Now It's Staples: Treating Their Workers Like Dirt. Plus Bonus Union Busting Protest Pics!

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Sunday December 22, 2013 · 10:39 AM PST

2013/12/22 · 10:39

Staples management may not know it yet (the one percent do not work weekends, after all), but yesterday was a day they are not likely to remember with fondness.

While the first salvo of protest for their Post Office union-busting was being fired in Berkeley, California...

photo staples-setting-up_zpsfb01a91e.jpg

Setting up in front of Staples in downtown Berkeley, 12/21/13

a petition from an anonymous Staples worker was going viral. Early yesterday morning it had less than 30,000 signatures after a number of days up; now it has over ~~84,000~~ ~~85,000~~ 135,000 (as of 12/24) signatures and is accumulating more every second.

Staples: Don't Cut Part-Time Hours Because of Obamacare!

I am writing this petition as an anonymous person, as I fear my employer will persecute me if they knew my identity.

... in mid-December, ((Staples)) announced to the staff at my store: A new policy of limiting ALL part-time workers to 25 hours a week -- with NO exceptions -- for reasons of "Scheduling Flexibility".

... I came across what appears to be the answer: The Affordable Healthcare Act...

I read about how countless other companies were slashing part-time hours to use a loophole in the law: You don't have to pay for healthcare if your employees don't work more than 30 hours a week. I also learned that the Aetna medical insurance plan that Staples provided didn't count, as it didn't provide enough coverage to meet the minimums.

Yup, Staples is taking its place on the dishonor roll of companies that are trying or tried to cut worker hours to avoid giving them health care benefits (such as Darden, owners of Olive Garden, and Papa John's. Remember the outrage last year?)

Guess who pays? Just as now we know that the public provides subsidies for Walmart's and McDonald's millions of low-wage workers to the tune of billions of dollars, if this sticks we'll be paying for the health care of many Staples employees through Obamacare subsidies they will receive.

Staples cutting all employees hours so don't have to give health care coverage- privatize - we r living in days of rich attacking workers
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

It is doubly ironic because not only is Staples wanting to play Scrooge with their own employees, they are aiming to destroy other living-wage jobs that provide health care benefits, creating more poverty-wage employees the rest of us will have to help support! By putting Postal Service counters into Staples stores staffed by Staples employees - not Postal workers - they and Postal Service management have begun the process of undermining the Postal Service unions which, since the 1970's, have made sure their employees receive a solid, middle class living wage. As sure as banksters foreclose illegally, a national implementation of this program will cause Postal Service employment and union membership to drop, Staples employment to rise, and the well-being of Americans overall to fall - CEO's and one-percenters being the main beneficiaries.

84 Staples stores now have-Post Office- low pay abt $9,no union- Staples say if PO works in 84 stores will expand2 all-on way to privatizing
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

Check out below this photo/chant/tweet essay from from the protest yesterday (pictures and tweets provided by Alyssa (@alyssa011968) and Strike Debt Bay Area (@StrikeDebtBA)).

"Post Offices Today. Libraries Tomorrow."

Demonstrating at Staples: no more #austerity! No more #privatization! pic.twitter.com/JfOPMX40AM
— Strike Debt Bay Area (@StrikeDebtBA) December 21, 2013

As i walked up heard cars honking. #BerkeleyPO getting lots of support. http://t.co/...
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

"Hold the Paper, Hold Supplies. We Want Wages Super-Sized!"

"Stop Post Office #Privatization"
Exactly! pic.twitter.com/TauWCZoh6P
— Strike Debt Bay Area (@StrikeDebtBA) December 22, 2013

"Hey Hey, Ho Ho. Staples PO Has To Go!"

#BerkeleyPO the service sure isn't better. Asked if hiring said not now- asked how much pay wouldn't tell me pic.twitter.com/ZdOIAOQudk
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

Rapacious Greed, Money Lust. Stop the Staples Union Bust!

#BerkeleyPO Common Thieves: Mitt Romney, Bain Capital; Richard Blum, CBRE http://t.co/...
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

Bend, Fold, and Staple Politicians, Not Post Offices!

#BerkeleyPO will our grandchildren know what it is like2 have public services & living wage jobs? Stop Union Busting pic.twitter.com/IEpxQqO37S
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

Feinstein, Boxer, You're No Good. Stop the Sale Like You Should!

Staples pays about $9 hr w/little to no benefits- Feinstein is paid w/our tax $ to steal bldg & lower our wages pic.twitter.com/00dmXaM4L2
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

Postal workers of the world UNITE!
You have nothing to lose but your Staples!

Channel 2 is here. #BerkeleyPO & Big Ed is here setting up. pic.twitter.com/VU2SzgVoVV
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

This Chant Don't Rhyme!
That's Not a crime!
Selling Our Commons For Greed
That's Despicable!

#BerkeleyPO @jpmassar is here! Working hard, as usual. pic.twitter.com/fjqC43gf6C
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

Some fifty people turned out to help with the picketing, literature distribution and whatnot. We distributed some 400 'Why We Are Here' flyers, along with Post Office postcards and Occucards to pedestrians crossing our path on this beautiful, warm, sunny day. We had live music and we sang protest songs.

Article mention Berkeley epicenter for Resistance- make it known that Feinstein & Blum stealing- i am going to rec
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

We listened to Gray Brechin, a historical geographer, founder of California's Living New Deal Project, and one of the fathers of the 'Save the Post Office' movement, say how the movement has grown.

When unions started negotiating to screw next generation of workers- Brechin UCB Prof on New Deal- taking about Blum pic.twitter.com/MWv0XJ27H1
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

We heard from Susan Hammer, retired postal employee and American Postal Workers Union Steward, as she told us how the APWU is demanding that Postal Service employees staff these retail counters, and insist on securing mail handling and transport using Postal workers. She also noted that "Health coverage is one thing I've never had to worry about." unlike Staples employees.

APWU Susan Amer(?) American Postal Worker Union- #BerkeleyPO she is retired but still has health care pic.twitter.com/D9Rb6ttPay
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

We heard from Dave Welsh, retired letter carrier, a leader of the Save the Berkeley Post Office movement who camped out on the steps of the downtown Berkeley Post Office for over a month. He talked about the cuts the Postal Service is imposing and wants to impose in the name of austerity.

Dave Welsh retired postal worker/long time activist- They want to get rid of Sat delivery & 2door delivery pic.twitter.com/U2WXkgEVG1
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

Private Mail... They Don't Care... They Don't Have To.

#BerkeleyPO join us- @ some point we must stop them-can we please start now? Join us, or do own thing.stop them BAMN pic.twitter.com/6plHI9nQ2D
— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 21, 2013

photo post-office-postcard-tents_zps5847c3e2.jpg

We'll be back.

-----

p.s. Make 'em sweat! Sign the petition!

11:30 AM PT: Bonus picture!

#BerkeleyPO i have bunch of pics i didn't tweet yesterday in case u can use @jpmassar pic.twitter.com/Wv2QV5IULW

— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) December 22, 2013

Heh. I made both of those signs.

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Now It's Staples: Treating Their Workers Like Dirt. Plus Bonus Union Busting Protest Pics!

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