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CHICAGO—Seventy
warehouse workers near Joliet, Ill., are fighting for their jobs after
being fired en masse after the workers filed for union representation.
The workers are employed in a warehouse owned by giant vacuum cleaner
company Bissell Homecare.
Workers
were fed up with their employer’s violation of workers’ rights. On Oct,
29 the workers informed the employer that they had joined the United
Electrical Workers (UE). The workers also filed legal complaints and
charges regarding violations of federal and state labor law including
the Fair Labor Standards Act which governs minimum wage laws; the Day
Labor And Temporary Services Act, an Illinois state law that regulates
temporary employment agencies’ the National Labor Relations Act, which
includes workers right to union representation; and the Civil Rights
Act, which prohibits racial discrimination.
On
Nov. 6 all 70 employees were fired in retaliation. The warehouse is
managed by Maersk Distribution, and the
workers themselves are employed through a temp agency called Roadlink. Bissell warehouse workers and supporters,
including workers from the successful Republic Windows and Doors
factory occupation, held a rally outside the warehouse two days later,
and UE and Warehouse Workers for Justice, a workers’ rights center
initiated by UE, have organized a letter writing campaign to both
Bissell and Maersk demanding that the workers
be rehired.
Supporters
of the workers held a rally outside of Bissell’s headquarters in Grand Rapids, Mich. These actions have already
had an impact. Feeling the pressure of the movement, Roadlink decided to continue to pay workers in
accordance with the WARN act.
Warehouse
Workers for Justice has launched a campaign to educate and assist
workers in the massive warehouse districts in Chicago’s suburbs. Like Bissell’s
warehouse, most of these facilities employ workers through temp
agencies. Pay and working conditions are appalling.
A
victory for the Bissell warehouse workers would be a major step forward
for all warehouse workers in the Chicago area. For more information
on the campaign and how to help visit www.warehouseworker.org.
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