Today, a band of 25 gathered with John as he delivered his demand to the University-district Pita Pit fast food franchise: either produce the W2 tax form that they have so far refused him, or else pay up everything they “withheld for taxes” from his wages in 2008.
Monday, December 8, 2008, 25 people with the Solidarity Network, Industrial Workers of the World, and allied organizations picketed Weyerhaeuser corporate headquarters, at the same time as truckers in North Carolina held their first major work stoppage to demand that the company meet with them about their grievances. For the past several months these truckers have been organizing with the IWW. Currently their pay often adds up to around $6 per hour, many are dangerously overworked, and they’re stuck with nearly all expenses related to their vehicles, fuel, and insurance. Following Monday’s actions, Weyerhaeuser management has announced that they will sit down and meet with the truckers within the next 14 days. This is still only a small victory – truckers expect it will take a long, hard fight before all their demands are met.
Update: The word from North Carolina is that management has broken its pledge to meet with the drivers, and the struggle continues.
Saturday, September 20, we took the next step in this campaign with our first picket at Tuff Shed. Allies from Casa Latina and Jobs with Justice walked with us in the pouring rain. We don’t know how many customers chose not to enter when they saw our picket, but at least one who had already entered came to speak with us and then agreed to go elsewhere for his shed. That alone should cost Tuff Shed over $1,000 in lost sales. More action coming soon!
In alliance with Casa Latina’s “Worker Defense Committee”, another fight for unpaid wages is over. We visited the boss’s house once, then distributed flyers twice at his church on Sunday mornings. Today he formally (in writing) changed his mind and agreed to pay his former employee’s wages in full, on a schedule they agreed to.
UPDATE: After paying one third of the wages he owed, the boss–Johnnie Moore–has broken his agreement and refused to pay the rest. If anyone has information about Johnnie Moore’s current whereabouts or activities, please email info@seasol.net.
Tomania, who’s been coming out to Solidarity Network actions since the very first one, recently had a serious on-the-job injury while working as a builder for Tuff Shed, a nationwide chain that builds sheds and garages. Her weight came down on her leg at a bad angle, it tore her cartilage, and she collapsed. She couldn’t walk and had to be taken to the hospital. She called and told her boss she’d had a bad injury and wouldn’t be able to work, and hospital staff informed the company that a Workers’ Compensation claim was being filed. A few days later, the boss told her she was fired.
Tuff Shed is claiming they fired Tomania for failing to call in a couple days after her injury, when she was heavily drugged and still not able to walk. The real reason for the firing is obvious: to save the company money on Workers’ Comp insurance. Management is even trying to stick her with the medical bills by claiming – contrary to all witnesses – that the injury did not happen on the job. As a low-income worker and a new mother, she can’t afford to let this stand. She’s been there for us in the past – now it’s time for us all to back her up in this fight against Tuff Shed management.
On Thursday afternoon, July 31st, Tomania and 17 others walked into the Tuff Shed office to present the manager with the demand that the company stop and reverse this abuse of Tomania’s rights. So far they have refused. More serious – and more public – action is coming soon.