[2530] in peace2
Somerville Theater Strike Update
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tree Monkey)
Tue May 6 10:08:19 2003
Message-ID: <20030506140425.68016.qmail@web11208.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 07:04:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tree Monkey <bangarangatan@yahoo.com>
To: peace-announce@mit.edu
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
:Please Forward Widely:
::Update from the Frontlines::
This email concerns the situation of the
projectionists on strike in Somerville, Massachusetts
who are demanding that the theater owner voluntarily
recognize their will to unionize. Projectionists have
been on
strike since May 1st, and will continue the strike for
as long as they can. Projectionists at this theater
are paid minimum wage ($6.75), receive no medical or
dental health insurance, work in an unsafe
environment, and have no power over their jobs.
Before jumping into an update of where we stand with
the strike, we want to take a second to thank everyone
who has supported us in any way - coming to
the picket line, refusing to patronize the Theater,
sending us emails of support, or calling the Theater
owner to complain.
If you would like to make a donation to our newly
initiated strike fund, you may do so by clicking the
link below. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and
100% of the raised money goes directly to the
strikers, or to cover costs associated with the strike
(photocopying fees, for instance.)
https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=cac%40linefeed.org&item_name=Projectionist+Strike+Fund&item_number=Strike001&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD
As our first week of being on strike comes to an end,
we just wanted to let everyone know where we stand. We
have yet to hear any new word from management, who
seem intent on busting our unionization effort. We
fully
expect them to attempt to hire many untrained people
to act as "projectionists" to defeat the union in an
NLRB election, should it come to that. We are doing
everything we can to make sure that owner Mel Fraiman
will concede to voluntarily recognize us, rather than
passively allow him to stack the odds against us
through an election.
Those of us who are strike remain in high spirits, and
have been thrilled with the number of people who have
come to support us on the picket line, as
well as with the support we have received from most
Somerville community members. The Teamsters at UPS are
continuing to honor our picket line, for
which we are very grateful. We have received word that
some safety fairies friendly to our cause have filed
numerous complaints with the Board of
Health, OSHA, MassCOSH, and other regulatory bodies.
We are also getting in touch with a number of live
performers slated to play at the Theater, in the
hopes that they might cancel or postpone their events,
rather than cross our picket line.
Please help us keep up the pressure on the Theater
owner and management. With all your help, we can win
this thing! There are several ways in which
you can help us:
*Join us on the picket line. Our next mass picketing
will be Friday and
Saturday May 9 and 10, but we will also be picketing
everyday from 11-2.
*Donate to the strike fund
*Call Mel Fraiman and Ian Judge, let them know how you
feel about their anti-union maneuvering
*Write to your local newspaper or other media outlet
to bring attention to our struggle.
*Spread the word to your friends, family, and
co-workers. Forward this email, or come to a picket
line to pick up some extra fliers.
Onward to Victory,
Somerville's Pissed Off Projectionists
pissed_off_projectionists@yahoo.com
----------------------------
Please continue to call the owner and manager at the
numbers below. Call as many times as you like (hint):
call the owner of the somerville theatre and demand
that he recognize the projectionists union. his name
is Melvin Fraiman.
Phone: (617) 484-6947
Car Phone: (617) 460-6909
Personal Fax: (617) 484-5823
Call the Realty company that Melvin Fraiman owns,
Chatham Light Realty, express your discontent:
Phone (617) 354-4466
Fax (617) 354-5299
Call the Somerville Theater, ask to speak to Ian
Judge, or the manager on duty:
Phone: (617) 625-4088
Direct to manager phone: (617) 625-0261
Fax: (617) 625-5496
Email the public liason for the Somerville Theater:
Sherri Belski: sbelski@feitheatres.com
*Action called for by the "Friends of Somerville
Projection Workers"
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