[OccupyCU] Fwd: [CentralILJwJ] Flex-N-Gate campaign updates [1 Attachment]

[s.hansen at comcast.net]

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Ricky Baldwin" <rbaldwin at seiu73.org> 
To: CentralILJwJ at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 10:19:18 AM 
Subject: [CentralILJwJ] Flex-N-Gate campaign updates [1 Attachment] 

  


[ Attachment(s) from Ricky Baldwin included below] 




Apologies for duplications: 


Hi all - 


  


Wanted to take a minute to update you on the Flex-N-Gate campaign, both here in Champaign-Urbana and also some national campaign updates. As you know, workers have been taking action to protect their health and ensure a safe working environment by filing complaints with regulatory agencies.  Those efforts are now starting to yield results on the shop floor. As more workers see their coworkers standing up, taking collective action and getting results, support in the plants continues to grow. 


  


Many of you were at the March forum where Guardian West workers shared the dangerous working conditions they endure day after day.  Last Thursday OSHA announced that investigators found 15 violations of health and safety regulations at Guardian West - 11 of which were classified as "serious" violations, meaning there is substantial probability that death or serious harm could result from a hazard the employer knew or should have known about. The OSHA fines are particularly vindicating for workers because Guardian West falsely told its employees in March that OSHA had indicated that the plant was in complete compliance. Information on the health and safety citations is available at http://bit.ly/MwI9WO , and an article from last Friday's News-Gazette coverage is at http://bit.ly/MfG0AN .   The federal Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) has also started its investigation into discrimination against Congolese applicants at Guardian West - which started after Congolese workers in the plant filed the first OSHA complaints. 


  


Just across the Indiana border in Veedersburg, a Flex-N-Gate plant was cited by environmental regulators after a chemical accident that sent two workers exposed others to dangerous fumes. More information on those citations are available at http://bit.ly/M6xIP7 . 


  


As workers have started to build stronger committees in the plants and more effectively holding the company accountable, Flex-N-Gate has started to retaliate. Over the past month, 10 workers have been fired at plants in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan and the company has ramped up it's anti-union, anti-worker campaign in other ways. 


  



While it may not seem like much is going on with the campaign, in fact workers are busy behind the scenes, networking with their co-workers, developing their leadership skills, and reaching out to new workers who haven't been involved in the campaign so far.  Workers are also prepping for the next round of OSHA interviews.  As we move towards the start of the school year, we expect the focus will shift back to more public actions that involve the entire Champaign-Urbana community.  Stay tuned! 


  


Ken 


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