IWW / Make-the-Road-by-Walking Amersino Workers Locked Out After Rigged Union Election
Submitted on Sun, 04/30/2006 - 9:20pm
Join Us: 5:30 AM till afternoon MAYDAY Morning Picket line (5/1) On Gardner between Metropolitan & Meadow in Greenpoint. L train to Grand St. walk east on Grand over bridge and right on Gardner. Contact Tomer at 646-753-1167 if you can make it.
Or Jam Up The phone Lines! call 718-821-3388 or fax 718-497-9550 demand a fair election, an end to violations of minimum wage and overtime laws, and respect from the boss. www.iww.org/node/2396.
Recent Developments
On April 28th Workers at Amersino voted whether to join the Industrial Workers of the World. 35 people voted and 20 votes are contested. Throughout April, the boss made threats to fire the workers and close the wharehouse. He bribed workers to not vote for the union. After weeks of this anti-union activity the boss unsurprisingly manipulated the election. Several of the votes were taken from managers or workers that do not work at that location. Also, around 10 pro-union worker's votes were withheld on the account that the boss claims they do not work at that location.
On April 29th, a day after the rigged election, two leaders were suspended without just cause. The Union workers walked out declaring that the group would not work unless the two leaders return to the job. The boss quickly brought in scabs to replace the union workers. Though many scab workers were talked out of work on Saturday we expect a full load of scabs again on Monday.
Support the Locked Out Amersino workers! On MAYDAY take a stand for justice at work and join our rowdy picket line!
Background Info:
04/21/2006 .
Staff Report - Industrial Worker, May 2006 On March 20 at 5:30 a.m. workers at Amersino, a produce distribution warehouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., met in a deli to sign IWW membership cards and prepare to stand up to an abusive boss. On that chilly Monday morning close to 20 Latino workers along with a diverse IWW contingent - including workers from Handyfat, Starbucks and Mayday books - marched on the boss demanding the immediate reinstatement of fired workers, an end to violations of minimum wage and overtime laws, and respect from the boss.
As the boss drove up in his new Mercedes Benz, workers marched with bikes in hand ready to demand justice. The showdown between the workers and their boss is just one example of the class conflict that exists in New York City. The workers organized to end the harsh treatment from the boss who would yell racist remarks at workers while paying them far below what they earned.
Meanwhile the boss used the money he was stealing to build a collection of trucks he is using for his long haul operations and other business endeavors. The workers surrounded the boss as IWW organizer Billy Randel negotiated. After exchanging some words and laying out the demands two fired workers were immediately reinstated. In addition the boss agreed to temporarily agree to all demands. Although that did not mean much, it was enough to prevent a strike. Workers returned to work proudly wearing their IWW buttons. Within the same week the boss began to engage in his anti-union campaign. In an attempt to intimidate workers the boss fired two workers claiming that since he rehired the other two workers he now has to fired these two. In addition, the boss refused to talk to IWW representatives and made it clear that he was not looking to negotiate.
On Saturday, March 25, Amersino workers once again met at 5:30 a.m. with the intension of going on strike unless their demands were met. With the help of IWW organizer Bert Picard, workers engaged in a consensus-based decision-making process. Workers decided that unless the boss reinstated the fired workers they would strike.
The workers then marched on and confronted the boss. The boss claimed he did not have the money to pay everyone, the boss asked workers not to be influenced by outsiders, the boss red-baited and declared his passion for America. Workers stood their ground as the boss rambled nonsense. Finally, after seeing that the workers were ready to strike, the boss rehired the two fired workers.
The boss at Amersino is still violating the law and stealing from workers, however the workers are backed by the IWW and Make The Road by Walking who together are building power for an underclass of undocumented workers in Brooklyn. Immigrant workers in Brooklyn are standing together and organizing in demand of an end to the abusive condition of work, an end to disrespect, and an onset of having their voice heard. An NLRB election is set for April 28.
In solidarity
Tomer Malchi
IWW Sbux Union Organizing Department
646-753-1167