NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
Burgerville union campaign marks one year
Members and supporters of the Burg-
erville Workers Union marked their cam-
paign’s one year anniversary by demon-
strating outside a handful of local
Burgerville restaurants April 26.
At the fast food chain’s Southeast 26th
and Powell location, across the street from
Cleveland High School, union supporters
handed out free pizza to students — while
making an appeal not to eat lunch at Burg-
erville that day. Students enthusiastically
took them up on the deal, and many
agreed to wear union pins that read
“Cleveland Stands With Burgerville
Workers Union.”
At other locations, supporters entered
restaurants and locked arms in front of the
counter, briefly shutting down sales.
The Convention Center location has
been repeatedly targeted by union demon-
strations, including a Feb. 25 demonstra-
tion in which over 100 members of SEIU
Local 49 marched into the store holding
signs, and an Oct. 25 demonstration at
which supporters surrounded the store and
handed out free burgers supplied by the
Carpenters Union.
Burgerville Workers Union, affiliated
with the Industrial Workers of the World,
is calling for a $5 an hour raise for all
Burgerville workers. They currently make
at or near the legal minimum wage.
Corporate has not been friendly to the
union effort: In letters and a video all em-
ployees were made to watch, Burgerville
“Cleveland Stands With Burgerville Workers Union,”
says pins designed by Burgerville worker Emmaly
Light, a 2014 Cleveland High School grad. Light says
she likes her job at the 26th and Powell Burgerville,
and hasn’t experienced management backlash for
her support of the union. But she’d like the com-
pany to allow tip jars, and provide mats or stools to
lessen strain on drive-through workers. She looks
to the union as a way for workers to get improve-
ments like that. “I believe we’ll be able to get more
done as a group than as individuals,” Light said.
CEO Jeff Harvey argued against a union,
saying it would not be in the best interest
of employees. And several open union
supporters have been fired by the com-
pany since the campaign launched.
At the Vancouver Plaza Burgerville,
union supporter Jordan Vaandering was
fired Jan. 18, ostensibly for failing to pay
for a bagel that a manager served him
while on break. The next day he marched
with supporters into the store and de-
manded his job back. Burgerville called
the police and had him arrested for tres-
pass.
Since Burgerville Workers Union pub-
licly announced itself on April 26, 2016,
their campaign has received a statement of
support from Bernie Sanders, and en-
dorsement by the Oregon AFL-CIO and
half a dozen other labor organizations.
Union members and supporters have en-
gaged in a variety of tactics, including
brief store occupations and wildcat place-
ment of tip jars (soon taken down by man-
agers). In February, the union announced
the launch of a benefits program, includ-
ing food boxes, discounted bus passes, up
to 4 hours a month of free babysitting, and
GED test preparation classes.
The union has so far stopped short of
calling for an ongoing boycott of the 42-
store chain.
MORE:
Find out more about the Burgerville Workers Union
at burgervilleworkersunion.org, and keep up with
the latest developments by liking the group’s page
at facebook.com/burgervilleworkersunion
May 5, 2017 | PAGE 5
Is that what
they call the
Portland Spirit?
A riverboat owner’s rant against
recent pro-worker laws turns
away a union convention host
American Postal Workers Union
(APWU) is considering Port-
land for a national health plan
conference, so the union’s na-
tional president asked Portland-
based APWU Local 128 legisla-
tive director Daniel Cortez to do
some advance ground work.
Cortez was to research options
for delegates to socialize — like
a cocktail mixer or river cruise
— something to showcase Port-
land after a day of meetings.
Cortez thought: What about a
Willamette River dinner cruise
aboard the Portland Spirit? As
Cortez reported to delegates at
the April 24 meeting of the
Northwest Oregon Labor Coun-
cil, a trip to the company’s web
site made him drop that idea.
On the site, company presi-
dent Dan Yates bemoans all the
burdens he suffers from recent
acts of government: a signifi-
cant minimum wage increase,
paid sick leave, a “ban the box”
policy barring employers from
asking about felony convictions
on the initial employment appli-
cation. And now, horror of hor-
rors, the state of Oregon may in-
stitute “Two Week Schedules”
for all employees, Yates writes,
“with potential penalties for em-
ployers that reduce or add hours
to an employee’s schedule.”
What is a low-wage employer
of 250 mostly part-time employ-
ees to do? For Yates, the answer
is: Charge extra fees — and let
the public know why.
Oregon unions fought for all
the policies Yates complained
about — to help some of the
poorest workers in the state. So
APWU won’t be patronizing the
Portland Spirit, Cortez decided.
Yates, a member of the Portland
Business Alliance, may have
complained himself out of sev-
eral hundred customers.
Low Prices!
Jill Alcantar
360.787.6975
Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9:30-5:30, Sun 12-6