Author Archives: Seattle Solidarity Network

Lorig-requested negotiation ends after bullying of receptionist

On Friday, October 16th, Patricia, Lee, Andrew, and C met with two executives from Lorig Associates–Tom Fitzsimmons (who had received our initial demand letter) and Alison Lorig (Bruce’s daughter).

Fitzsimmons had called to schedule a meeting directly after we picketed a Newcastle, WA city council meeting.

As expected, this conflict was not settled at the meeting. But one thing was settled – Tom Fitzsimmons and Lorig Associates are snakes. Tom first insisted that he wanted to “understand the situation from Patricia’s perspective” before discussing a possible settlement, and then he started questioning her. This seemed to be a ploy to get Patricia to say things that could be damaging to herself. After stepping out of the room to talk it over, we went back in and Patricia briefly told her story, sticking to the facts and not allowing Tom to be the interrogator. After she finished, we tried to move the discussion to talk of a settlement, but Tom insisted we hear their side of the story from Alison. We stared at her as she shakily delivered a corporate PR statement. Patricia corrected some of the most obvious inaccuracies along the way.

Tom restated what he had said over the phone, that Lorig would not be willing to pay the full year’s salary, as we had initially demanded, but that he understood Patricia was willing to negotiate. He then took on a slightly demented look.

Tom: “Lorig is a compassionate company!” He pointed at Patricia. “You stole four thousand dollars from the company! You stole it. You misused a credit card….We could have charged her with a felony… I’m only trying to get the point out about our compassion. We care about you…”
Patricia: “That’s bullshit.”
Tom: “So, our compassion that was behind that, is here today.”
Patricia: “So our next point is?”
Tom: “We’re offering you two thousand five hundred dollars to support training for you, to upgrade your skills or to sharpen your skills, and to help you get into the workplace.”

He was a lot like this:

Needless to say, at that point we stood up and left. The offer was paternalistic and insulting, especially combined with Tom’s attempt to bully Patricia with an outrageous (and false) accusation of theft.

Patricia and the rest of us left the building feeling more motivated than ever to keep getting out there and fighting these disgusting corporate slimebags. Actions are ongoing. Get in touch to join the effort!

Victory: Solidarity action wins long-denied wages

On Wednesday, September 23 2009, this fight ended. After multiple refusals, three days from our 14-day deadline, T.I.G. restaurant/bar in Pioneer Square gave in and paid Young the $500 in unpaid dishwashing wages that he’d been owed for months. Even a court order back in April hadn’t been enough to make the boss pay, but direct action, with the promise of more, did the trick. Thanks to all who came out for the Sept 12th action.

Jimmy John’s fight ends after costing $4k in sales


On Friday, September 18 2009, we officially ended our campaign against Jimmy John’s fast food sandwich chain. Back in July, SeaSol and wrongfully-fired delivery worker Jason decided, in recognition of the owners’ absolute refusal to consider reinstating or compensating him, to carry on with actions against the business until we had cost them at least $4,000 in sales, estimated as conservatively as possible. After three months of aggressive actions, we have now achieved that goal.

For their refusal to do the right thing, the regional franchise owners have now paid a price far higher than the most it would ever have cost them to settle the conflict. In fact, the figure of $4,000 doesn’t come close to accounting for the long-term damage as Jimmy John’s worsened reputation lingers within Seattle, and as former habitual customers settle into new habits of eating lunch elsewhere.

Unpaid wages battle underway in Pioneer Square

Saturday, September 12, 27 people entered TIG Asian Tapas Bar in Pioneer Square to demand full payment of all wages owed to Young for his work washing dishes in the restaurant’s kitchen. Young himself led the way, followed by a CNN cameraman. Despite a court order in April, the business has still failed to hand over the roughly $500 that they owe him. Recently he joined the Seattle Solidarity Network and asked for support.

As the group crowded in behind Young, a bartender informed us that his boss, the owner, was out at another nearby restaurant. We stood silently and waited, filling the front area of TIG, while the barman phoned the owner and summoned him to come receive the demand in person from Young. When the owner arrived, we made way for him to enter, and Young delivered the demand both verbally and in writing, allowing 14 days for payment.

Anti-racism fight begins vs property development boss


For 11 years Patricia worked for Lorig Associates, a major Seattle property development/management company. For most of that time she was one of only two African-American employees in the company, the other being a maintenance worker.  For a decade she was passed over for promotion and denied anything but the most menial positions. Once when she’d filled in for a normally higher-paid job for five months, she was denied the job and then asked to train the inexperienced white worker who was hired to take the job permanently while Patricia was sent back to the front desk.

After years of pushing, Lorig finally yielded and moved her to a higher-paid admin-assistant job, calling it a “trial run”. They gave her zero training for the job and tried to drive her out with harassment, even making a fuss when she got up to use the bathroom. Soon they called her in and asked, “So, are you going to quit, or are you going back to the front desk with a pay cut?” She said neither, and they fired her.

Since then she’s been out of work for over a year, taking care of a sick relative. Now she has joined with the Solidarity Network and is fighting back. Our demand is that the company provide her with back pay compensation for a year’s worth of income since her unjust firing.

Lorig executives did not respond to our initial request (here’s a video of the delegation that delivered it), so we are now launching an escalating campaign of actions asking potential renters, condo-buyers, and property management customers not to support discrimination, and not to do business with Lorig.