you only get what you fight for

[Organic Revolution]

Our struggle at a local Jimmy Johns fast food restaurant:

Day after day, the workers at our Jimmy Johns revolve through the door, dragging there feet as they work for shit wage and long hours. But through our work place organizing, we have come to the conclusion that the only way to protect ourselves is through a workers union. Dont get this confused with a corporate union, we are a union of workers only, and self defense type of organization. our union draft reads:

1. We come together to organize through an anarcho-syndicalist organization, and all decisions for the union should be made by every shop worker.

2. Because of the wage cuts, the union dues will be voluntary only, with union funds going to strike funds and in-shop supplies, such as union posters, ect.

3. In the case of hours cuts, for any worker, we will strike for the hours back.

4. We are determined to fight for our 40 hours. The reason we fight for 40 hours, is because, the bosses give us 37-39 hours, so we cant get benefits.

5. There must be co-operation between delivery drivers and in-shop workers, therefore, all tips made through deliveries should be split evenly with all of the workers on you shift.

6. We must undermine the bosses and the managers at all costs, even if that means hurting business so they cant get there bonuses.

7. Organize coherently so we can fight effectively against the bosses, and must use self determination so we can try and take the shop back.

Identify your enemies, understand your struggle, organize to win.



At our local Jimmy Johns, we have finally started our union, and things can only look up from here on out. This was drafted 2/25/07.

[Fawkes]

That's awesome. What are your future plans for action?

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26, 2007 10:46 am
That's awesome. What are your future plans for action?
as of right now we want to just gain power for the workers in our shop, nothing huge right now. eventually though, we want to put out a weekly zine from the shops printers, and leave them for distro in the store.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Contact the IWW.

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by Compañ[email protected] 26, 2007 11:30 am
Contact the IWW.
We have contacted the IWW, but as this all happened yesterday, so we are in the baby stages and are waiting to hear back.

[Inithias]

i just love it when you see that ppl really try to protest, to fight..
it shows that they are really serious about it,

go on !
you'll get what you want if you believe !

[Organic Revolution]

anymore feedback?

[lithium]

Excellent! It's great to see when workers realise that they are the ones that make the company what it is.

I'm glad to say that colleagues in my shop are starting to kick up a bit of a fuss about crap treatment etc. Various pieces of literature on trade unions and workers rights are being passed around...

[Organic Revolution]

have you been attempting to organize with them?

[Organic Revolution]

An update:

The managers came accross the union folders, and our union posters, and traced the original organization back to me (?) and decided to fire me. Well when they called me and fired me, all the workers in shop and on delivery quit, just walked out, and blocked anyone from coming in. Later on in the day, all but one person quit (the manager), and the store came to a screeching halt.

We organized, stuck to our guns, and i got my job back, and now we have the bosses on there toes.

Strength through the union, stand with your brothers, fight together.

[Kropotkin Has a Posse]

Your union is pretty much the ideal and the composite union. The mainstream federation of provincial unions sent a speaker to our school but they're worthless, they have as much hierarchy and bureaucracy as the business they claim to oppose. The woman said that the IWW wasn't a real union, either.

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2007 10:56 pm
Your union is pretty much the ideal and the composite union. The mainstream federation of provincial unions sent a speaker to our school but they're worthless, they have as much hierarchy and bureaucracy as the business they claim to oppose. The woman said that the IWW wasn't a real union, either.
They call our free unions fake because we dont bow to the bosses.

[which doctor]

Originally posted by Organic [email protected] 28, 2007 11:33 pm
An update:

The managers came accross the union folders, and our union posters, and traced the original organization back to me (?) and decided to fire me. Well when they called me and fired me, all the workers in shop and on delivery quit, just walked out, and blocked anyone from coming in. Later on in the day, all but one person quit (the manager), and the store came to a screeching halt.

We organized, stuck to our guns, and i got my job back, and now we have the bosses on there toes.

Strength through the union, stand with your brothers, fight together.
That's fucking sweet! Especially for Jimmy Johns, more workers from low-paying service jobs should look to organize.

[Fawkes]

Originally posted by Organic [email protected] 28, 2007 11:33 pm
An update:

The managers came accross the union folders, and our union posters, and traced the original organization back to me (?) and decided to fire me. Well when they called me and fired me, all the workers in shop and on delivery quit, just walked out, and blocked anyone from coming in. Later on in the day, all but one person quit (the manager), and the store came to a screeching halt.

We organized, stuck to our guns, and i got my job back, and now we have the bosses on there toes.

Strength through the union, stand with your brothers, fight together.
Would they legally be allowed to fire you for that?

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by Fawkes+March 01, 2007 04:50 pm--> (Fawkes @ March 01, 2007 04:50 pm)
Organic [email protected] 28, 2007 11:33 pm
An update:

The managers came accross the union folders, and our union posters, and traced the original organization back to me (?) and decided to fire me. Well when they called me and fired me, all the workers in shop and on delivery quit, just walked out, and blocked anyone from coming in. Later on in the day, all but one person quit (the manager), and the store came to a screeching halt.

We organized, stuck to our guns, and i got my job back, and now we have the bosses on there toes.

Strength through the union, stand with your brothers, fight together.
Would they legally be allowed to fire you for that? [/b]
not sure, but they did.

[RNK]

That is abo-fucking-lutely awesome, organic. I give you and your fellow unioners my highest praise.

[RedAnarchist]

Welld one - you and your co-workers must have scared your bosses shitless :D

[YSR]

not sure, but they did.

Where do you live? If you live in the U.S., and they fire you for union organizing, it is 100% illegal. If you were engaged in "concerted activity of 2 or more workers" you are absolutely protected from being fired under the law. (I don't remember exactly which law this is.) Your local IWW branch should have plenty of resources and will help you. Also, contact the National Lawyers Guild if this happens again and direct action doesn't solve the problem.

You will definitely need to fill out a Improper Labor Practice form and that will be really beneficial if you decide to become a recognized union by the NLRB.

Yeah, but seriously, Wobblies will have lots of resources that you need right now.

[lithium]

Man this is beautiful! Excellent work Comrade, solidarity to you and your colleagues.

Are the Wobblies active in Ireland? Doesn't seem to show anything on the website...

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by Young Stupid [email protected] 01, 2007 10:29 pm

not sure, but they did.

Where do you live? If you live in the U.S., and they fire you for union organizing, it is 100% illegal. If you were engaged in "concerted activity of 2 or more workers" you are absolutely protected from being fired under the law. (I don't remember exactly which law this is.) Your local IWW branch should have plenty of resources and will help you. Also, contact the National Lawyers Guild if this happens again and direct action doesn't solve the problem.

You will definitely need to fill out a Improper Labor Practice form and that will be really beneficial if you decide to become a recognized union by the NLRB.

Yeah, but seriously, Wobblies will have lots of resources that you need right now.
We have contacted a Chicago IWW rep. and we are waiting to meet with him, and we have also gotten an NLG lawyer to help us with our struggle.

[Organic Revolution]

Update:

We have spread the word to a few local stores, and now three other stores have started to organize, not sure if they are organising under radical lines.

[FinnMacCool]

Thats great. I'm glad you stuck to your guns. Makes me very proud for you and all your comrades.

[Colombia]

So I want to do the same thing Organic Revolution. What exactly have you been able to do with your union?

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by [email protected] 03, 2007 12:57 pm
So I want to do the same thing Organic Revolution. What exactly have you been able to do with your union?
what do you mean?

[lithium]

*bump*

Any more news on this, Comrade?

From my workplace: a Lithuanian girl I work with realised she was not being paid the minimum wage. She complained to the manager and the manager said he'd pay her the minimum wage. She opened her wages this week to find that not only was she not getting the minimum wage, but her wages were dropped even further. This is the straw that broke the camel's back for me; I immediately sent off trade union membership forms, and another colleague is doing the same. I expect our other colleagues to follow suit and finally start resisting this disgusting capitalist exploitative behaviour. More news from me as it comes!

[Bilan]

Inspiring news, comrade!
You, and your co-workers/comrades are fucking awesome. I can't think of any other way to describe it.