[Antiracism] [Workers Rights/Smithfield] This Holiday Season, Help Us Pick the MA Grinch!

[WMass Jobs With Justice]

Massachusetts Jobs with Justice has received the nominations below for
Massachusetts Grinch of the Year, and one of them is our very own Don
D'Amour, CEO of Big Y Foods. 

Why should you vote for Don? Not just because Western Mass is the perenniel
underdog in contests with the rest of the state. 

Founded in 1936 by daddy Paul, Big Y has been on the Pioneer Valley AFL-CIO
boycott list for decades because of its strong-armed commitment to operating
non-union. Around the time Don came into management there, Big Y more than
doubled in size in 1968 by acquiring the unionized Jumbo Supermarket chain
of 7 stores. Resolved not to stay union, the D'Amours forced a nasty strike
in 1974, breaking the union, and has been non-union ever since. 

When United Food and Commercial Workers organizers leafletted Big Y workers
and customers in organizing efforts, Big Y banned them from the property.
The union successfully argued that they could be there because Big Y allowed
other solicitors, such as Salvation Army. So the D'Amours instituted a
non-solicitation policy that bans everybody.

When in 1996 and 2003 it bought up pieces of unionized chains (five Edwards
stores and four Waldbaum's/A&Ps), Big Y fired everyone (legally).

When recently a broad cross-section of community, political, educational,
religious, student, and labor organizations and leaders (including
Springfield City Council [including Mayor-elect Domenic Sarno], Springfield
Mayor Charles Ryan, State Rep. Ben Swan, Mass. Senior Action Council, Mass.
Nurses Ass’n, Pioneer Valley Project, Sisters of St. Joseph, Catholic
Campaign for Human Development, Neighbor to Neighbor, Alliance to Develop
Power, Arise for Social Justice, American Friends Service Committee,
Unitarian Society of Northampton & Florence, UMass Amherst Labor Relations &
Research Center, Pioneer Valley and Hampshire/Franklin Central Labor
Councils, Western Mass. Coalition for Immigrants & Workers Rights, and
American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees) appealed to Big
Y to stop selling Smithfield brand pork produced under extremely violent
conditions in Tar Heel, North Carolina, Don D'Amour wouldn't even
acknowledge the request (publicly - but privately he said he would never
meet with us).

Enough said? Please vote for Don D'Amour as Massachusetts Grinch of the
Year!

Thanks!

Jon Weissman, WMJwJ Coordinator



HYPERLINK "http://www.massjwj.net" \n 	


Help us pick the 2007 Grinch of Massachusetts!  

HYPERLINK "http://www.unionvoice.org/massjwj/ma_grinch_07.html"Click here to
cast your vote for one of the following:

*	

	HYPERLINK
"http://www.unionvoice.org/massjwj/ma_grinch_07.html"Donald D’Amour: Vote
for me!  I am the CEO of Big Y Foods in Western Mass that takes pride in
busting unions and selling products from human rights violator, Smithfield
Foods.  
*	

	HYPERLINK "http://www.unionvoice.org/massjwj/ma_grinch_07.html"Paul
Levy: Vote Yes for Me! I am the CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital.   In
this position I have attacked workers’ rights and fought patient safety
measures.  
*	

	HYPERLINK
"http://www.unionvoice.org/massjwj/ma_grinch_07.html"Sandra Moose: Vote for
Me! I am the Verizon Board member and Boston socialite who has stood by as
the company has violated labor rights and sold out rural communities!
*	

	HYPERLINK
"http://www.unionvoice.org/massjwj/ma_grinch_07.html"Willard “Mitt” Romney:
Vote for Me!  Support my “family values” platform of union busting,
immigrant baiting, homophobia, and corporate controlled health care! Maybe
this will be the last election that I win!




   _____  



HYPERLINK "http://www.unionvoice.org/massjwj/join.html?r=AdahwLE1A6EwE"sign
up for Massachusetts Jobs With Justice

 

HYPERLINK "http://www.unionvoice.org" \n 	
 HYPERLINK "http://www.unionvoice.org/nlor/ik6g3b4pm37ind"


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