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IWW Liquor Store Workers Fired for Union Activity by the Twin Cities IWW $13 an Hour

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IWW Liquor Store Workers Fired for Union Activity by the Twin Cities IWW $13 an Hour OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER oF THE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD INDUSTRIALMay 2013 #1755 Vol. 110 No. 4 $2/ £2/ €2 WORKER The Struggle Continues May Day Special: The The IWW And Earth Spain: CNT Takes On In Wisconsin: Two Years Global Fightback First!: Establishing Battle With Iberia And Counting 3 Against Austerity 6-7 Roots 8-9 Airlines 15 IWW Liquor Store Workers Fired For Union Activity By the Twin Cities IWW $13 an hour. In January, the workers also Labor Relations On Saturday, April 6, passers-by were turned in a petition asking for holiday pay. Board (NLRB). treated to the sight of a large picket out- “If there’s anywhere that needs a “We will keep side of Minnesota’s highest volume liquor union, it’s a store like Chi-Lake,” said fighting until they store, Chicago Lake Liquors (Chi-Lake), Wallace. “Despite the immense amount rehire all five of in Minneapolis. Picketers held signs and of money that we bring in, our wages are the fired workers chanted slogans of support for the workers incredibly low. We have no paid sick days and give us all the of the store, five of whom were fired after or holiday pay. Scheduling is inconsis- raises we deserve. asking for higher wages as a part of a union tent, and we put up with unsafe working We’re not going to drive with the IWW. conditions and sexual harassment on a allow ourselves to Although workers had been discuss- daily basis. We’ve come together to de- be bullied by man- ing forming a union and acting for better mand respect and dignity on the job for agement. We’re conditions in their workplace for almost a everyone working at Chi-Lake, and they’ve going to win this year, the event marked the first time any responded with nothing more than aggres- fight,” said Speck- of them publicly declared their IWW af- sive union busting,” she added. tor. filiation. This declaration and action came At the picket, the workers and support- The campaign on the heels of management firing five ers demanded that management rehire at Chicago Lake union employees—Hallie Wallace, Arella those whom they fired illegally, provide all Liquors represents Vargas, Max Specktor, Davis Ritsema, and the employees with the requested raises, a new step for Food Joe Giwoyna—shortly after these workers and stop union busting. and Retail Workers presented a petition signed by the majority In addition to the picket action, the five United, an organiz- of the shop’s workforce asking for a dol- fired workers also filed unfair labor prac- ing committee of Wobblies and supporters picket Chicago Photos: libcom.org lar raise for raising the $10.50 pay cap to tice complaints (ULPs) with the National the IWW. Lake Liquors on April 6. Sisters’ Camelot Workers Continue Strike Star Tickets Workers Face Retaliation By X364359 and X370448 By Evelyn Stone and Striking canvassers were Deirdre Cunningham unsurprised but appalled to learn Since going public in on Monday morning, April 8, late January, we in the that the management collective IWW Star Tickets Workers (which disingenuously calls itself Union in Grand Rapids, a “worker collective”) at Sisters’ Mich., have faced retali- Camelot in Minneapolis had ation from our employer. refused the strikers’ latest offer We are responding to these to end the strike. The union had union-busting activities made significant concessions in with phone zaps, internet the offer, scrapping all economic actions, picket lines, and demands except for medical an unfair labor practice coverage for on-the-job injuries, (ULP) complaint with the but retaining their demands for National Labor Relations Picket on anniversary of strike. Photo: The Organizer workplace democracy. Board (NLRB). The Sisters’ Camelot can- workers declared they were on strike and Retaliation against the Workers picket on April 1. Photo: grsbuxunion.blogspot.com vassers began organizing in December left the meeting. After the following col- union began on March 11, when a client Tom Good said if the investigation 2012 and shortly thereafter reached out lective meeting on March 4, the collective services representative at the Star Tickets determines that Deirdre has a case, the to the IWW for assistance. The Sisters’ fired striking canvasser ShugE Mississippi, call center was fired and replaced by an NLRB will try and settle the issue by seek- Camelot Canvass Union went public to accusing him of stealing money in 2009 independent contract worker following ing reinstatement and back pay. If some the managing collective on Feb. 25 as and being manipulative and abusive (see our successful vote to unionize on March kind of settlement cannot be worked out, members of the IWW. They presented “Wobblies Organize, Strike At Nonprofit 6. The contract worker was hired under a the NLRB may issue a complaint ahead of their demands to their bosses on March 1. In Minneapolis,” April IW, page 1). two-month contract. scheduling a hearing before an administra- After a few clarifying questions and a one- Since that time, the canvassers began Following this, a shop certification for tive law judge in Grand Rapids. hour long recess, the collective refused to door-knocking around the community to the Star Tickets call center was issued on Punitive firings like this have been ef- negotiate on any of their demands. The Continued on 5 March 25. One of the lead organizers and fective in frightening other workers away a client services representative, Deirdre from participating in the union because Industrial Worker Periodicals Postage Cunningham, was fired on March 26. On they have a legitimate fear of illegal re- taliation. Deirdre has declined an offer PO Box 180195 PO Box 180195 PAID March 27, a ULP charge was filed with the NLRB, alleging that the discharge of of severance pay, preferring to fight for Chicago, IL 60618 Chicago, IL 60618, USA Chicago, IL justice rather than be paid off to go away. and additional the first client services representative was mailing offices to discourage concerted activities and to This puts her in a bad situation financially, ISSN 0019-8870 erode the bargaining unit and that FW but we believe her reinstatement is neces- ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Deirdre’s discharge was discrimination sary to demonstrate to our fellow workers due to union activity. She has been work- that they’ll be protected if they stand up ing at Star Tickets for nine years so for her for themselves. In another example of to be fired the day after union certification retaliation, two other organizers received was extremely transparent. write-ups on March 28 for small mistakes Garret Ellison of Mlive.com quoted that, in the past, they would not have been resident officer at the Grand Rapids written up for, and, we contend that, if NLRB Tom Good as saying that the NLRB non-union workers had made these mis- would be launching an investigation into takes, they would not have been written the firing and that such firings are not up. One of these organizers, Alisa Stone, uncommon. The article went on to say has been working at Star Tickets for three that Michigan’s new right-to-work law, years and never gotten a write-up, and, on which took effect March 28, has no direct the week of our certification, she got two. bearing on the case because the new law Again, this is very transparent. Our office doesn’t directly affect the union organizing is small, and our organizing committee or election process. Continued on 5 Page 2 • Industrial Worker • May 2013 Prisoners Inspired By IWW Marx Had It Right Greetings Fellow Workers, Dear editor, My name is Phillip R. and I am a Wobbly who Critics of Karl Marx are fond of telling scientific socialists and all those who is currently in prison. A few months ago I was oppose the wage system that the Marxian experiment has failed—that socialism sent the “Think It Over” pamphlet (thank you and the abolition of the wage system have been tried and have always failed, GHQ [General Headquarters] volunteer), which is pointing us to Russia, China, Cuba and the like. beautifully designed and well-written. I was able A cursory examination of the supposedly “socialist” systems established Letters Welcome! to make many copies of it through a clandestine in these countries reveals that these revolutions established state capitalism distro network (using the prison’s resources) that rather than abolishing the wage system and commodity production. Dissent Send your letters to: [email protected] with we prisoners had running at the institution where and freedom of assembly were outlawed. They traded according to the dictates “Letter” in the subject. I was at. I was able to distribute the pamphlet of international capital and, like every other capitalist state, were prepared to Mailing Address: widely, reaching many fellow prisoners. The pam- go to war to defend their economic interests. Industrial Worker, P.O. Box 180195, phlet somehow even made its way into the hands of In short, what has in the past been held up as “Marxism” has nothing Chicago, IL 60618, United States. a couple guards, who eventually tracked me down whatsoever to do with what Marx’s theories actually entail. and asked me to tell them more about the IWW. Capitalism, or the market system, is rampant. The system’s dominant class Get the Word Out! At the same time, I was frequently approached by is holding a monopoly over the means of life throughout the world. But Marx- IWW members, branches, job shops and fellow prisoners who had the read the pamphlet ism, the intellectual energy that will end capitalism, lives on in spite of all the other affiliated bodies can get the word and were quite interested in learning more about efforts of its avowed enemies, and in spite of its professed friends.
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