Category — Labor

Forgot to mention in my previous post about the Providence IWW action that it would be wonderful to get a big carpool (dare I say, caravan?) to the protest next month. I will also send a note out to other relevant listservs, but I hope we can rally some righteous queers against the fucking pigs in N. Provi. If ever you needed a reason for why they get called that, just take a glimpse of Alex’s leg. Fuck the pigs. The only people they protect are the rich.

On August 11 2007, while marching in solidarity with our union
sisters and brothers of the Industrial Workers of the world (IWW) 460/640
campaign in NYC, the Providence, RI IWW branch was attacked by the out of
control North Providence Police force. During the attack Providence IWW
member Alexandra Svoboda was brutally maimed by officers of the NPPD and
arrested. Jason Friedmutter, also of the Providence IWW branch was
arrested as well. Alex has faced a long road to recovery that she is still
on. Alex and Jason both face dubious criminal charges that the City of
North Providence has drummed up in order to thwart Alex from receiving
justice and to protect their violent, inexperienced police force.
Included in this article is a brief, but all encompassing account of
August 11, ‘07, Alex’s injuries and recovery, Alex and Jason’s legal
status at the time of this writing.
[Read more →]

QWB stands in solidarity with the unionizing of all workers especially those in the low income brackets. From the janitors, to the cafeteria workers, to the hotel and restaurant employees and to the newest group being organized by SEIU Security Officers.

The Summer issue of “Building Strength” the magazine of 32BJ of SEIU had some very good news regarding the effort to unionize the low income workers in the Security profession. A little note here: Some Security Officers in New York City make $7.00 an hour. We won’t even get into what is expected of them in performance of their duties. [Read more →]

See Utah’s website for an official obituary.

[Read more →]

QWB got this leaflet yesterday. Let’s support the Cafeteria Workers of Travelers’ in any way we can.

COULD YOU LIVE ON A CAFETERIA WORKER’S SALARY?

A Cafeteria Worker employed by Aramark, serving food to the employees of Travelers, earns $9.68 an hour. That’s $387.2o a week before taxes!

The average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Hartford is over $700.00 a month. (1)

The average gas price per gallon in Connecticut is $3.83. (2)

After all the bills are paid, would YOU have money left to put food on the table?

Call on Travelers’ Brian Maclean, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President to tell Aramark to Respect its Workers. 860-277-0111.

We Can’t Live on Poverty Wages!

(1) http://www.ct-housing.org

(2) Source: AAA Daily Fuel Gauge report; www.fuelgaugereport.com/sbsavg.asp.

Info: www.unitehere.org

UNITE HERE! Local 217, 860-246-2561

Minneapolis is the shit. Big-ups.

A group of Latino workers, at the Twin Cities-based D’Amico’s & Sons restaurant chain have organized and taken direct action to resist being fired for receiving “No-Match” letters from the Social Security Administration. The workers ­ many who have well over a decade of service for the company ­ have been joined by family members, some co-workers, the Workers Interfaith Network (WIN), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Twin Cities General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) and others. [Read more →]

A bill that mandates paid sick leave SB 217, An Act Mandating Employers Provide Paid Sick Leave To Employees is now in the Senate and deserves our support. Many of us, the working poor, do not have paid sick days along with 75% of our sisters and brothers. Add that to all of us who do not have health insurance. Where I work in a receptionist, security position if my co-workers get sick its stay home with no pay or come in and be sick at work. Most of us being low paid to start with come in to work. More often than not then the whole crew gets sick and we have a mess on our hands. None of us should have to go to work sick risking our health and infecting others. This same scenario is played out daily all around Connecticut. It makes me angry to think what the CEO’s of CT. companies are making, what the managers, the presidents, the owners of companies are making and I am sure they all have sick days. I know my boss does. He gets 5 a year and if not used the days are added to the 5 for next year. His insurance doesn’t cap out for anything and he is only an account manager for a Security company. For some very good information on payed sick leave see: www.everybodybenefits.org or www.ct-workingfamilies.org. For the text of the Senate bill see here. [Read more →]

Great report from our comrade Steve visiting Oslo

Hi all, just thought I would drop you a line from Oslo.  Got sent here by US Labor Against the War at the request of the Norwegian Peace Initiative, their nationwide anti-war group.  Although they have unions in the coalition, they are struggling to involve more grassroots folks from the labor movement.  It seems like they are doing a pretty good job, though, without my help. The president of the Peace Inititative, Thomas Tallaksen, is 28 years old. [Read more →]