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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (July 10, 2009)
l i K Street roots « 7 Education * Dialogue * Independence NATIONAL Breaking point Wal-Mart workers in Washington State say they’re battling anti-union pressure in effort to organize J ì m BY CYDNEY GILLIS STREET .N EW S SERVICE SEATTLE, USA- eya Jerris didn't think she could afford Wal-Mart’s health plan on the wages she’earned at the company’s Federal Way store. Now her story is left for other workers to tell. In March, Jerris called the store before the start o fh e r shift and asked for a sick day, but was told to come in. The 61-year-old suffered from excruciating headaches, a co-worker says, and hadn’t even clocked in at the store when she collapsed. On March 10, after undergoing two surgeries for an aneurism, Jerris died. She might be alive today, says friend and co-worker Mary Watkines, if the store had given Jerris a sick day - one of many reasons that Watkines and other Wal-Mart workers are stepping forward to unionize 8 the world’s largest retailer. It’s an ongoing effort that hasn’t gotten very far in recent years. But Barack Obama’s presidency and his promise to sign legislation— the Employee Free Choice Act — would make it easier for workers to join a union and change that, three Wal-Mart associates said June 4 a t a news conference outside the Renton (Wash.) Wal-Mart. The event was. part of a local union organizing H d r iv e l a u n c h e d in F e b r u a r y a t t h e s t o r e , a n d anationalWal-Mart W orkersforChange campaign backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers, which held similar events in more than 20 cities prior to Wal- M art’s June 5 shareholders meeting. - . Out of the 400 workers at the Renton Wal-Mart, 300 want to sign up for a union, says Kenny James, an associate who has worked at the store nearly eight years, but they fear for their jobs;-- with good reason, says Barbara Holland, a greeter who has a worked at the store nineyears. Between March and April, Holland says, store managers held daily employee meetings aimed at convincing workers not to join UFCW Local 21. Executives from Wal-Mart’s home office-in Bentonville, Ark., came to the store, showed anti-unionTilms and “told (us) how bad it was,” she says. “We’ve been told that if you speak up, if you vote for the union, your job could be in jeopardy or the store can close,” Holland says. As a result; she says, many workers have steered clear of union meetings, but Mary Nguyen, an organizer with UFCW Local 21/ says some have signed union authorization cards. If Congress were to pass th e Employee Free Choice Act, Wal-Mart and other employers would have to recognize a union without holding a vote when a majority of workers sign authorization cards. , Holland says she wants a union so that workers can have a voice and do their jobs Dexter: T'or^exaumpi^/^nSariagersa^e^^^rjr” strict about employees going to lunch precisely at the five-hour mark in a shift, she says. “If you’re helping a customer and you qceen^ « nom e by E coT ech save energy • save money • save the planet Trade Ally'of , : EnergyTrust of Oregon, Inc. g a i • z i s i l l f f l I B I , j J f -__■ ________ '• t £ PHO TO BY C Y D N E Y ÓILLIS Barbara H olland calls on fellow workers a t the Renton Wal-Mart to join U F C W Local 21 a t a June 4 news Conference held in fro n t o f the store The u n io n started a n organizing drive a t the store in January as p a rt o f a national Wal-Mart Workers fo r Change campaign. miss it, you get in trouble,” Holland says. But, “If you want customer satisfaction, then why are ydu penalizing people?” With Wal-Mart’s profits reaching nearly $13 billion last year; Holland, who makes $12.28 an hour after nine years, also asks why the company can’t pay more and provide health insurance, which she says half of Wal-Mart’s workers forego today due to premium costs. . “Some (workers) have to be on state . Medicaid,” says Kim Quartimon, an associate at the Federal Way Wal-Mart in Washington. “We shouldn’t have to, not w h en w e w ork for su c h a pro fitab le ; company.” Michelle Bradford, a Wal-Mart spokesperson, declined to comment on the Renton store’s union-related m eetings,but said that most of thè company’s workers, feel their wages an d benefits are fine without a ■ union. “The làrge majority tells us they enjoy and value their jobs,” Bradford says. “Some of the things they cite afe that Wal-Mart jobs are good jobs with competitive wages and benefits and real opportunities to advance that are based on m erit and ndt seniority.” Quartimon says she doesn’t buy it. “Wal- M art has dominated their employees for so Jong with nobody to challenge it,” shesays. “Well, I’m here to challenge Wal-Mart and . I’m here to say I’m tired of Wal-Mart stepping on us.” Learn how to use E nergy T ru s t o f Oregon incentives, federal and state tax credits to make your home more energy efficient. Be cooler this sum m er and w arm er next winter. Cali us at 503-493-1040 or click www.greenhomebyecotech.com Present thisadvertisement with your paym ent fo r a major energy efficiency measure and GreenHome by EcoTech will contribute $100 to Street Roots V is it us a t w w w .r o s e c ity re s o u rc e .o rg CCB# 155915 Four more weeks to keep the cornbread cornin’ M eet Your Local Branch Manager; “C om m unities arent j u s t streets a n d build ings. C om m unities are thriving places where cultures, commerce a n d souls grow Donate by July 31st and your donation will be matched 2:1 by our generous Operation Cornbread Match! All individual, business and faith community donations will be matched. stronger together^ -M a ry At Albina Community Bank the most ordinary Mary Edmeades financial transaction can have an extraordinary Social Impact Banking impact on our local community. - 5CB.445.2t55 - - You’re going to bank somewhere, m e d m e a d ^ M b ta a fo a n k c o m Member LENDER o* ira * r im , why not let your banking make a difference in the places where you live and work? Sisters Of The Road Become a Sustaining Member! We are over halfway to our goal of adding 30 new sustaining members this summer. These generous monthly donors give to Sisters through automatic withdrawal from their bank account or credit card. Please join this "a-maizing"group by signing up to be a sustaining member. Contact development@sistersoftberoad.org or 503-222-5694 ext 12 to sign up! Thank you to those who have already donated: Join Sisters this summer to keep the cornbread cornin’ ! wwvy.sistersofthefgad.org 133 NW 6th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97209 503-222-5694
