[2597] in peace2
Somerville Projectionists Update (6/25)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tree Monkey)
Thu Jun 26 09:02:04 2003
Message-ID: <20030626130002.77599.qmail@web11206.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 06:00:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tree Monkey <bangarangatan@yahoo.com>
To: peace-announce@mit.edu
MIME-Version: 1.0
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UNTIL VICTORY...
Somerville Projectionists Update (6/25)
It has been almost two months since the projectionists
at the
Somerville
Theater demanded union recognition and a fair
contract. Projectionists
at
the Somerville Theater are paid minimum wage
($6.75/hour) with little
hope
of raises, are not offered health or dental insurance,
nor any
benefits, and
are forced to work in an unsafe and unhealthy
environment. We feel
unionization and collective bargaining is our only
hope for improving
our
jobs. In response, theater-owner Melvin Fraiman
decided to lock us out
of
work, where we have remained for the past 7 weeks.
During this time we
have
constantly and actively fought for our right to
organize and earn a
decent
wage. As the struggle draws into its second month, we
want to put any
doubts
to rest: we will continue this fight until we have
achieved victory!
AN END IN SIGHT OR THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM?
We are currently in the process of negotiating a
resolution to our
labor
dispute, which would include Fraiman's voluntary
recognition of the
union.
If these negotiations go well, we hope that very soon
we will be proud
to
announce a victory for us, for the union, and for
exploited workers
everywhere.
However, the struggle is far from over, and now is the
time for renewed
vigilance. The negotiation process is a very
precarious one, and at any
time
Fraiman could decide to put an end to it. We have been
asked by our
union
local to put a hold on pickets and other mobilizations
during the
process of
negotiations, and as a show of good-faith, we have
agreed to do so. We
will
be taking this time to rest, recuperate, and
strategize, and we
encourage
all of our supporters to do the same. While we all
want to be
optimistic,
this may well be nothing more than the calm before the
storm.
PREPARE FOR ESCALATION
We ask all our supporters to prepare themselves for a
significant
increase
in our mobilization should Fraiman decide to back out
of negotiations.
It is
because of the hard work all of us together have done
that we have won
what
leverage we have, and forced Fraiman to negotiate.
Fraiman has made no
secret of the fact that it was the countless phone
calls, emails, and
pickets, coupled with the economic drain of the
boycott, which brought
him
to the table.
Please continue to aid our struggle for union
recognition and a fair
contract: spread the word to your friends and family,
and be prepared
for an
emergency mobilization in response to any dirty
tricks Fraiman may attempt to pull.
PLEASE CONTINUE BOYCOTTING THE SOMERVILLE AND CAPITOL
THEATERS
Though we hope someday soon that we could all attend
the Somerville
Theater
in good conscience, that time has not yet come. We are
still
locked-out, and
still waging an uphill battle for our very simple
demands. Although we
have
agreed not to picket during the negotiation process,
we ask that
supporters
continue to actively boycott these two theaters.
OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR STRUGGLE
The projectionists have not been able to work for
almost two months
now. If
you would like to make a donation to our campaign for
union recognition
please visit the paypal account link below:
https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=cac%40linefeed.org&item_name=Projectionist+Strike+Fund&item_number=Strike001&no_note=1&tax=0
We also have a mailing address:
Somerville Projection Workers
PO Box 442075
Somerville, MA 02144
(any checks or money orders should be made out “Cash”)
Solidarity,
Somerville Theatre Projectionists
Pissed_Off_Projectionists@yahoo.com
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