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Vol. 73/No. 33      August 31, 2009

 
FlatRate movers in
New York fight for union
 
BY TOM BAUMANN  
NEW YORK—A giant inflatable rat could be seen August 14 in front of FlatRate Moving company’s Bronx location. After a three-month union-organizing drive, workers there were voting on whether to join Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union/United Food and Commercial Workers Local 116.

More than 40 workers have been fired since early July for supporting the union, including 28 in just one week, according to Warren Iglesias, 23, who was one of the first to be fired. Iglesias said the supervisors claim he was let go because of the “bad economy,” even though there is still plenty of work.

Workers said the company began to interrogate workers after they learned of the organizing drive. “Are you with the company or are you with the union?” Humberto Matos said his boss asked him. He was fired July 8.

Francisco García, another worker who says he was fired for union activity, had been with the company for 18 months. He said he worked long hours, taking home $35-$45 per day on average. “I read an ad in the Daily News advertising good salary, vacations, bonuses, and benefits, but none of it was true,” he said.

One of the central demands was company health care. Only four out of nearly 300 workers receive health benefits, Iglesias said. “They play favorites.”

Workers are demanding an hourly wage instead of being paid on commission. They said the company divides a 27 percent commission among the workers on each job. “Movers work in groups of four, five, or six,” said Rafael Ramos. “Sometimes you get only $15-$17 a day.”

Workers said they also wanted paid vacations in their new contract, which currently only drivers receive.

Many cited abuse by supervisors for the reason they supported the union. Enrique Valásquez, a driver, was involved in a car accident with a company moving truck. “I came in for work every day for one month after that, but I only worked three days.” He was then fired.

The company declined to comment.

To win union recognition, the workers needed 122 votes in favor. As of Friday night, the ballots cast were 86 against and 67 in favor, with 95 votes challenged. Iglesias said company intimidation discouraged some workers from voting for the union. The next step will be to resolve votes challenged by the union and the company.

Dan Fein contributed to this article.
 
 
Related articles:
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Nickel miners in Canada strike to defend union
New Zealand school workers demand wage raise
Workers in Haiti march to raise minimum wage  
 
 
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