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By rand wilson, on May 28th, 2010 Cross-posted from Labor Notes.
 Striking workers at the Supervalu- owned Shaw’s Distribution Center in Methuen, Mass., have been marching from Methuen to Boston for justice since Sunday, May 23.
The 310 workers, members of UFCW Local 791, have been on strike since March 7 over the company’s insistence that the burden of increasing health care costs be borne by workers.
As a resident of Somerville, I chose to meet up with the strikers on their march from Medford to Somerville, the third day of their four-day journey. While we marched, the 50 or so workers and supporters enjoyed broad support from passing motorists, as well as cheers from many residents in the neighborhoods along the route.
It was easy to see how bringing the strike into the community gets people mobilized in different ways than just walking a picket line. All kinds of people get involved. I especially liked the opportunity to meet up with other labor activists from Somerville.
I also had a surprising connection with one of the
Continue reading Strikers March from Methuen to Boston to Win Justice at Shaw’s
By Maria Escobar, on April 26th, 2010  The past two months have been unprecedented, filled with victories and actions that have proven to be successful in bringing real change to our communities.
The first victory for working class people was the passage of the Student Aid reform. This bill will take away subsidies given to loan companies and invest them into programs such as the Pell grant and community colleges. “Students across the country were able to see their amazing direct-action organizing payoff with comprehensive student aid reform becoming the law of the land,” said USSA President Gregory Cendana. “This is especially critical for working class students and families who have struggled the most in affording their education.”
The second victory was the agreement reached between for the Coalition of Immokalee workers, the Student Farmworker Alliance, and giant food service provider Aramark. Marc Rodriguez of the Student Farmworker Alliance said:
Aramark becomes the 8th major food corporation to agree to work with the CIW to improve wages and root out modern-day slavery in its tomato supply chain. This is a huge step forward for our campaign, because it means that the CIW now basically
Continue reading Student Labor Week of Action Builds on Successes
By jwjnational, on April 22nd, 2010 Supervalu, the parent company of New England grocery store chain Shaw’s, is behaving badly. The 310 workers from Shaw’s Supermarkets Distribution Center in Methuen, MA, members of UFCW Local 791, have been on strike for almost 7 weeks. Although Supervalu is the driving force behind negotiations, they refuse to take responsibility and come back to the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith. They claim that they are not responsible for their subsidiary Shaw’s.
Call and write Supervalu today to tell them to be good parents and settle the strike now!
Call Supervalu CEO Craig Herkert at
(952) 828-4000
Click here to send a fax to Supervalu.
Last month, union workers at Shaw’s distribution center voted to go out on strike after the company refused to return to the bargaining table. Workers rejected a company proposal that would have increased employees’ health insurance payments, resulting in a net loss of pay.
To make matters worse, the company is threatening to permanently replace all striking workers, placing all the workers at the distribution center jobs in peril. Shaw’s followed up its refusal to bargain with an announcement that they were going to lay off 4% of the workers
Continue reading Tell Supervalu to be good Parents! Support Striking Shaw’s Grocery Workers
By rand wilson, on March 24th, 2010 Over 200 labor and community supporters turned out for a rally in at the Shaw’s Supermarket in Dorchester to support striking warehouse workers at the company’s Methuen Distribution Center.
Over 300 members of UFCW Local 791 voted overwhelmingly to reject the company’s final contract offer and have now been on strike since March 7th.
The company’s substandard wage proposals combined with its demand for increased employee health care contributions would result in a net loss of income for workers during the term of the proposed contract.
The company’s final offer would also allow for the use of outside agencies to perform work at the facility, costing union jobs.
In addition to Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, the rally was sponsored by UFCW Local 791, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Greater Boston Labor Council.
Don’t shop at Shaw’s until it respects its workers and reaches an agreement that preserves good jobs with decent wages and benefits!
You can keep up with what’s happening by joining the Facebook group “We support the Shaws Methuen Distribution Center“
By Sean Rudolph, on December 10th, 2009 Editor’s Note: In October, Jobs with Justice released a report warning about the working conditions at the American Red Cross and the safety of its blood supply.
December 10- One week ago, more than 100 frontline blood collection workers employed by the American Red Cross and members of Teamsters Local 929 went on strike to educate the public about working conditions in the Pennsylvania-New Jersey area that could potentially put the region’s blood supply at risk.
These blood collection workers often work 14 hours a day, up to twenty one days in a row, driving to and from blood drives, unloading and loading heavy equipment, labeling blood donations, assuring the safe disposal of used needles, packaging blood, and transporting it for processing and testing. Workers are standing strong in Philadelphia, expanding picket lines around the city, and getting the word out about the Red Cross.
You can send a message to the Red Cross supporting these workers here: TAKE ACTION
Sean Rudolph works for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
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