WGRZ: Buffalo Area Starbucks Workers Forming a Union
https://tinyurl.com/wmbw3ffc
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From Protest in Rochester, NY
Workers United Upstate’s Gary Bonadonna Jr. and Monika Shelton. #DanielPrude #BlackLivesMatter #WhichSideAreYouOn
Union Workers Make Masks for Hospitals and Essential Workers
Recently, Xerox published a story (McCue, Matt, “How Xerox Turned Filters into Face Masks) describing how they worked together with another Rochester company to manufacture face masks aiming to protect health care workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. The story details the whole process from initial inspiration to the final product. What is especially significant is that these two companies were brought together by their connections to Rochester Regional Joint Board (RRJB). In Rochester and around the country, companies were asked to think about ways in which they could contribute to manufacturing much needed supplies such as personal protection equipment and hand-sanitizer. Stern and Stern, a producer of woven industrial fabrics and home to our Local 221, is producing protective medical fabric. A clothing designer from one of our union companies, Hickey Freeman, started to sew face masks to potentially supply local hospitals. Xerox also answered the call. Mark Adiletta, a long-time Xerox engineering manager wondered if they could use printer filters to make medical-grade face masks. They currently produced a printer that used a filter with an N95 rating. The CDC specifies that a mask with an N95 rating helps to prevent the spread of Flu, swine flu and avian flu, as well as COVID-19. With the help of Abu Islam, the head of the Advanced Technology Group who is leading the task force to implement these community-based ideas, Adiletta made a prototype using cloth. With a prototype in hand, they needed someone who could manufacture them quickly – a company who could sew the masks, something that Xerox did not have the ability to do. Gary Bonadonna and Ross Clark of RRJB was able to help bring together the two companies resulting in the manufacturing of 10,000 masks within the first two weeks. Both Xerox and Hickey Freeman have a long history with the union. Xerox (Local 14A) has a charter date 2/28/1952 and Hickey Freeman (Local 14) has a charter date of 6/28/1915 – both affiliation through ACWA at that time. Bonadonna says, “We all felt the pressure to move quickly to do anything that could help our front-line workers. It has been amazing to see how all parties involved have been able to respond and work together towards a common goal. I am especially grateful to our union workers who are at their place of work, making protective devices that will potentially save thousands of lives.” Clark, the business representative for Xerox and Hickey Freeman says, “If helping to bring these two unionized companies together during the COVID 19 Crisis helps create a positive impact during this challenging time, it shows no matter how big or how small, now more than ever, our communities need us working together advancing mutual interests.” There were 12 Hickey Freeman workers who sewed 10,000 masks in three days. Each worker averaged sewing one mask every two minutes. The masks were delivered to Rochester Regional Hospital, as well as to other essential workers. As of April 16, Hickey Freeman Union Workers are producing 6,000 masks per day. In addition, 25 workers have been called in to work. ##
Hickey Freeman Now Making Masks
“They’re doing an awesome job over there. From prototype to final product. From surgical leftovers to end pieces. Working with black button on antiseptic for the employees. Michael’s for nose pieces. It’s crazy. There are able to sew 3000+ surgical masks a day (12 workers) and the cutters are able to cut 20,000 a day. They should have their first production surgical gown today. Fantastic story. Talked to Jeffrey Diduch about creating them from the leftovers.” Photos and text by Dana Keaton, Sidney Hillman Health Center
Local 221 Working to Make us Safer
Members of Local 221 remain dedicated to their jobs during this pandemic crisis. While many are staying at home, they go to work every day to do what they specialize in; manufacturing life-saving fabrics desperately needed by the government, medical and military communities. The process to create such a unique blend of material is a painstaking one, requiring precision and care. We are proud of our brothers and sisters, and marvel at their skills to manufacture that which protects those who are working hard to protect the rest of us. Photos and Text by Erin Young, RRJB Business Rep
RRJB Asking Companies to Switch Gears
UPDATE: The Governor is also encouraging any company with the proper equipment or personnel to begin to manufacture PPE products if possible. The state is willing to provide funding to any company to obtain the proper equipment and personnel. Businesses interested in receiving state funding to manufacture PPE products should contact Eric Gertler at 212-803-3100 or COVID19supplies@esd.ny.gov. Rochester Regional Joint Board is working to connect members, companies, and local health care facilities to fight the spread of COVID-19. Dr. Joseph Nicholas, Sidney Hillman Medical Director, asked the union for help reaching out to companies and their workers to ask if they would be able to urgently repurpose their production lines towards making masks, gloves, and other protective gear for health care workers. RRJB Manager, Gary Bonadonna Jr., contacted the union Business Representatives and they in turn have been reaching out to the companies. So far, there has been many positive responses from local employers. This is a developing story and we will report on their progress as we hear back. Any companies interested in producing protective medical gear or supplies can contact: Dr. Joseph Nicholasjnicholas@rrjb.org
Hickey Freeman Looking for Home Sewers to Make Face Masks
“Jeffery Diduch, vice president of technical design at Hickey Freeman in Rochester, put out a call on his social media page to attract home sewers who may be able to help.” Read more at the Democrat and Chronicle: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2020/03/20/a-call-for-home-sewers-to-make-masks-to-help-coronavirus-pandemic-from-hickey-freeman-vice-president/2885241001/
WRO Meetings Canceled
The next two WRO meetings are canceled for April and May. A decision will be made to schedule the next meeting when we get closer to June and will be posted to this website. Thank you.
Lukas Weinstein Fundraiser
Link to GoFundMe for Lukas Weinstein Fundraiser. Lukas Weinstein was the manager at Spot Coffee in Williamsville, NY. In June, workers at Spot met with representatives from Workers United about forming a union. Lukas attended that meeting. Spot’s upper management demanded that he turn over the names of workers who attended the union meeting. Lukas refused. Then they demanded one final time and Lukas told his employees who had been at the meeting that it was either his job or theirs. He again refused and was fired a few days later. The company found out from another source who organized the union meeting and the two workers who hosted the union meeting at their home were also fired. Those two workers have now been reinstated with full back pay after the NLRB investigated and found merit in the union’s charges. Supervisors/managers in the U.S. unfortunately are not protected by the National Labor Relations Act and the regional office of the NLRB, which has grown even more impotent under Trump, has found that Spot Coffee did not commit an unfair labor practice charge in terminating Lukas for refusing to turn in his fellow workers. Lukas is a true working class hero. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his co-workers. Today he says he has no regrets and is proud to have played a major role in getting the union in across Buffalo at Spot Coffee. He also is encouraging former patrons who supported the Spot boycott to now return to Spot since the workers now have a union. Lukas is a class act, as courageous and principled as a person could be. And humble. He isn’t asking for this fundraising campaign. Workers United is. We believe that Lukas’ moral leadership should be rewarded, not penalized. Please help support Lukas, who lost thousands of dollars and his job because he stood by the union and by his co-workers. He is a true working class hero. Thank you for the consideration and the solidarity. To donate, click here to the GoFundMe Page. Richard Bensinger, Union Organizer
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