Workers across the state protest anti-Employee Free Choice campaigns
This past week, workers from across Florida participated in events to demonstrate the importance of passing the Employee Free Choice Act. More specifically, workers in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami gathered to protest the anti-worker corporate forces who are trying to stop the bill with deception and hundreds of millions of dollars.
Workers across the state protest anti-Employee Free Choice campaigns
This past week, workers from across Florida participated in events to demonstrate the importance of passing the Employee Free Choice Act. More specifically, workers in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami gathered to protest the anti-worker corporate forces who are trying to stop the bill with deception and hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jacksonville protests anti-worker conference
The Coalition for a Union-Free Environment (CUE). This is the name of an organization dedicated to preventing workers from coming together to bargain for higher wages, healthcare benefits, pensions and job security. This past weekend CUE held one of their conferences in Jacksonville area. Over 100 workers from AFSCME, Boilermakers, CWA, DTU, FEA, IATSE, IBEW, ILA, SMWIA, UA, UAW and UFF joined with community members and allies from across North Florida to protest this 3-day anti-worker information session and rally for the Employee Free Choice Act.
CUE, which boasts over 300 member companies, claims that their goal is to maintain a union-free work environment through "positive employee relations." Despite crafty wording, CUE, corporate front groups and other for-profit, anti-union consulting firms exist for the purpose of stopping workers from having a greater voice on the job. Specifically, the "union avoidance" industry makes billions of dollars a year selling their consulting services to employers, and 75% of employers hire these consultants to circumvent union formation efforts.
Ironically, unlike many of the corporate front groups who continue to insist that the Employee Free Choice Act will not pass, the Jacksonville CUE conference was themed "Change is Here! Are you ready?" Workshop sessions included "Staying Ahead! Two approaches to surviving the EFCA" and "How Unions Get the Cards." Speakers at the conference included corporate representatives from Lowe’s, Fed Ex and the one of the most vocal opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Florida workers, especially those from Jacksonville, were outraged that an anti-worker group like CUE would choose to hold their conference in the area. "I think we let them know that we aren’t going to let them hide and have these plans to destroy us and the working class," said Gunnar Paulson, President of the North Central Florida AFL-CIO.
The group met at the IBEW 177 Hall, where they then marched to the conference hotel. In a show of solidarity with the workers, Florida Representative Audrey Gibson marched with the workers and spoke at the rally in front of the Hyatt.
"Today, we need to send a message. It’s your choice and nobody else’s choice. You are the people who are doing the jobs. You should have a say, not anybody else," she told the crowd.
Protestors were energized by this rally against CUE’s assault on workers’ rights. Specifically, workers from the North Florida AFL-CIO plan to continue an aggressive campaign to educate members and the public on how the Employee Free Choice Act will restore balance to a corporate dominated system that infringes on workers fundamental human rights.
To watch video from the Jacksonville protest, click here.
To see Action News Jacksonville’s coverage of the event, click here.
To see pictures from the Jacksonville protest, click here.
Miami protests Fed Ex
On May 12, 2009, eighty workers from CWA 3122, IBEW 349, IBEW 359, IRON 272, OPEIU 100, SMWIA 32, TWU 291, TWU 568 and UBC gathered to protest Fed Ex at their office and truck yard in Miami.
The protest highlighted Fed Ex's misclassification of drivers as independent contractors, which allows the corporation to operate without giving these workers any benefits or job security. Meanwhile, Fed Ex CEO Fred Smith made $10 million dollars last year and is a vocal opponent of the Employee Free Choice Act.
During the lively protest, workers chanted and used drums and whistles to make that their message was heard loud and clear by Fed Ex. In addition, several dozen Fed Ex trucks drove through the protest with many of the drivers giving a big thumbs up to the protestors.
The action against Fed Ex is one in a series of protests the South Florida AFL-CIO has organized to demand an end to the corporate misinformation campaign against the Employee Free Choice Act. Last month, workers in South Florida protested an anti-worker seminar hosted by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and protested Bank of America.
For more pictures from the Miami Fed Ex protest, click here.
Tampa protests Bank of America
On the same day of the Fed Ex protest in Miami, workers in Tampa took to the streets to protest their local Bank of America. Earlier this year, the banking giant hosted an anti-Employee Free Choice Act conference call only days after receiving billions in federal bailout money.
Mary Mulhern, Tampa City Councilwoman, joined about thirty workers from AFGE 1593, CWA 3179, IATSE 321, IATSE 412, IBEW 915, IBEW 824, IUPAT 88, UA 123, UAW 2278 and USW 3-622 at the protest, but unfortunately the group was rained out. The protestors had planned to stage a dramatic re-enactment of a union organizing drive featuring "Joe CEO" and the backhanded tactics that are routinely used to prevent workers from forming a union. Still, workers were able to hold up signs and speak to a radio station that showed up to cover the event.
"The Employee Free Choice Act will give the rights back to the workers on how they choose to form a union, instead of the employer being the one who makes that decision. And that’s the most important thing," said Robert Ray, President of the West Central Florida AFL-CIO.
In the next few weeks, the West Central Florida AFL-CIO plans to put on more events to call attention to corporations who are funneling resources to fund anti-worker campaigns as well as events in the community that demonstrate the need for the Employee Free Choice Act.
To read an article about the Tampa Bank of America Protest, click here.