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Showing posts with label STWU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label STWU. Show all posts
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Interview with Deirdre Cunningham IWW STWU Organizer
Originally posted here: Wild WIld Left Radio #188
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Star Tickets Workers Union Wins Election!
Originally posted on GRIID
For the past month, we have been reporting on an effort by Star Tickets workers in Grand Rapids to form a union, as management has engaged in an increasing amount of labor abuses in recent years.
As was expected, the owner of the company responded with threats and business propaganda, which included misinformation and outright lies about the union efforts and the IWW.
Despite these efforts, on Wednesday, workers at the Star Tickets Call Center voted in favor of a union. We received a copy of a Media Release from the Star Tickets Workers Union, which reads in part:
While new Right to Work legislation has forced labor into retreat across Michigan, Grand Rapids workers made a rare advance Wednesday under the banner of the radical Industrial Workers of the World as employees of Star Tickets voted for unionization. The victorious union vote comes on the heels of a relentless anti-union campaign waged by owner Jack Krasula and an outside firm he retained.
Dubbed the IWW Star Tickets Workers Union employees came together over meager demands such as: adequate equipment, an end to understaffing, and a yearly pay evaluation.
“Our demands aim not only to benefit our workplace environment, but to improve our services to our valued clients as well.” said Deirdre Cunningham a Client Services Representative.
Since the petition was filed owner Jack Krasula has responded by spending thousands of dollars to thwart his employees efforts. Workers have had to endure veiled threats, intimidation, and misinformation in a textbook anti-union campaign. Despite Krasula’s best efforts the workers unity has remained solid with flowers, candy, and best wishes sent from IWW branches and members from across the country.
The vote came just two days after a solidarity rally was held outside the Star Tickets building on Monday, where other IWW members and community supporters came out to send a message to the company that the Star Tickets workers had a right to form a union and create a democratic workplace.
Indeed, for weeks people have been showing their support with messages and gifts. People from other IWW chapters across the country and around the globe were sending messages of solidarity to their fellow workers in Grand Rapids.
“What Mr. Krasula and this outside firm fail to realize is that when they disparage our efforts to organize with their barrage of memos they are disparaging their workers that have given years of their lives to make this company successful. We hope this is not how they intend on bargaining but either way we will continue to succeed with our solidarity and our union,” said Evelyn Stone a Call Service Representative.
The Industrial Workers of the World is a rank-and-file labor union open to all workers. Gaining prominence for the Starbucks Workers Union and the Jimmy Johns Workers Union the IWW has become the go-to union for workers not interested in the bureaucracy of traditional unions.
For the past month, we have been reporting on an effort by Star Tickets workers in Grand Rapids to form a union, as management has engaged in an increasing amount of labor abuses in recent years.
As was expected, the owner of the company responded with threats and business propaganda, which included misinformation and outright lies about the union efforts and the IWW.
Despite these efforts, on Wednesday, workers at the Star Tickets Call Center voted in favor of a union. We received a copy of a Media Release from the Star Tickets Workers Union, which reads in part:
While new Right to Work legislation has forced labor into retreat across Michigan, Grand Rapids workers made a rare advance Wednesday under the banner of the radical Industrial Workers of the World as employees of Star Tickets voted for unionization. The victorious union vote comes on the heels of a relentless anti-union campaign waged by owner Jack Krasula and an outside firm he retained.
Dubbed the IWW Star Tickets Workers Union employees came together over meager demands such as: adequate equipment, an end to understaffing, and a yearly pay evaluation.
“Our demands aim not only to benefit our workplace environment, but to improve our services to our valued clients as well.” said Deirdre Cunningham a Client Services Representative.
Since the petition was filed owner Jack Krasula has responded by spending thousands of dollars to thwart his employees efforts. Workers have had to endure veiled threats, intimidation, and misinformation in a textbook anti-union campaign. Despite Krasula’s best efforts the workers unity has remained solid with flowers, candy, and best wishes sent from IWW branches and members from across the country.
The vote came just two days after a solidarity rally was held outside the Star Tickets building on Monday, where other IWW members and community supporters came out to send a message to the company that the Star Tickets workers had a right to form a union and create a democratic workplace.
Indeed, for weeks people have been showing their support with messages and gifts. People from other IWW chapters across the country and around the globe were sending messages of solidarity to their fellow workers in Grand Rapids.
“What Mr. Krasula and this outside firm fail to realize is that when they disparage our efforts to organize with their barrage of memos they are disparaging their workers that have given years of their lives to make this company successful. We hope this is not how they intend on bargaining but either way we will continue to succeed with our solidarity and our union,” said Evelyn Stone a Call Service Representative.
The Industrial Workers of the World is a rank-and-file labor union open to all workers. Gaining prominence for the Starbucks Workers Union and the Jimmy Johns Workers Union the IWW has become the go-to union for workers not interested in the bureaucracy of traditional unions.
Grand Rapids call center workers win union election
For immediate release:
Industrial Workers of the World - Grand Rapids
March 6, 2013
Grand Rapids call center workers win union election
A watershed victory for low wage workers
Grand
Rapids - While new Right to Work legislation has forced labor into
retreat across Michigan, Grand Rapids workers made a rare advance
Wednesday under the banner of the radical Industrial Workers of the
World as employees of Star
Tickets voted for unionization. The victorious union vote comes on the
heels of a relentless anti-union campaign waged by owner Jack Krasula
and an outside firm he retained.
Dubbed
the IWW Star Tickets Workers Union employees came together over meager
demands such as: adequate equipment, an end to understaffing, and a
yearly pay evaluation.
"Our
demands aim not only to benefit our workplace environment, but to
improve our services to our valued clients as well." said Deirdre
Cunningham a Client Services Representative.
Since
the petition was filed owner Jack Krasula has responded by spending
thousands of dollars to thwart his employees efforts. Workers have had
to endure veiled threats, intimidation, and misinformation in a textbook
anti-union campaign.
Despite
Krasula's best efforts the workers unity has remained solid with
flowers, candy, and best wishes sent from IWW branches and members from
across the country.
While
union membership has become scarce across the country the IWW is
invigorating the labor movement by organizing workers through
"solidarity unionism". Traditionally relying on innovative tactics to
win demands instead of government agencies Star Workers decided to
finally file for "formal" recognition after 3 years of workplace
organising.
"What
Mr. Krasula and this outside firm fail to realize is that when they
disparage our efforts to organize with their barrage of memos they are
disparaging their workers that have given years of their lives to make
this company successful. We hope this is not how they intend on
bargaining but either way we
will continue to succeed with our solidarity and our union" said Evelyn
Stone a Call Service Representative.
The
Industrial Workers of the World is a rank-and-file labor union open to
all workers. Gaining prominence for the Starbucks Workers Union and the
Jimmy Johns Workers Union the IWW has become the go-to union for workers
not interested in the beauracracy of traditional unions.
###
Monday, March 4, 2013
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
Monday March 4, 2013
Who: Grand Rapid IWW, local workers, social justice activists.
Why: The workers of Star Tickets in Grand Rapids have filed a petition to be recognized as an IWW Union. The boss, Jack Krasula, has responded with a ruthless anti-union campaign. The union election is Wednesday March 6.
What: Solidarity rally for Star Tickets workers legal right to form a union, and an end to the anti-union campaign.
When: Monday March 4, 7:45AM.
Where: 620 Century Ave. SW, Suite#300 Grand Rapids, MI
###
Monday March 4, 2013
Who: Grand Rapid IWW, local workers, social justice activists.
Why: The workers of Star Tickets in Grand Rapids have filed a petition to be recognized as an IWW Union. The boss, Jack Krasula, has responded with a ruthless anti-union campaign. The union election is Wednesday March 6.
What: Solidarity rally for Star Tickets workers legal right to form a union, and an end to the anti-union campaign.
When: Monday March 4, 7:45AM.
Where: 620 Century Ave. SW, Suite#300 Grand Rapids, MI
###
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Press Release: Local Call Center Goes Wobbly
For Immediate Release:
Industrial Workers of the World - Grand Rapids
January 23, 2013
Contact:
Deirdre Cunningham – Client Services Representative
Evelyn Stone – Call Center Representative
Local Call Center Goes Union
Employees of Large Ticket Distributor Join Together and Demand Recognition
Grand Rapids, MI - Employees of Star Tickets have "walked on the boss" today demanding a reduction in workload, an employee grievance procedure, and recognition of their union. The employees have formed the IWW Star Tickets Workers Union for mutual support and respect on the job. Their intentions are to begin collective bargaining with owner, Jack Krasula, over a work environment that they say has become untenable.
“We are just exercising our legal right to form a union for our mutual benefit” said Deirdre Cunningham, a Client Services Representative. “We have been meeting, assisting one another, and acting as a union for some time so today we made it official to our boss."
Star Tickets, which is located at 620 Century Avenue Southwest #300, becomes the second Grand Rapids establishment whose workers have joined the Industrial Workers of the World labor union in just over a year. Workers at Bartertown Diner, 6 Jefferson St., all joined the IWW in 2011.
“During my time here Mr. Krasula has routinely sent us his insights and anecdotes for success. We hope that he will respect our choice and work with us in affecting the context of our daily lives ” said Alisa Stone.
The Industrial Workers of the World is a rank-and-file labor union open to all workers. Gaining notoriety with the Starbucks Workers Union and the Jimmy Johns Workers Union the IWW has become the "go-to" union for workers not interested in the bureaucracy of "traditional" unions.
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