Support Displaced NSU Workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://unionreview.com/node/171

Support Displaced NSU Workers

Submitted by Richard on Sun, 06/10/2007 - 8:31pm.

For the last number of months I have tried to keep up with the campaign at Nova Southeastern University. When I would get my hands on a new press release from SEIU Local 11 or see something in the paper on the campaign, I'd try to get it up to Union Review as fast as possible in an effort to spread the word and hopefully gain some support for these workers.



As far as I can tell there is no new news on this struggle-- but it is a beautiful Sunday evening in South Florida and for a few minutes, as I clean my apartment and get ready for my own work week, the 100 workers who are still unemployed came to my mind. These are the same 100 workers who were the most supportive in organizing the union, and who celebrated when they won fair representation.

Shortly after their victory, Nova Southeastern University sacked more than 300 of the workers. The janitors and landscapers were directly employed with a company that had the NSU contract for some 12 years. When that contract expired, and all the workers organized, NSU decided to replace the company and its employees. NSU then hired another company, which then built out sub-contracts with five other janitorial companies. Once the workers were well-splintered, they were told to re-apply for jobs.

Eventually many of the workers were hired back - except for the 100 that were the most active in the organizing campaign.

For six years Frantz Merisier supported his family in Haiti cleaning floors at Nova for $8.00 an hour. When this vocal union supporter applied for his job with the new contractor he was told, "I don't have a job for you because you are in the union. Go to the union and they will find a job for you."

Should anyone want to take pause and think about Franz and his coworkers - their struggles, and a closer look at this campaign, please visit http://www.eyeonnova.org/worker-stories/. While you are there, please take the time to click over to http://www.eyeonnova.org/community-support-/ and sign the petition that is sent to the president of the university. And finally, if you can: Please make a donation to help these workers - here is the information for you to do that:


Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami
Memo: Nova Displaced Workers' Fund

Checks must be mailed to:
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami
9401 Biscayne Blvd. Miami Shores , FL 33138
Attn: Nova Displaced Workers' Fund

For more information call:
Gloria Luna, 305-762-3006, [email protected]
Office of Social Advocacy, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami

[dethl]

1. Wow....I was about to send in an application to NSU for grad school

That makes me sick that they're anti-union (and anti-human it seems). Looks like I'll be looking at a different college now.