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Seattle Solidarity ("SeaSol") is a volunteer network of working people who believe in standing up for our rights. Our goal is to support our fellow workers' strikes and struggles, build solidarity, and organize to deal with specific job, housing, and other problems caused by the greed of the rich and powerful.
Join us! Let's fight to win. |
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Action vs management injustice at U-Haul |
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Sunday, 31 May 2009 |
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Saturday morning, May 30 2009, eleven people and three cameras joined ex-U-Haul worker Marrico for a visit to managers inside two south Seattle U-Haul locations. Marrico's General Manager at U-Haul was an abusive boss, with a habit of yelling at workers and firing them with little or no justification. In his case she claimed, without showing evidence and contrary to his own memory, that he - a good worker of two years standing - had forgotten to put away some padding that a customer had used.
Marrico has decided to fight back, with the support of others in the Solidarity Network. This first action was to deliver his very modest demand that the company erase his firing and instead accept his resignation; that they acknowledge this in writing; and that when future potential employers ask them for a reference check, they report nothing but that he was a good worker who resigned voluntarily. UPDATE: Having been personally assured by the regional manager that U-Haul does not give out any details about their past employees, Marrico has decided he is satisfied and ready to put this behind him. Those of you who came out to support him, he says he really appreciates it and he'll be there for you in the future. |
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Solidarity action stops WinCo Foods anti-worker lawsuit |
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Tuesday, 28 April 2009 |
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It was not enough for WinCo Foods (Kent, WA) just to fire John J, their lowly employee who had the nerve to discuss pay and working conditions with his coworkers. They also decided to sue him. When they fired John, back in November '08, the best excuse management could come up with was his alleged "theft" of a packet of ranch sauce - price: 38 cents - with which he had flavored his fully paid-for snack in the break room one day. At the time, although he was outraged at their dishonesty, John decided he'd had enough of working for WinCo and moved on to bigger and better things, including getting involved in supporting fellow workers and tenants through the Seattle Solidarity Network. But WinCo was still not finished with him. The company's lawyers began sending him letters threatening to sue him unless he paid them $200 compensation for the 38-cent sauce packet. In response, 14 of us went with him into the office of the company's top local manager, Lori Lulay, to deliver a message: withdraw, in writing, your legal threats against John, or else you will have a conflict with the Solidarity Network. Over two weeks went by, and they did not do so. Next, a few of us joined John for a small rain-soaked evening picket at WinCo on Easter Sunday, which got a lot of attention from both customers and the company. The following Saturday we held a larger picket during the peak shopping hours of the week, with signs and flyers saying "Don't Shop Here!" and "Leave John Alone!". Finally, the message got through to the chain's corporate office in Idaho. On Saturday, April 25 2009, John received a letter from WinCo in which the company officially dropped all charges against him. |
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Picketers prevail: Pita Pit pays |
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Thursday, 09 April 2009 |
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Thursday, April 9, we won our fight with the U district Pita Pit. Two hours into our second picket, the franchise owner came out and asked ex-employee John L to come inside (for the third time) and talk. John agreed, and a few minutes later he came out smiling, with a check in his hand for the full amount that had been withheld from his pay. Thanks to everyone who came out to make it happen!
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Pita Pit picketing proceeds |
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Wednesday, 08 April 2009 |
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Tuesday, April 7, we had to take this fight to the next level, with the first of what will be an ongoing series of strategically-timed pickets at the University district Pita Pit. The franchise owners are now admitting that no taxes were ever paid on behalf of ex-employee John, who now needs to file as an "independent contractor" and pay the taxes himself. That's fine, says John, but what about the chunk of his pay that they always withheld from him "for taxes"? So far the owners have still not resolved this, although they've had plenty of time to do so. Now we are bringing the issue to the attention of potential Pita Pit patrons, with a simple message: "DON'T EAT HERE!" |
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