Student Labor Week of Action! March 28-April 4 (STUDENTS & WORKERS UNITE!)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.jwjblog.org/2010/03/student-labor-week-of-action-march-28-april-4/

By Maria Escobar, on March 19th, 2010
STUDENTS & WORKERS UNITE!

From March 28 to April 4, students and workers across the country are uniting on campuses and communities across the country to fight for ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION & GOOD, SUSTAINABLE JOBS.

Visit www.studentlabor.org to learn more. You can sign up, find an action near you, or download an organizing kit.



Want to participate, but not sure what to plan?
Justice at American Red Cross Day of Action – March 31st, 2010

Donor safety at risk

* Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States, controlling more than 40 percent of the U.S. blood supply.
* Campus blood drives are big business for Red Cross. In 2009, it had $2.2 billion in revenues from its blood operations.
* While giving blood addresses a critical medical need, Red Cross has a horrendous track record of protecting the safety of the U.S. blood supply. Since 2003, Red Cross has been fined $21 million for repeated safety failures. Decisions on additional fines are currently under consideration at the FDA.

Working conditions at Blood Donation drives

* Red Cross frequently understaffs blood drives, assigns workers to regular 16 hour days and downgrades its staff by failing to retain the most experienced, licensed medical personnel.
* Red Cross has used particularly aggressive anti-worker policies with more than 3,000 employees who are represented by labor unions. Between 1996 and 2007, more than 200 unfair labor practice charges were filed against Red Cross with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
* Currently, nine local unions have expired labor contracts with Red Cross. Some of these agreements expired more than one year ago. Eight more contracts are set to expire by the end of June 2010. Red Cross is also using delay tactics to stop workers at two locations from obtaining first contracts.



Join workers and students to demand

Red Cross workers and students have joined together to form the Red Cross union coalition. Join us in sending Red Cross the message:

* Negotiate in good faith and quickly reach fair settlements of outstanding labor contracts.
* Stop delaying settlements in locations where unions are negotiating first contracts.
* End union avoidance policies and allow workers the freedom to choose a union.

Things you can do:

* Pass student government resolutions asking your university to stop business with American Red Cross until they respect worker’s rights
* Flyer American Red Cross blood donation drives and local offices on MARCH 31ST!!!
o Find your local ARC at http://www.redcross.org/where
o Download a flyer
* Tell us what you are doing!