[mobglob-discuss] VDLC STRIKE SUPPORT COMMITTEE REPORT - June 18th, 2002

[Gordon Flett]

***************VDLC STRIKE SUPPORT COMMITTEE REPORT***************
                        June 18th, 2002
                     
1. 46 members of USWA Local 2952 struck Modern Auto Plating Ltd. in
Vancouver on the 24th of January, 2002. They are attempting to improve
workplace health & safety conditions, while asking for modest,
reasonable increases in wages and benefits. Please visit the 24 hour a
day picket line at 60 East 5th Ave. (at Quebec St.) to show support for
these exploited, mostly immigrant workers. You only have to see the
outside of this sweatshop to realize why these workers need health &
safety improvements. If nobody is out front check in the lane out back
where the picket trailer is. For further information contact the local
at 525-7481. The company's # is 876-4161.

2. The members of the B.C. Projectionists Union, IATSE Local 348, were
locked out by Famous Players on Saturday, April 27th, 2002, in British
Columbia. There are only 7 projectionists left, one in Victoria and 6 in
the Lower Mainland area, down dramatically from the 62 involved in the
last lock-out.

The last time they locked them out the Projectionists' top wage scale
was knocked down by 60% to $15/hr. Now Famous Players, famous for high
prices and low wages, has given them a $10/hr take-it-or-leave-it offer,
and locked them out again. The Projectionists are determined to carry on
this fight to save their union, and picket and financial support is
requested. 

Lower Mainland Picketing Schedule:

SilverCity Coquitlam
170 Schoolhouse St. (Lougheed Hwy. & Schoolhouse)
Coquitlam &

SilverCity Riverport
14211 Entertainment Way (corner of # 6 Rd. & Steveston Hwy.)
Richmond

Tuesday, June 18th, 6-10 PM
Friday, June 21st, 6-10 PM
Saturday, June 22nd, 6-10 PM
Sunday, June 23rd, 1-5 PM
Tuesday, June 25th, 6-10 PM

Victoria PERMANENT picketing schedule:

Silver City Tillicum
3130 Tillicum Rd.
Corner of Burnside & Tillicum, Victoria
Fridays   6:00-10:00 PM
Saturdays 2:00-4:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM
Sundays   2:00-4:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM
Tuesdays  6:00-10:00 PM

Messages of support: mailto:gergsnave at hotmail.com
Letters of protest: mailto:guestservices at famousplayers.ca
For further information on picketing and where to send donations:
604-685-0007 or 604-782-8077

3. 140 members of CAW Local 3000 representing the interests of employees
of 12 Starbucks stores in British Columbia launched their UnStrike For
Justice and Dignity against the company on May 13, 2002. The UnStrike is
the old "strike on the job", in which the workers continue to work and
collect wages, and in this case they are refusing to wear the company
uniform, and are leafleting and talking to the customers of both
unionized and non-unionized Starbucks about the company's greedy
anti-worker stance. They will also be asking the workers at the
non-union stores to join them in the union. 

Starbucks has refused to bargain in good faith for months now, and they
have continued to reject every single union proposal in regards to
health & safety, sick leave, benefits and wages. They also wish to
eliminate job security rights such as seniority and fair scheduling.

This is the behaviour of a company that will probably top $3 billion in
sales this year, makes an astounding 31.5% return on investment.

The workers are asking anyone with a Starbucks "smart" Card to deplete
it at a unionized store and don't use it again. The resulting decrease
in use of cash and tips for Baristas because of these cards has reduced
their income by about 25 cents an hour, or 2%.  
 
Send Starbucks A Message. Please write Howard Schultz, Starbucks
Chairman and Chief Global Strategist, Starbucks Corporation, 2401 Utah
Avenue South, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A., 98134 or email to:
mailto:hschultz at starbucks.com . 

For more information about the CAW Starbucks UnStrike for Justice and 
Dignity check out their excellent CAW Canada website at
http://www.caw.ca , where you can Send Starbucks A Message using the
Starbucks 'hot button' or via 'Campaigns and Issues'. 

Please patronize the following Vancouver and Westbank Starbucks, and do
not patronize non-union outlets for at least the duration of the
UnStrike: 

2531 East Hastings St.- east of Nanaimo St.; 
3451 Kingsway - at Tyne, west of Joyce St.; 
1702 Robson St. - east of Denman St.; 
1095 Howe St. - at Helmecken; 
811 Hornby St. - across from Vancouver Courts; 
1641 Davie St. - west of Denman; 
Royal Centre Mall - Dunsmuir entrance; 
1395 Main St. - at the Skytrain; 
1752 Commercial Drive - at 2rd Ave.; 
3492 Cambie St. - at 19th Ave.; 
1015 Denman St. - near Coast Stanley Park Hotel; and 
22 - 3645 Gossett Rd. - Westbank Centre 

For additional information: Email mailto:CAWStarbucksUnStrike at caw.ca 
or call CAW Canada Local 3000 at (604) 526-3038

4. 55 members of B.C. Carpenters Local 1928 have been on strike against
cabinet maker W. Kreykenbohm Corp. in Surrey since May 9, 2002. The main
issues are Health & Welfare (for example, the company wants the workers
to pay the Liberal government's MSP increases out of their own pockets)
and pension contributions plus wages. The company continues to produce
with about 30 "management" staff members, many hired just before
collective bargaining began. The LRB has ruled they aren't "replacement"
workers, as they were already on the company's payroll when notice to
bargain was given. In other words, they're "legal" scabs.

 The workers are requesting support at their around-the-clock picket
line at 18788 96th Ave. (at 188th St.). For further information Local
1928's # is 604-525-1091. The company's # is 604-888-4114 (fax
888-8799). Messages of support can be sent to mailto:1928 at telus.net ,
and protest messages can be sent to Kreykenbohm at
mailto:info at wkcorp.com .