I am forwarding this call to keep up the pressure on this company on
behalf of the British workers and their union.The more solidarity we
show, the stronger the union's position will be.
Norman Markowitz
----- Forwarded message from ericlee@labourstart.org -----
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 04:46:12 -0400
From: Eric Lee <ericlee@labourstart.org>
Reply-To: Eric Lee <ericlee@labourstart.org>
Subject: Massive online campaign triggers threats, sacking
To: markowit@history.rutgers.edu
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In this week's mailing:
- UK: Massive online campaign triggers threats, sacking
- Australia: Foster's brewery workers need our help
- Virtual strikes, virtual unions: Italian IBM workers make history
UK: Massive online campaign triggers threats, sacking
Last week we asked for your support in a struggle by workers in north
London care homes whose pay has been cut by 30% by a privatized employer,
Fremantle. Within hours, you flooded the inbox of Fremantle's chief
executive with thousands of messages. By the weekend, over 5,000 messages
had been received.
The reaction of the company was swift: On Friday afternoon, they fired off
an email message to me threatening LabourStart with legal action, accusing
us of "libel". (As you may know, English libel laws are biased against the
defendant, and are used by corporations to attempt to suppress dissent.)
A couple of days later, Fremantle got even more aggressive, and sacked
Unison rep Andrew Rogers (pictured).
Andrew Rogers, Unison rep sacked by Fremantle this week
This bullying behavior is, I am told, typical of how this company works.
They've asked us to stop this campaign, to stop saying negative things
about them, and to stop sending them email protest messages.
I say: let's flood them with thousands more messages. Let's raise the
profile of this campaign.
If you've not yet sent off your message of protest -- it will take just a
few seconds -- please
[http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=285]
go here to do do.
Today, LabourStart has launched a major Google ad campaign to put further
pressure on the company. These campaigns cost money - please make sure to
donate by [http://labourstart.chipin.com/labourstart] clicking here. I
know that we can count on your support and your generosity once again.
If Fremantle decides to follow through on its threat to sue us, if its
attorneys send us a registered letter in the post, here is what I intend to
do: I will put the letter up for auction on eBay, and I will invite all our
supporters to bid on it.
We will not be bullied and we will not be threatened. The campaign
continues.
Australia: Foster's brewery workers need our help
Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, a company you are much more
likely to have heard of (especially if you drink beer) is also attempting
to lower labour costs by refusing to recognize the union freely chosen by
its employees. Fosters needs to receive a loud and clear message from
trade unionists -- and beer drinkers -- around the world. Please support
[http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/campaigns/show_campaign.cgi?c=303] the IUF
campaign today.
Virtual strikes, virtual unions: Italian IBM workers make history
IBM employees in Italy made headlines around the world this week (reported
on LabourStart) when they announced their intention to carry out a "virtual
strike" inside "Second Life". They are being supported by Union Network
International, which is inviting all of us to participate in this
unprecedented action. You are all encouraged to set up free accounts at
SecondLife, and next week, to receive virtual "strike kits" from the
union. UNI has helpfully provided details of
[http://www.uniglobalunion.org/SecondLife] how to get started using Second
Life. Training courses within Second Life will take place from 9:00 to
21:00 (Italy time) on 12 September at UNI's virtual house on Commonwealth
Island inside Second Life.
I realize that for most of you, the above was utterly new and perhaps
incomprehensible. Please don't ask me for help -- I'm as new to this as
you are. But if you want more help, or if you are already a Second Life
user and can help others, please do contact Christine Revkin at UNI -
christine.revkin@union-network.org
Have a great weekend.
Eric Lee
This message was sent by: LabourStart, 51 Briarfield Avenue, London,
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