The Class Struggle Continues...
Union rights and working conditions are under attack.
We need militant unions to push back against low pay and unsafe work! Please
join the Boston IWW and USW
Local 8751's Team Solidarity in a discussion of the fightback which is
daily gaining momentum. This event brings together
activists who are battling corporate greed and union-busting. Panelists will
detail their organizing work, answer questions, and help interested attendees
get plugged into ongoing campaigns. The event will take place on Saturday,
February 8, starting at 6 pm, at Encuentro 5, 9 Hamilton Place, Suite 2A, in Boston (steps from
the Park St Red Line T stop & 2 blocks from Downtown Crossing). The Facebook
event is here.
Panelists include:
Dreadsen (Chicago)- Dreadsen helped lead a strike against retaliatory firings that united service workers, Teamsters and locomotive engineers, shutting down work in multiple rail yards across Illinois and Wisconsin. Dreadsen and his co-workers at Mobile Rail Solutions (a truck company servicing locomotives), are struggling for justice under the banner of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The union has campaigned for basic safety equipment like proper gloves and respirators, as well as pressing for better pay.
Steve Kirschbaum and Fred Florial (Boston)- Steve, a founding member of United Steelworkers’ Local 8751, and Fred, Shop Steward and Organizer for Team Solidarity, will describe the union’s struggle against the Veolia Corporation. Despite agreeing to honor the union contract, since Veolia took over management of the Boston School Buses, the conglomerate has violated nearly every article regarding wages, benefits and working conditions and repudiated the established grievance and arbitration procedures. When bus drivers demanded a meeting with management to address the attempted shredding of their contract, Veolia locked the workers out, then accused them of conducting a wildcat strike. Veolia has since fired four leaders of the union including Steve. All have been out of work since November.
Jonathan Pena (Boston)- Jonathan is one of the Insomnia Cookies workers who launched a strike for union rights & recognition on Aug 21. Insomnia Cookies refused to provide a half-hour break for shifts longer than six hours. The company also failed to pay minimum wage. Bakers and cashiers at Insomnia Cookies were being paid $9 an hour, while drivers were paid just $6/hr. Workers at Insomnia Cookies joined the IWW, and have continued to struggle for better pay, union recognition and decent working conditions ever since. Terminated by Insomnia for his union activity, Jonathan keeps pressing for justice for himself and his fellow workers.
Tasia Edmonds (Boston)- Tasia's activism includes defending civil liberties, rape crisis center work and campaigning for environmental justice. She has gone public with her IWW affiliation and remains employed at Insomnia Cookies. Management has been more careful about paying minimum wage and allowing breaks since the union drive began, but bike delivery workers and bakers still struggle to make ends meet. Insomnia refuses to pay Workers' Comp. Employees report that when they get hurt making deliveries in traffic, the boss's response is to ask "Why are you late?" As an IWW member, Tasia advocates for improved conditions in her store, and is engaged in building the union.
Panelists include:
Dreadsen (Chicago)- Dreadsen helped lead a strike against retaliatory firings that united service workers, Teamsters and locomotive engineers, shutting down work in multiple rail yards across Illinois and Wisconsin. Dreadsen and his co-workers at Mobile Rail Solutions (a truck company servicing locomotives), are struggling for justice under the banner of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The union has campaigned for basic safety equipment like proper gloves and respirators, as well as pressing for better pay.
Steve Kirschbaum and Fred Florial (Boston)- Steve, a founding member of United Steelworkers’ Local 8751, and Fred, Shop Steward and Organizer for Team Solidarity, will describe the union’s struggle against the Veolia Corporation. Despite agreeing to honor the union contract, since Veolia took over management of the Boston School Buses, the conglomerate has violated nearly every article regarding wages, benefits and working conditions and repudiated the established grievance and arbitration procedures. When bus drivers demanded a meeting with management to address the attempted shredding of their contract, Veolia locked the workers out, then accused them of conducting a wildcat strike. Veolia has since fired four leaders of the union including Steve. All have been out of work since November.
Jonathan Pena (Boston)- Jonathan is one of the Insomnia Cookies workers who launched a strike for union rights & recognition on Aug 21. Insomnia Cookies refused to provide a half-hour break for shifts longer than six hours. The company also failed to pay minimum wage. Bakers and cashiers at Insomnia Cookies were being paid $9 an hour, while drivers were paid just $6/hr. Workers at Insomnia Cookies joined the IWW, and have continued to struggle for better pay, union recognition and decent working conditions ever since. Terminated by Insomnia for his union activity, Jonathan keeps pressing for justice for himself and his fellow workers.
Tasia Edmonds (Boston)- Tasia's activism includes defending civil liberties, rape crisis center work and campaigning for environmental justice. She has gone public with her IWW affiliation and remains employed at Insomnia Cookies. Management has been more careful about paying minimum wage and allowing breaks since the union drive began, but bike delivery workers and bakers still struggle to make ends meet. Insomnia refuses to pay Workers' Comp. Employees report that when they get hurt making deliveries in traffic, the boss's response is to ask "Why are you late?" As an IWW member, Tasia advocates for improved conditions in her store, and is engaged in building the union.
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