Disclaimer - The opinions of the author do not necessarily match those of the IWW. This article is reposted in accordance to Fair Use guidelines.

February 29, 2008

What Has Happended To UAW Local 292?
by Kari And Adam Bird/UAW Local 292

Some of our elected union officials have not proven their ability to represent, let alone protect, union members—the people who pay their dues and elected these officials.

We are losing pay, benefits, work rules and the contracts are eroding.

LEGACY PROBLEMS

Disclaimer - The opinions of the author do not necessarily match those of the IWW. The image pictured to the right did not appear in the original article, we have added it here to provide a visual perspective. This campaign is not an IWW campaign, but it is being reported here, because it is an example of rank & file struggles within the pro-capitalist mainstream business unions. This article is reposted in accordance to Fair Use guidelines.

By Gabe Wilson and Matt K., Bay Area IWW

This commentary is a response to Christine Staples' "Truth to Power: what Truth? What Power?" of November 16th, 2007, in which the author attempts to portray the striking workers at Metro Lighting and their union as thugs attempting to "take over Metro Lighting, or to drive them out of business trying." These accusations are too ridiculous to deserve a response, and they only serve to divert attention from the real issues at the store. Her editorial makes no attempt to deal seriously with the concerns of Metro Lighting's employees, so we would like to make these real issues known.

Workers have the right, protected by law, to take concerted activity to improve their conditions at work and to bargain with their employer over these conditions. The workers at Metro Lighting were brave enough to assert this right, and have faced unwillingness to negotiate and illegal retaliation from the owners. What led up to this?

The San Francisco Bay Area Branch was out in full force this Saturday on the picket line in solidarity with striking workers at Metro Lighting, Berkeley's now infamously "green" lighting business.

Highlights included songs, chants, lots of honking and the owner, Lawrence Grown, posting a profile of a sociopath in the window.  (We assume that he was warning customers of his presence!!!)  Many customers chose not to cross the picket line and were directed to other Berkeley lighting businesses, but those that dared to cross the picket line were loudly booed and resorted to leaving shamefully out the back door.

Workers at Metro Lighting are striking over the unfair labor practices of the owners, Lawrence and Christa Grown, who last month fired one of their workers for labor organizing and whistle blowing over unsafe working conditions.  They are demanding that all union workers be rehired with back wages and a pay raise for the retail workers who make almost half as much as their co-workers in the assembly shop in the back.

Please come out this Saturday in support of our fellow workers at Metro Lighting from noon to five.  The business is located at 2121 San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley just south of University.  For those who cannot attend, please make sure to call them at 1-888-METRO20 or email them at info@metrolighting.com and let them know that you will be taking your business elsewhere.

Union workers at Metro Lighting are resuming picketing today as they strike over the company's unfair labor practices.  One union worker was fired last week for both union organizing and raising concerns over workplace exposure to toxic chemicals.  The other workers are striking over the company's repeated violations of federal and state labor law and are demanding that all union workers be allowed to return to work. 

Fired worker Gabe W. describes the behavior of Metro Lighting owners Lawrence and Christa Grown: "In the process of organizing, the boss made the environment very hostile. He would not negotiate on any terms and started retaliating from that point on. He hired union-busting attorneys, started harassing us at work and started surveillance of us. Our working conditions changed and the employee manual was re-written 3 or 4 times since we started organizing. New rules were made up, our hours were changed, our health care was cut."

Metro Lighting workers have been organizing with the Industrial Workers of the World, or IWW, and are fighting for a sustainable wage for all workers, safe working conditions and an end to the age discrimination that has resulted in thousands of dollars in lost wages to one worker in his 60s.

Metro Lighting owners have shown no willingness to negotiate with the union employees.  In an attempt to crush the morale of the union workers, they locked them out for over three weeks and claimed to have closed the business due to a "family emergency".  The business was clearly open, however, as they were taking appointments through their website or over the phone and have had scabs working in both the retail store and workshop the whole time.

Metro Lighting union workers are asking the community to come out and picket with them in solidarity this week and to let Metro Lighting know that Berkeley won't tolerate a business that is unfair to labor!

For more information, contact Gabe at 510-395-1324.

What can you do to help?

(1) Join our daily pickets from 12-5:00pm in front of Metro Lighting at 2121 San Pablo in Berkeley;

(2) Donate to our strike fund, make checks payable to the IWW with "metro lock-out fund" in the memo (send them to IWW PO Box 11412 Berkeley, CA 94712 or bring them to the picket line);

(3) Forward this message to your friends, family and fellow workers;

(4) Contact the owners (Lawrence and Christa) of Metro Lighting and let them know that you support the workers and will be taking your business elsewhere. (phone: 1-888-METRO20 )

Employees at Metro Lighting believe that a caustic alkaline chemical was released into their work area as a result of unsafe disposal on Thursday, August 9, 2007.  These caustic alkaline chemicals can cause pneumonia and blindness.