Phone Zap to Support Locked Out IWW Workers

Join the call in campaign to support locked out IWW canvassing workers in Seattle and beyond.

This week, in support of locked out Fellow Workers from the IWW IU650 shop at Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. (GCI) in Seattle and fired union members around the “US”, we are calling on Wobblies and friends to participate in a phone zap of the GCI Central Office. Please call between the hours of 9am-6pm EST, 7 days a week. August 10 is especially desired to coincide with a National Day of Action.

In June, GCI locked us out for two weeks in retaliation for protected union activity; in July, they did it again for 4 days. This time, effective August 5, the bosses have attempted to permanently close the Seattle office. This comes on the heels of an Unfair Labor Practice Strike held by IU650 from July 27-29, protesting the egregious labor abuses committed by GCI management. GCI’s excuse for closing the office was that they could not find a director, despite never posting a position online.

The closure is likely also intended as a threat to other union efforts in GCI offices. The New Orleans office has faced a number of illegal firings in retaliation for organizing, and other offices have been hit by mass firings after workers took collective action. We need to keep the pressure up on the Central office to take some heat off the union efforts in other offices.

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, Emails, and Social Media

(617) 423-0431, [email protected] – National Admin
(617) 830-7986, [email protected] – Laurie Owen (General Counsel and Chief Union Buster)
(860) 575-0941, [email protected] – Steve King (Assistant National Director)
(617) 542-0830 – GCI Payroll
(617) 388-7800 – GCI Recruitment
(617) 388-7882 – Central Field Office
(203) 249-3324, [email protected] – Bill Baker (National Director)
(617) 830-7982 – Chelsea Nkrumah (Legal Assistant and Union Buster)
[email protected] – Wes Jones, Co-founder
[email protected] – Jon Scarlett, Co-founder
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grassrootscampaignsinc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/grassrootsc

Hey @RichardTrumka, why are you hanging out with union busting @GrassrootsC? GCI locked out their workers in Seattle, fired canvassers in NOLA for organizing, and are refusing to bargain in Portland? Solidarity forever, right? Never cross a picket line, right? WTF!? #1u pic.twitter.com/WHHQjTiwDP

— Green Mountain IWW (@GrnMtnWobblies) August 6, 2018

Please also join in the social media campaign by tweeting or FB using #GCI; the Green Mountain Wobs (linked above) have been spearheading an amazing solidarity effort!

Sample Call Script

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

I am calling in support of the locked out union workers at GCI’s Seattle branch, and those in other branches like New Orleans facing union busting activity.

I understand that GCI corporate closed the Seattle office in retaliation for protected union activity in order to intimidate other union organizing attempts around the country. I also know that GCI has asked its directors to engage in union busting practices that are frequently illegal without actually informing them of that fact.

I am calling to insist you immediately halt all union busting and intimidation activities, reopen the Seattle office, and rehire all canvassers targeted for firings based on union activity. The hard working canvassers in Seattle have spent years of their lives building strong communities; they deserve better than to be terrorized and slandered. Other workers, such as Alex Arceneaux [ar-sin-oh] in New Orleans, have been fired to chill protected union activity. This blatantly illegal and regressive activity is sharply in contrast to the values you and your clients claim to stand for.

GCI claims to be a progressive company consistently fails to live up to those ideals. People from around the country have the backs of your workers, and that we demand you honor their contracts, reopen the Seattle office, and immediately halt all other union busting activity elsewhere.