Solidarity with the Incarcerated Workers of the Free Alabama Movement!

April 21, 2014 Southern Maine IWW Uncategorized civil rights, economy, free alabama movement, industrial workers of the world, iww, labor union, news, politics, prison strike, prisoner rights, racism, slave labor, society, Wobblies, workers' rights

via IWW.org:

We in the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) have been approached by a group of hundreds of people currently incarcerated in Alabama who are launching a nonviolent prison strike beginning this Sunday April 20th to demand an end to slave labor, the massive overcrowding and horrifying health and human rights violations found in Alabama Prisons, and the passage of legislation they have drafted.

This is the second peaceful and nonviolent protest initiated by the brave men and women of the Free Alabama Movement (F.A.M.) this year building on the recent Hunger Strikes in Pelican Bay and the Georgia Prison Strike in 2010. They aim to build a mass movement inside and outside of prisons to earn their freedom, and end the racist, capitalist system of mass incarceration called The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander and others. The Free Alabama Movement is waging a non-violent and peaceful protest for their civil, economic, and human rights.

Check out additional info in this article:

http://www.libcom.org/news/alabama-prisoners-launch-strike-iww-offer-support-19042014

Industrial Worker – Issue #1764, April 2014

April 4, 2014 Southern Maine IWW News boston iww, economy, fight for fifteen, iceland, industrial unionism, Industrial Worker, industrial workers of the world, insomnia cookies, iww, labor union, miami iww, news, newspaper, politics, portland iww, society, solidarity unionism, syndicalism, wage theft, Wobblies, wobbly, zine

The Industrial Worker is the official (English language) newspaper of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) revolutionary labor union.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/216033460/Industrial-Worker-Issue-1764-April-2014

Headlines:
* Striking Workers At Boston Insomnia Cookies Win Settlement
* Portland IWW Fights Wage Theft
* Indiana IWW Celebrates One Year As A Branch

Features:
* Miami IWW: Fighting Back In High-End Hotels
* Exposed: The Adjunctification Of Higher Education
* Solidarity Unionism In Iceland

Citizen’s Co-Op Workers Union in Gainesville Needs Help!

March 24, 2014 Southern Maine IWW News action alert, citizens co-op workers union, gainesville florida, greenwashing, grocery store, hippie capitalism, industrial workers of the world, iww, labor union, news, politics, retail unionism, society, Wobblies, workers' rights

IWW members working at a consumer co-op grocery store in Gainesville, Florida, unionized recently to address conditions in their workplace. Following their first meeting with the store’s general manager, an ad appeared on Craigslist advertising one of the unionized workers’ jobs.

This morning, five out of seven of the unionized workers were issues notices of dismissal, apparently for their union activity, which is illegal and will be fought by the union. Yet sadly this is a typical reaction among employers to that their employees have unionized. Why is it so threatening a concept that workers should organize to have a say in how they do their jobs?

Your support is urgently needed at this critical time. Please read the union’s Facebook page for more details and info on how to help: https://www.facebook.com/citizenscoopworkers

IWW Organizer Tasia Edmonds reinstated!

March 24, 2014March 24, 2014 Southern Maine IWW News boston, economy, fast food union, fight for fifteen, industrial workers of the world, insomnia cookies, insomnia workers union, iww, labor union, maine, news, picket, politics, society, Wobblies, workers' rights

On Sunday, March 9, just six days after a settlement between Insomnia Cookies and four workers who went on strike last August, the company suspended bicycle delivery “driver” and union organizer Tasia Edmonds. Quick action by the Industrial Workers of the World, which represents Edmonds, the four strikers, and several other area workers, forced the company to reinstate Edmonds. Two dozen IWW members and allies picketed the Boston Insomnia Cookies location, where Edmonds is employed, on Friday, March 14. Organizers planned another rally for Saturday, March 22, after student allies from the abutting Boston University return from Spring Break, but the company capitulated, agreeing on March 20 to bring Edmonds back to work.

Edmonds was disciplined for speaking out against workplace injustices, which the boss called “Insubordination.” According to Edmonds ““I was suspended for my union involvement. I have never been disciplined before. I was not served any paper work detailing why I was suspended. I want to get back to work, and I want back pay for the days I missed.” While Insomnia has reinstated Edmonds, as of press time there is no confirmation that she will receive back pay for time lost during her suspension. The union is prepared to fight to win Edmonds’ lost wages, and to ensure Insomnia Cookies sticks to its promise not to discipline or intimidate workers for union organizing.

Reposted from:

http://iwwboston.org/2014/03/20/iww-organizer-tasia-edmonds-reinstated/

Tasia Edmonds, IWW Union Member at Insomnia Cookies, Fired! Union Claims Retaliation, Please Support!

March 14, 2014 Southern Maine IWW Uncategorized 04101, boston, economy, industrial unionism, industrial workers of the world, iww, labor union, news, politics, Portland Maine, society, tasia edmonds, unfair labor practice, union busting, Wobblies, workers' rights

Dear IWW Supporters,

Immediately after agreeing to pay four IWW strikers for illegally firing them, and promising not to retaliate against workers for union activity, Insomnia Cookies has suspended IWW Organizer Tasia Edmonds for an entire month without pay on flimsy pretexts. You’re invited to take action against this outrageous act of union-busting by the boutique cookie business. IWW’s and allies will picket Insomnia’s Boston location, 708 Comm Ave, this evening (Friday) starting at 7 pm. The store is very close to the BU East stop on the Green Line’s B train. Please come if you can! The Facebook event is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/604465696296628

Please also email the company any time at pfs@serveubrands.com, and call CEO Seth Berkowitz at 877 632-6654. Suggested message: “It is intolerable that IWW Organizer Tasia Edmonds has been suspended without pay for her union activity. Please take immediate action to bring Tasia back to work, and compensate her for any loss in pay. Union-busting is disgusting!”

To help Tasia with her living expenses, please contribute here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-tasia-fight-union-busting/x/6674514>.

Watch Tasia speak about the IWW and conditions at Insomnia here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibOGYg40OHQ&list=UUpb3nRb9V0R4gdES7R96ZoQ

*Background: *Tasia went public with her union affiliation on December 7. She has been building the union in her store. In February, a new manager began harassing her about her union membership. On March 9, Tasia was told she has been suspended without pay for a month! The union has filed Unfair Labor Practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). An IWW organizing drive began at Insomnia in August after 4 workers spontaneously went on strike. Their demands included $15/hr, health care, and a union, and they were immediately fired. Despite recently promising to give about $4,000 in back pay to the strikers, and post a notice pledging not to retaliate against workers for union activity, Insomnia is apparently still determined to crush the union drive. The union is even more determined to get justice for Tasia and her co-workers! Please help however you can.