There will be an IWW meeting this thursday at 5pm at Bread and Roses (1009
4th Ave E).
Lots of exciting things going on with the union, with a few shops in town
that may go union before we know it. This meeting will be very important
and the next few months will be crucial for the IWW.
I have a new number so please contact me if you'd like.
Brendan Maslauskas Dunn
Olympia IWW delegate
360 878 1879
The gist from what I've read:
IWW and SDS members were holding an informational picket and march outside a pan-asia restaurant in North Providence, RI. At issue was the restaurant's refusal to terminate its association with Dragon Land Trading, a NYC supplier that reportedly pays its workers $5 an hour and makes them work 100 hours a week.
As they peacefully marched, police attacked organizer Alex Svoboda, throwing her to the ground, and dislocating her knee. She's expected to need three surgeries. Police charged her with assaulting three officers, resisting arrest, and obstructing justice. They also arrested another demonstrator, and charged him with obstruction of justice. Several demonstrators were also pepper-sprayed.
Photos of the brutality are here: http://wallynotorious.livejournal.com/408076.html
The story from the local newspaper:
From the Providence Journal:
Protesters, police scuffle near restaurant
01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, August 12, 2007
By Elizabeth Gudrais
Journal Staff Writer
NORTH PROVIDENCE — A 22-year-old Providence resident suffered a dislocated knee during a scuffle with the police yesterday, as officers intervened in a protest over the labor practices of a New York food distributor used by a local restaurant.
The police and the protesters tangled before the protesters even reached their destination, Jacky's Galaxie, a pan-Asian restaurant at 1449 Mineral Spring Ave. The protesters had parked at a Brooks Pharmacy a few blocks away and were walking to the restaurant when six North Providence officers arrived and directed them to move to the side of the road because they were obstructing traffic.
The situation escalated. The police used pepper spray. The demonstrators said officers were restraining Alexandra Svoboda, and she was trying to get free, when they "tackled" her and dislocated her knee.
"I think they were making an example of her because they were frustrated" said Mark Bray, of Providence, an organizer for Industrial Workers of the World, the labor union that arranged the protest along with the Brown University group Students for a Democratic Society. Protests "don't happen very frequently in North Providence," he said. "They don't have experience in dealing with groups like us."
Bray said he believed the incident constituted brutality and that the group would be examining avenues of recourse. The police response "was excessive and there's no excuse for it," Bray said.
Asked about Bray's statement, police Sgt. Michael Paiva, who was on the scene, said, "I totally disagree." He said the officers' response was justified in part because they were severely outnumbered.
The protesters estimated the group's size at 30 to 40, but Paiva said there were 100 protesters.
Six officers were facing a crowd of "100 people screaming in the middle of the street, refusing to move and disobeying every order the officers gave them," Paiva said.
The police charged Svoboda, of 139 Wood St., Providence, with three counts of assaulting a police officer, and with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Paiva said Svoboda was "hitting," "kicking" and "pushing" officers.
He said one officer, Brian DiPetrillo, suffered minor injuries, but declined to specify what type of injury.
Jason Friedmutter, 23, also of 139 Wood St., was also arrested, charged with obstructing an officer in the line of duty.
Paiva said he expected Friedmutter would be released after appearing before a bail commissioner at police headquarters yesterday. He said Svoboda would appear before a bail commissioner at Rhode Island Hospital, where she was being treated.
The hospital had no information on Svoboda's condition last night, but Bray said she was undergoing surgery.
The altercation occurred around noon. Half an hour later, the traffic on the always-busy Mineral Spring Avenue was complete gridlock.
At Jacky's, it was lunchtime and the neon "Open" sign was lit, but the parking lot was empty, except for police vehicles.
Two dozen protesters milled about in the 85-degree heat, chanting "No more sweatshops!" and holding signs reading, "Jacky's Galaxie doesn't care!" One banged drumsticks on a plastic bucket hanging upside-down from a string around his neck.
Two state police troopers joined the North Providence officers in keeping watch over the situation. For a brief time, a Johnston officer with a police dog was also at the scene.
"You've got to do something," the restaurant's owner, Jacky Ko, said to the officers. "They can't stay here."
When Deputy Police Chief Paul Marino approached to tell the protesters they needed to move onto the sidewalk instead of standing in the parking lot, one responded, "Hell of a day to be an officer, breaking a young girl's leg!"
Marino did not respond.
Outside the Subway restaurant next door, a man leaned against the wall, munching a sandwich in the shade and watching. He was just one of many onlookers the spectacle attracted.
A short time later, another officer approached them to warn: "If you stand still, it's considered loitering. Keep moving."
Eventually, the protesters confined themselves to the sidewalk and began filing in a small oval, carefully avoiding the restaurant driveway.
Their complaints were not specifically with the restaurant, but with Dragon Land Trading, a New York-based restaurant supply company from which Jacky's buys.
The students said Dragon Land Trading failed to pay minimum wage and overtime, as federal labor laws require, fired employees who joined a labor union, and changed its name to evade an investigation by the New York attorney general.
A search of the New York state corporations database turned up a Dragon Land Trading Inc., with Jim Zhong as registered agent, and an address of 162 Mott St., Apt. 15, in Manhattan, but no phone number or Web site for the company could be found yesterday. A phone number the protesters gave for the company was not answered.
The protest group included students from Brown, Providence College and Rhode Island College, other Rhode Islanders of various ages, and Balthazar Ramos, of New York, who said he worked for the supply company for two years but was fired for his union involvement. Ramos said he worked 112 hours per week, was paid $4.90 per hour, and was not compensated for overtime.
Bray said Jacky's is not the only restaurant in Rhode Island to use the supply company. He declined to name the other restaurants, saying the group is still trying to work with them to get them to switch suppliers.
Ko claimed yesterday that he stopped buying from the company early last month and has been using a different supplier since then. Bray said he had spoken with Ko in the weeks leading up to the protest and Ko had never mentioned this.
Ko brought out invoices to prove it, and showed them to Bray.
Bray asked for photocopies. Ko said he would provide them.
Half an hour later, the demonstrators said he returned and told them he had consulted his lawyer and did not plan to give them copies.
The protest disbanded at 2 p.m., but Bray said they planned to continue picketing Jacky's, and possibly also at the chain's other locations, in Cumberland and Bristol, until they got satisfactory proof that the chain has switched suppliers.
Raid In Shelton, 25 Detained-Mobilize!
author: Smash ICE
Mobilize!
Today, Aug. 10th, 25 workers were detained in Shelton by the Mason County
Sheriff. They were clearing brush from a field but ended up working in the
wrong field. Somehow the police found out and went to where they were
working. There, they detained 25 people and took them to Mason County
Jail, where they are currently being held. They will be taken to the ICE
Detention Facility in Tacoma either tonight or tomorrow.
We are meeting in front of the Tacoma Federal Building (directions below)
tomorrow, Aug. 11th, at 2 PM. Those planning on being there should come
with supplies (signs, megaphones, ideas, desires, puppets, etc.) and be
ready to do what they want. Those wishing to do something (make a speech,
distribute liturature, propose a plan, etc.) should come prepared. This
just happened today and we are doing the best that we can, given the
circumstances.
Also, a vigil had been planned weeks ago for tomorrow in front of the
detention facility at 10 AM. Smash ICE is not in contact with any of the
groups behind this. We would like to coordinate, if possible. If any of
the groups organizing around this wish to make any suggestions write to
smashICE@gmail.com. Two events going on in the same town is a start and we
could potentially join up or otherwise aid each other's efforts.
In Olympia: A carpool will be leaving at 1:15 from the corner of Harrison
and Division (parking lot next to abandoned building in strip mall on
Division). Bring your cars!
In Tacoma: People are currently making more concrete plans in Tacoma and
the details will be posted on the comments section of this article.
Let us show ICE and the government that this insanity cannot continue. Let
us make as big of a hassle for the City of Tacoma and ICE as we can.
In Solidarity,
Smash ICE
Direction to Federal Building:
Heading North:
From I-5, take Exit 133. After taking this exit, take the City
Center/Tacoma Dome exit. Merge onto I-705 N via the exit on the LEFT
toward CITY CENTER. Take the S 21ST STREET / WA-509 N exit toward PORT OF
TACOMA. LEFT onto S 21ST ST / WA-509. Continue to follow S 21ST ST. Take
right onto Pacific Avenue. After passing S 19th Street the Federal
Buidling should be 100 feet in front of you. It is the large domed, brick
building.
Heading South:
From I-5, merge onto I-705 N via EXIT 133 toward CITY CENTER. Take the S
21ST STREET / WA-509 N exit toward PORT OF TACOMA. Turn LEFT onto S 21ST
ST / WA-509. Continue to follow S 21ST ST. Take right onto Pacific Avenue.
After passing S 19th Street the Federal Buidling should be 100 feet in
front of you. It is the large domed, brick building.
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: July 26, 2007
FROM: UFCW Local 141 United Staff Nurses Union
RE: Contract offer rejected/Informational picketing authorized
PROVIDENCE ST. PETER HOSPITAL
Registered Nurses
The contract at Providence St. Peter Hospital covers 600+ nurses who have been at the negotiating table for six months. The previous contract expired March 1, 2007. A dedicated number of the nurses have met tirelessly with management to resolve issues and provide a quality contract.
On July 11, 2007 the nurses at Providence St. Peter Hospital voted to reject management’s June 22nd contract offer by a 97% rejection margin. The nurses also voted by a 97% margin to authorize the UFCW Local 141 Negotiating Team to set a date for informational picketing. Federal Mediator, Jeff Clark, has been notified of the results of the voting and the next date for mediation will be July 30.
The Union Negotiating Team has selected the date of July 30, 2007 starting at 6:00 a.m. for informational picketing. This will be part of a public campaign to inform the community about the unresolved contract issues and the nurses’ ongoing concerns about staffing levels, patient care and working conditions at Providence St. Peter Hospital,
Providence St. Peter Hospital’s staffing problems are best resolved by investing it its own nurses. Informational picketing gives management the strong message that we are tired of the delay and want a quality contract and we want it NOW!
For further information contact:
UFCW Local 141, United Staff Nurses
UFCW Local 141 represents approximately 3,000 nurses at twenty-two hospitals throughout the state of
Solidarity Works
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: July 26, 2007
FROM: UFCW Local 141 United Staff Nurses Union
RE: Contract offer rejected/Informational picketing authorized
PROVIDENCE ST. PETER HOSPITAL
Registered Nurses
The contract at Providence St. Peter Hospital covers 600+ nurses who
have been at the negotiating table for six months. The previous contract
expired March 1, 2007. A dedicated number of the nurses have met
tirelessly with management to resolve issues and provide a quality
contract.
On July 11, 2007 the nurses at Providence St. Peter Hospital voted to
reject management's June 22nd contract offer by a 97% rejection margin.
The nurses also voted by a 97% margin to authorize the UFCW Local 141
Negotiating Team to set a date for informational picketing. Federal
Mediator, Jeff Clark, has been notified of the results of the voting and
the next date for mediation will be July 30.
The Union Negotiating Team has selected the date of July 30, 2007
starting at 6:00 a.m. for informational picketing. This will be part of
a public campaign to inform the community about the unresolved contract
issues and the nurses' ongoing concerns about staffing levels, patient
care and working conditions at Providence St. Peter Hospital, Olympia.
We are hopeful that informational picketing will help us reach an
agreement on a contract that is competitive, fair, and meets the needs
of the nurses at Providence St. Peter Hospital, Olympia.
Providence St. Peter Hospital's staffing problems are best resolved by
investing it its own nurses. Informational picketing gives management
the strong message that we are tired of the delay and want a quality
contract and we want it NOW!
For further information contact:
UFCW Local 141, United Staff Nurses Union - John Aslakson, (253)
946-1141
Providence St. Peter Hospital - Jim Leonard, (360) 493-4100
UFCW Local 141 represents approximately 3,000 nurses at twenty-two
hospitals throughout the state of Washington.
Solidarity Works
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Support Grocery Workers
From: "Linda Averill" <lindaeaverill@peoplepc.com>
Date: Sat, July 28, 2007 12:38 pm
To: "Linda Averill" <LindaEAverill@peoplepc.com>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please Forward Widely!!!
July 28, 2007
Dear labor activists,
We are writing to alert you to the campaign by union grocery workers to
win improved wages and benefits for themselves and their families. As you
may have heard, Locals 21, 44, and 81 of United Food and Commercial
Workers are negotiating their next three-year contract with Kroger (QFC
and Fred Meyer), Safeway, and Albertsons. The union is determined to win
its 20,000 members better wages and health benefits to keep up with
soaring living costs in the Puget Sound area.
As of Wednesday, July 25, 2007, the employers have sent signals to
UFCW’s bargaining team that they expect workers to take concessions as a
condition of reaching a tentative contract agreement. Workers are in no
position to give concessions â€" nor is there any reason they should! All
three of these national chains are extremely profitable and rank among the
50 richest corporations in the U.S., according to Fortune Magazine.
Together, they banked $8 billion in profit last year alone. Meanwhile:
• The average grocery worker makes $13 an hour. Forty percent make less
than $10 per hour. And the average work week is only 26 hours/week.
• If workers call in sick they lose a day’s pay.
• It takes 10 months on the job before a worker can get family health
care coverage.
It is in the interest of all workers, organized and unorganized, to see
that UFCW members get a fair contract with living wages, benefits, and
conditions. We want to ensure that other Puget Sound employers feel the
pressure to raise wages and benefits, not lower them, Wal-Mart style.
At this point, plans are developing for rallies and other public actions
to support grocery workers. Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity (OWLS)
will pass along updates as we learn of them. You can also receive your own
updates by signing up at the Northwest grocery workers website:
sharethesuccess.org.
Until public actions are announced there are other things you can do:
• Write letters to the local newspapers in support of grocery workers
and the union.
• When you shop at these stores, take a few minutes to let the workers
know you support them, and tell management that their employees deserve
living wages and benefits.
• Inform your union or community organization that UFCW is negotiating
for: 1) wages that keep up with Puget Sound living costs; 2) affordable
health care; 3) sick leave and family-friendly scheduling (currently
workers’ schedules are posted only three days in advance).
In solidarity,
Linda Averill and Mike Jung on behalf of
Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity
________________________________________
PeoplePC Online
A better way to Internet
http://www.peoplepc.com
To our community from the Director of Proyecto CIELO in Olympia:
Please alert any media contacts you have to help get the word out.
And please stay tuned for helpful things we can do to support the
separated families and denounce these arrests.
best,
Jean Eberhardt
Residents report that at about 5:00 yesterday's morning (Thursday
May 31st) ICE agents raided an apartment complex and a mobile home
park nearby in Shelton) and took (at least) 17 people. The detained
people included both men and women, but it appears that the agents may
have avoided residents who had children or if the woman was
pregnant. One resident of an apartment that was not raided reports
that it was done quietly, and that unaffected residents didn't know
about the raid until two hours afterwards. There is an advocate
onsite at the apartment complex today and will be gathering more
information.
There is an interesting connection between a visit that the
Washington State Commission of Human Rights did last week to Shelton
and the raid. At the meeting last week a Hispanic man came forward
to denounce repeated abuses by the management of an apartment
complex towards Hispanic and immigrant tenants. The raid last
morning happened, coincidentally, at that apartment complex. There is
another interesting connection: large numbers of the immigrant
population in Shelton live of harvesting salal (sometimes better
know as brush). The harvesting season came to an end couple of weeks
ago and this is the time when you can easily find people at their
homes at times when, during the harvesting season, they would be
working.
There was and still is a lot of confusion and fear in the
community. Some families have been separated and there were people
in the street on tears. There is a deep feeling of fear and
silence. Many have left the community, included relatives of those
detained. There are rumors that ICE continued operations during the
whole day and more people may have been detained. The local bilingual
elementary school is organizing van rides to pick up the kids of
the families who are afraid to leave their homes.
The Washington State Human Rights Commission has already been notified
and contact has been made with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to
find the detainees at the detention center in Tacoma. The community is
working on providing support to those families who will suffer
financially because of the loss of the head of household. We need people
to spread the word around and ideally, contact the media to get the
story out.
--
Patricia Vázquez
CIELO ESL Program Coordinator
3102 8th Ave NE
Olympia WA 98506
(360) 790 7825
Hi all,
The IWW in Olympia is finally getting reorganized. We'll be having our
first meeting next thursday May 17th at 5pm at Bread and Roses Advocacy
Center (BRAC) which is located at 1009 4th Ave E. There are several active
campaigns going on right now through the IWW - we just need to coordinate
our activities, organizing and planning so we can be more effective.
Past dues will also be collected at the meeting and new red cards will be
issued to new members.
This meeting is open to everyone - new wobblies, old wobblies, and non
wobblies.
Hope to see you there.
contact olywobs@riseup.net for more information.
Hi all,
The IWW in Olympia is finally getting reorganized. We'll be having our
first meeting next thursday May 17th at 5pm at Bread and Roses Advocacy
Center (BRAC) which is located at 1009 4th Ave E. There are several active
campaigns going on right now through the IWW - we just need to coordinate
our activities, organizing and planning so we can be more effective.
Past dues will also be collected at the meeting and new red cards will be
issued to new members.
This meeting is open to everyone - new wobblies, old wobblies, and non
wobblies.
Hope to see you there.
contact olywobs@riseup.net for more information.
May Day - Tuesday!
International Workers Day / Immigrant Rights Day
Carnival and Celebration in Sylvester Park (downtown Olympia) from 12 noon
until 3pm. Baloons, bubbles, speakers, C.I.R.C.A. Boredom Patrol (a
border-busting traveling circus from San Diego), cake walks, puppets, face
painting, music.
March starts at 4pm for immigrant and workers rights.
Brought to you by members of the Poor People's Union, Inmigrantes Unidos
de Shelton, Students for a Democratic Society and Industrial Workers of
the World.
also, there will be a pancake breakfast starting at 9am where camp Quixote
used to be (behind the Brotherhood downtown). PPU members eat for free.
Tuesday April 24, 2007
Spanish Workers Set Up Burning Barricades to Protest at Car Plant Closure
MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Hundreds of workers set up burning barricades and
piled up rocks to cut off a highway in southern Spain Tuesday in the
latest protest against the planned closure of a U.S.-owned car parts
factory.
Workers shouting, "If Delphi closes, war, war, war," and wearing matching
T-shirts, shut down a stretch of a road leading from the Delphi Corp.
plant to the coastal city of Cadiz.
"This is about maintaining industrial activity. It's for the future of the
bay, our children and grandchildren," said Juan Jose Herrera Andres, a
Delphi worker and union activist, referring to the broader Bay of Cadiz
area, which includes 14 towns that would suffer from the plant closure.
Delphi, based in Troy, Mich., announced in March it would close the plant
in Puerto Real with the loss of 1,500 jobs, blaming high costs for
operating losses of 150 million euros ($196 million) over the past five
years.
Unions say that the closure of the factory, which produces steering
equipment, suspension gear and bearings, will cause severe hardship for
4,000 people who live in the Cadiz region, which already suffers from
de-industrialization.
Over the past month, Delphi employees have been striking for four hours
every Tuesday and Thursday. Last Wednesday workers from each of the 14
towns in the Cadiz area organized a one-day general strike -- the first
coordinated protest.
