Wobblies keep up the fight at NYC warehouses

What: PICKET @ Sunrise Plus/EZ Supply in Ridgewood, Queens
.
When: Saturday, March 10, 2007, from 8:30-10:30 am

Where: Sunrise Plus/E-Z Supply, 48-01 Metropolitan Ave. in Ridgewood, Queens.

Why: In an attempt to rise out of sweatshop conditions, workers in the Brooklyn wholesale food distribution industry have engaged in strikes, protests, and filed lawsuits alleging minimum wage and overtime violations. Over 20 workers from two warehouses were fired in the past few months in retaliation for their union activities. This is a direct assault on workers, and we want to show the bosses that we won't stop the fight!

These workers need your support as they struggle to enforce the minimum wage and demand their right to organize.

For more info call
Billy J Randal at 646 645-6284 or email iww.nyc@gmail.com

Directions and details
Sunrise Plus/E-Z Supply, 48-01 Metropolitan Ave. in Ridgewood, Queens.
Take the L train to the Grand Street stop, walk east over bridge and onto Metropolitan Ave. Walk 6 blocks past fork in the road, Sunrise Plus (EZ-supply) will be on the left.

Background and recent coverage:

Workers of Brookyn and Queens Unite! (Feb. 22, 2007)
By Nik Kovac
http://www.queensledger.com/StoryDisplay.asp?PID=1&NewsStoryID=5345

Protestan contra abusos laborales (Feb. 20, 2007)
By Jose Acosta
http://eldiariony.com/noticias/detail.aspx?section=17&desc=LOCALES&id=1588655

Food industry workers rally through Bushwick for equal pay (Feb. 19, 2007)
http://www.news12.com/BK/topstories/article?id=190211
Video
http://www.students4globaljustice.org/jonnylocks/bkfood.asf

Trabajadores protestan en Brooklyn (Feb. 19, 2007)
http://www.telemundo47.com/noticias/11056511/detail.html?taf=nueva
Video:
http://mfile.akamai.com/12946/wmv/vod.ibsys.com/2007/0220/11062824.200k.asx

The 460 campaign began around a year and a half ago when workers at Handyfat, a food distribution warehouse, approached the Bushwick Latino community/workers center, "Make the Road by Walking." The Handyfat workers had already organized outside of any union, but were looking for support. Make the Road by Walking put them in touch with Billy Randel and Bert Picard, two experienced IWW organizers. Since then, the campaign has expanded to four other warehouses, and we are constantly talk to more and more workers.
EZ-Supply/Sunshine Marketing Corp.
Amersino
Top City Produce
Giant Big Apple (Beer distributor)

A year ago, workers at EZ-Supply voted for IWW representation in a NLRB certified union election. In May of last year, Amersino's boss rigged their election by saying that a number of his friends were a "night shift" that didn't actually exist. Later he illegally fired several key organizers. The NLRB is (still) currently considering action against Amersino regarding the firings. EZ-Supply on the other hand flaunted its obligation to bargain in good faith with the union after the successful election, and retaliated and harassed union members. Only in November of this year, after leafletting EZ-Supply's customers (restaurants) and convinced several to switch to a different supplier, did EZ-supply reinitiate bargaining with the union. At this juncture the union negotiated a landmark contract (for the industry) that was tentatively agreed upon by EZ-Supplies boss and the union. In December, the union marched on Top City Produce to demand the boss pay their workers according to minimum wage requirements and to recognize the union. Also in late December the union filed several lawsuits against all of the above companies for wage and hour violations, in excess of 100,000 dollars. At this point, within a week or so, Handyfat, EZ-Supply, Amersino, and Top City all gave their union workers letters requesting workers' immigration papers. This move, although a flagrant violation of the law and clear retaliation for union activity, was their trump card. The bosses had never requested to see any immigration papers before and some of the workers had worked for their respective companies for over 10 years. EZ-Supply also claimed that it had never tentatively agreed to a union contract. The next week, the very day the IWW served EZ-Supply with a complaint for back wage violations, EZ-Supply fired all its union workers. Next Handyfat did the same. Top City had also closed temporarily to "reorganize" its business supposedly to get rid of debt but rehired everyone as of February 15th. This leaves 25 workers. The union's defense fund has compensated all the workers for their lost pay and all have gotten new jobs by now. Major court action against the employers is pending from the NLRB and the Department of Justice for various lawbreaking.

check out www.iww.org for more info about the wobblies. we have an excellent website!

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