(Ithaca, NY) The National Labor Relations Board has settled unfair labor practice charges against Minneapolis-based Regis Corporation which operates some 10,000 hair salons with over 57,000 workers nationwide, including three Regis Corporation salons in the Ithaca area. The Tompkins County Workers’ Center/JwJ, representing two Cost Cutters’ (one of Regis’ 34 ‘brands’) workers, filed the charges in 2010.

The settlement requires Regis to remove all the “Yellow Dog Agreements” it forced workers to sign from its files. These agreements, called by Regis “Protection of Secret Vote Agreements” and signed by workers during 2009-10, were written promises by workers that any union authorization cards they might sign in the future were null and void. This was deemed illegal by the NLRB.

The settlement also requires Regis to post a NLRB notice at all of its store locations nationwide describing for workers their rights to union representation and

Continue reading Tompkins Workers’ Center Wins Major Workers Rights Case Against World’s Largest Hair Salon Chain

So our latest example of Corporate Greed at its finest is Rite Aid, who tries to hide behind the slogan, “with us it’s personal.” BUT, do not be fooled by a silly slogan. HMMMM….. let’s see, Rite Aid CEO, John Stanley, doubles his salary in one year from $2.3 million to $4.5 million while trying to make health insurance unaffordable for his company’s low wage workers. Is that being personal with your employees? Well I guess you could say it is personal, but probably not in the way Rite Aid would want you to think.

While taking a 100% pay increase, John Stanley is trying to raise health care costs even though Ohio workers accepted meager wage increases so they would be able to keep the costs affordable. The employees in stores in Lancaster, CA are facing an astounding 2800% increase in their health care costs. I guess someone has to pay for John Stanley’s increase in salary.

In the 2010 letter

Continue reading Stop Corporate Greed at Rite Aid!

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint late Friday against the Minneapolis-based Regis Corporation, which operates some 10,000 hair salons nationally under 34 different brand-names including Supercuts and Cost Cutters, ordering Regis to cease and desist in its illegal actions. In the complaint, the NLRB investigated and then determined that the Regis Corporation had illegally solicited employees to promise in writing that they would not sign union authorization cards in the future.  The investigation commenced as a result of an Unfair Labor Practice complaint filed with the NLRB by the Tompkins County Workers’ Center / Jobs with Justice on behalf of two workers at an Ithaca, NY Cost Cutters, as well as workers in Minneapolis and Indianapolis.

The NLRB complaint says that in a DVD played to employees across the country, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Finkelstein, warned that hair stylists would be blacklisted from the industry if they supported a union.  In the recording, he exhorted employees to sign a “Protection of Secret Vote Agreement,” which would prospectively revoke

Continue reading Working at Supercuts Isn’t so Super

On November 3rd, members of the Mid-Willamette Valley Jobs with Justice came out to denounce the anti-union practices of BrucePAC, a private company that packages cooked meats in Silverton, OR.  Over 40 community supporters showed at the main BrucePAC facility in Siverton to hand out information about the working condition and demanded an end to the intimidation and harrassment of the 350 workers.  Workers there are trying to form a union with LIUNA Local 296. 

The horror stories from workers sparked the community into action and is another example of why we need real labor law reform like the Employee Free Choice Act.  More than 40 workers say they were fired for supporting the union organizing effort, female workers report being sexually harassed, and injured workers say they have been sent home and denied workers comp.  BrucePac is also spending big money on union busting consultants to intimidate workers.    

Workers that have been with the company several years still only make minimum wage!  With current estimates showing BrucePAC having revenues close to $99

Continue reading Community Fights Back Against BrucePAC’s Union-Busting