What We Missed

With all the HCR posting, here's some things we missed:

Rally Today to Support Grocery Workers Fighting For Contract for More Than a Year
When: Today, Mar 22, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Kuhn's Market, 700 Beulah Rd., Wilkins Twp. PA 15145
Who: United Food and Commercial Workers local 23 and community groups

It's that time of the month...
On the Spot is asking you to donate a box of supplies for girls in and around Pittsburgh who don’t have access. http://pghonthespot.wordpress.com/events

Help Prevent Teen Dating Violence: PA House Bill 2026, “Demi Brae Cuccia Law”
Via my PA Representative, Harry Readshaw: "If it becomes law, teen dating violence education would be integrated into middle and high school curriculums. School districts would have to develop an anti-dating violence policy. Age-appropriate education would inform students about the danger of teen dating violence and how they can recognize its warning signs and protect themselves from becoming a victim...You can directly help by signing an online petition on the web site of the bill's prime sponsor, Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre County"

Labor Board Rules In Favor of Workers United SEIU In Aramark Mellon Arena Worker Case
Now Aramark has no excuse for not negotiating.
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Rally in support of Aramark Workers Today @ 5:00PM

Via Pittsburgh UNITED:

Where: Double Tree Hotel, Latrobe Room

When: Wednesday, March 3, 5:00 p.m.

Organized by Pittsburgh United, the community will rally TODAY at 5:00 p.m. in support of the Aramark Workers at Mellon Arena as they fight for their jobs.

Workers at Mellon Arena received a letter on February 12 from Aramark Management telling them that when the Penguins move across the street later this year workers would have to re-apply for their own jobs with no guarantee of getting hired.

“It’s astounding that a company that is benefiting from public investment in a beautiful new arena would use that as an excuse to pull a fast one on workers,” said Barney Oursler of Pittsburgh United. “Some of these workers have worked in the arena for decades. This is just not right.”

Workers were also informed that they would have no union at the new Consol Energy Center, meaning that the union contracts, workers seniority, and wage and benefit standards that were already in place at the Mellon Arena will not be honored and that workers would have to reform a union if they wanted one.

Speakers will include:

· Councilman Bruce Kraus, author of a Will of Council passed yesterday urging Aramark to change their position

· Councilman Doug Shields

· Carl Redwood of the One Hill Coalition

· Workers from other Aramark locations

· Clergy from Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network

Aramark has a history of labor problems throughout its operations in the United States. From discrimination to sexual harassment to failure to follow labor laws Aramark has been plagued with problems.

Yes, there is a dispute among the unions as to who exactly represents some of these workers (see here and the comments here), but what isn't in dispute among the unions or the workers is that Aramark is acting in full douchebag mode.

Don't worry about who represents who, just come and support the folks who Aramark is trying to screw over.
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Workers Slam Aramark for Making Mellon Arena Workers Reapply for Own Jobs

Well this sucks!

Who: Workers United, SEIU, Affected Workers, Representatives from One Hill/Hill District Consensus Group, and the Hill District Community

Workers United, SEIU will hold a press conference tomorrow calling on Aramark to change its position on the transfer of Mellon Arena workers to the new Arena.

On February 12th Aramark notified its Mellon Arena employees that they would have to reapply for their jobs when they moved to their new location at the Consol Energy Center. They added that current employees were not guaranteed to get their jobs back. The letter also informed employees that they would not have a union when they started working at Consol Energy Center, meaning that the contract currently in place at Mellon will not be honored, and that the company would not have to honor workers’ seniority or existing wage and benefit standards. .

[snip]

Workers United, SEIU, the union representing the employees, sees this as a ploy by Aramark designed to allow them to disregard seniority, lower wages and reduce benefits, and weaken or remove the union.

“The new arena is a publicly owned building. We can’t stand by and let this vendor use the move as an excuse to strip long term employees of seniority, cut wages or benefits, or strip workers of their union,” said Sam Williamson, Associate Manager of the Pennsylvania Joint Board of Workers United.

[snip]

“The opening of this new arena should be a good thing for the neighborhood, the city and the region. But this move would give it a black eye. We’re calling on Aramark not to be a spoiler on what would otherwise be an all around celebration,” added Sam Williamson.
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