doors until they were able to negotiate a $7000 package for each of the workers. The real happy ending of this story is they are currently in negotiations with a California company who is looking to buy the factory, hire back all the employees and produce energy efficient windows!! UE Local 1110 is a true inspiration to all and a perfect example off why we need the Employee Free Choice Act! For more photos click here. |
The weather was horrible earlier in the day but the clouds broke and the sun was shining brightly as we rallied for the Employee Free Choice Act in Cleveland. Many of our partners from labor, faith and community organizations joined us at the Free Speech Quad on Public Square. In fact many put the crowd count at a respectable 150. There was even a special appearance by the Obama puppet who made his debut during the 2008 election season. Speakers included Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner; Harriet Applegate, North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, Executive Secretary; Linda Kurtzman, an employee at the AT&T Call Center who joined the Communications Workers of America through majority sign-up; Stanley Miller, Executive Director, Cleveland Branch NAACP; business owner Dave Kondik, Kondik Advertising and Printing and his son Aidan; and MacKenzie Bailey, Associate Regional Representative, Blue Green Alliance, Sierra Club. Mike Martino, UFCW Local 880 narrated the special production of the live street theater - R-Guy. |
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Video by Caleb Maupin |
NO HUGO Don't Go!! 300 workers will lose their jobs if the Hugo Boss factory on Tiedemann Rd in Brooklyn, OH closes. Members of Cleveland Jobs with Justice rallied in solidarity with Workers United in hopes of saving these jobs. If these jobs move overseas to Turkey or Bulgaria our workers will lose over $9.5 million which equates to a $21 million hit to the local economy. We were rallying to save jobs while Hugo Boss sponsored the prestigious Davis Cup, mens tennis tournament in Barcelona, Spain. Now this story gets even better.... or worse. Management has offered a one year trial to stay at the Cleveland plant but the workers have to take a 35% pay cut from $12.80 to $8.30 an hour. So they can sponsor a tennis tournament, which surely cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but they cannot pay their workers a living wage? Has someone somewhere taken all of these corporate hacks, put them in a room and brainwashed them all to believe we would not notice or do they think we are just really the dumb public? I am afraid they know many of us will just walk away shaking our heads, while saying, "Isn't that just too bad." Well guess what Hugo Boss? Not here. Not in Cleveland. You have our attention and we say - HELL NO HUGO!! DON'T GO!!! DO THE RIGHT THING - NO PAY CUTS!! |
Cleveland Rallies for the Employee Free Choice Act!! |
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