Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSingle mom fired E action & verified gofundme (UPDATED from FDL)
Fire Dog Lake story here: http://firedoglake.com/2015/05/26/single-mother-fired-after-participating-in-fight-for-15-protests/
https://www.coworker.org/petitions/solidarity-appeal-single-mom-fired-for-organizing-strike-for-15-and-a-union
TO: BRINKS SECURITY, CHICAGO
Sign the Petition! Re-hire Darletta, Stop Retaliation At Brinks
Brinks Armored Trucking terminated Darletta Scruggs, a 15 Now activist and single mother, for organizing a strike of 50 drivers and messengers as part of the April 15th National Day of Action for $15 and a Union. Brinks cant be allowed to threaten workers with financial ruin for standing up for their rights on the job. Let Brinks know we have Darlettas back! Show your solidarity by signing the petition and making a donation to Darlettas defense campaign today.
Donate Here:
http://www.gofundme.com/darletta
Why is this important?
By Darletta Scruggs
I worked as a route coordinator at Brinks on the West side of Chicago since August 2014. Despite being the single mother of a three year old child, I was required to work a minimum of 50 hours a week. I was often told not to leave the building for my lunch break.
Brinks pays most of its workers way under $15/hour, and taken away our annual raises, even though the company made $3.5 billion last year. Brinks cut workers' overtime pay last year, even though most workers work up to 16 hour days, often with no breaks. Then earlier this year, they took away workers' earned vacation time, implementing an accrue-as-you-go policy with no compensation for time that workers had saved under the old system. So when I told my co-workers about the April 15th national strike for $15 and a union, they were ready for action. Things got organized in just three days, and a big majority of the drivers and messengers walked out on April 15th!
I was targeted and fired just one week after our a successful strike. Management gave no official communication as to why I was fired, but repeatedly intimidated and threatened me for supporting the drive for union recognition. Because I was a dispatcher and paid a salary instead of hourly pay, Brinks labels me as management and says I dont have legal protection to fight for my rights or be represented by a union. But weve filed a legal challenge with the NLRB challenging their definition of management and their unjust decision to fire me.
Since the strike, a majority of Brinks drivers and messengers have signed union cards, but management refuses to recognize the union or negotiate. Instead they are using the leverage of the economic hardship they can inflict on employees through reduced hours or termination. We must not allow companies like Brinks to just fire someone for speaking up against unfair working conditions or intimidate workers into submission while they pocket millions. We must fight back!
Brinks provides service for many banks like Chase and Bank Of America, and large corporations like Walmart and McDonalds, companies known for opposing workers rights. It is time that workers are paid adequately and big businesses are held accountable for worker exploitation and intimidation tactics. Thats why I got active with 15 Now. We need to fight, because MONEY IS NOT MORE VALUABLE THAN HUMAN LIVES!!!
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
9 replies, 941 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
9 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Single mom fired E action & verified gofundme (UPDATED from FDL) (Original Post)
Omaha Steve
May 2015
OP
lookatme
(54 posts)1. They must have given her a reason why she was fired
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)2. This sounds like an NLBR bound case
lookatme
(54 posts)3. For sure
This isn't some mom and pops general store.
She must have been told why she was let go .
She was a very new employee there from reading the article.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)4. What specifically leads you to believe that?
"She must have been told why she was let go..."
What specifically leads you to believe that?
lookatme
(54 posts)5. Size of the company
They have HR's and attorneys on staff
If this was a mom and pop place then I would believe it.
Not something like this..
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)6. Local large super chain fired an organizer
for organizing. They are large too. Case went to the NLBR, where they lost. Larger companies are more likely to try to suppress organizers.
lookatme
(54 posts)7. I don't disagree with you at all there
but I also bet the reason stated for his dismissal notice wasn't that.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)8. Of course not
it never is.
lookatme
(54 posts)9. That was the only point I was trying to make when I was asked the question
by the other member.
They must have given her a reason .