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NEWS & LETTERS, JULY 2003
Support for union drive at Fred'sMemphis, Tenn.--Over 300 people rallied outside the Civil Rights Museum on June 14, demanding justice for workers at Fred’s Warehouse who voted to unionize a year ago. Hundreds of UNITE members came from all over the South, from Kentucky and Florida to Missouri and Texas, to support the struggle. Several other unions were there for support too. The rally showed internationalism by denouncing Fred’s for its exploitation here and abroad. It has been carrying items made in Burma, where a repressive, murderous regime enforces harsh conditions in sweatshops for the benefit of multinational corporations. “Slave labor anywhere is a threat to organized labor everywhere!” was the theme. Jesse Jackson, who has long supported union campaigns, came to town to deliver a message that struck a chord: “The South is built on cheap labor. We need a new South where Blacks and whites don’t just play football together, they make a living wage together, have health care together. The South must change, and it falls to the workers to bring about that change.” Most important was the testimony of two fired Fred’s workers. First, Gigi told her story: “I got fired last year just because I asked the man how could you take my job and give it to somebody else? He told me I was being insubordinate. Everybody here knows how it goes: you wear your union shirt, you pass out leaflets, you’re just bait waiting to be caught by the fish. It was me today, it could be you tomorrow. “When you went there to fill out an application, you were looking. When you leave, you’re still going to be looking. You miss a couple days sick, you ain’t got your job, not working at Fred’s. I’ve seen a lot of things in my day, but to see a man have a heart attack and get written up -- that’s the kind of place Fred’s is.” Then Jason gave his account: “Fred’s still does not want to recognize me and my co-workers as a union. Fred’s is not going to give up easily. People are still working at Fred’s, making his profits. We rally; we protest; Fred’s sees that and they understand that. But my point of view is that the people who work on the inside are going to have to stand up too. Has anyone ever heard of a work stoppage? If you just give Fred’s five or ten minutes a day work stoppage, they are going to lose profits. “I worked at Fred’s a year and a half. The reason I was fired was, a guy who was 6' 5” and 340 pounds threatened to kill me just for wearing a union shirt. If I had ever crossed him, he would have had me killed, or killed me himself. "The next day I brought a printed letter in saying
that if this guy harmed me, I would hold Fred’s responsible. But my supervisor
took me to the office with four people in management, the lawyer, and Randy
Jacobs. Jacobs asked, 'Did you tell your supervisor you felt like killing
people?' They changed my whole story around on me. I looked over and saw
‘termination’ already on my referral. “I was terminated for union activity. But I’m not
giving up. My co-workers aren’t giving up.” --Participant |
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