Phone Zap to Support Fired IWW Workers

This week, in support of Fellow Workers from the IWW IU650 shops at Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. (GCI) Nationwide, we are calling on Wobblies and friends to participate in a phone zap of GCI’s field offices.

Hundreds of people have called into GCI’s central office, but the company frequently refuses to hear people out. We need their field offices, many of which are actively engaged in union busting, to pass the message along. Please call between the hours of 9-6pm, 7 days a week, for any given office’s location, as these are typical business hours for a GCI office.

In June Grassroots Campaigns locked out its Seattle workers in retaliation for Labor Activity. In July they did it again. This also came with a wave of firings of Union supporters. On a daily basis these workers are discriminated against by their employer, with Union folks being sent to remote locations with little foot traffic. They are subjected to a constant stream of highly questionable legal theory that the bosses spout, and canvassers have been forced into more difficult assignments, including a switch to fleece uniforms in the middle of the summer.

Yesterday they announced the next lockout by claiming ”permanent closure,” which in labor terminology would make this a “Run-Away office” and leaving the jurisdiction to squash labor activity.

Despite these vicious attacks. The workers at GCI in New Orleans joined the fight and won their own NLRB election for representation by the IWW. They have faced severe and illegal union busting activity since going public.

GCI fears that their shady practices will help fuel the flames and spread the union. Let’s show them they’re right. Call today to show just how much solidarity we have around the country.

Phone Numbers and Emails

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _____________ (First name is fine)

I am calling in support of the IWW 650 affiliated workers at Grassroots Campaigns facing union busting activity.

I know that GCI has asked its directors to engage in union busting practices that are frequently illegal without actually informing them of that fact. You can and should refuse to engage in such shady and illegal activities.

I am calling to insist that you immediately stand up to the Central Office’s illegal retaliation and union busting operations. You should show solidarity with the hard working canvassers in Seattle by volunteering to join them as a Director. These are people who have dedicated months if not years to fundraising and building strong, supportive communities around a variety of causes. They deserve better than to be terrorized and slandered. Alex Arcaneux is another such worker in the New Orleans office who has been fired. You should stand up for these canvassers and insist on him being rehired.

GCI claims to be a progressive company but it consistently fails to live up to those ideals. Please tell your superiors that people from around the country have the backs of your workers, and that we demand they honor their contracts and end all of their union busting activity.

Thank you for your time.