Potential Turning Point for Labor as Millions in Service Sector Face Deepening Poverty

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.iww.org/en/node/5217

Historic First in Nation's Fast Food Industry, 200 Jimmy Johns Workers to Vote in NLRB Union Election on October 22
Submitted by intexile on Fri, 10/01/2010 - 1:58pm.

Potential Turning Point for Labor as Millions in Service Sector Face Deepening Poverty

MINNEAPOLIS– The National Labor Relations Board confirmed today that it will conduct a union election for 200 workers at ten Minneapolis-area Jimmy John's on October 22, an historic first in the nation's almost entirely non-union fast food industry. The secret ballot union election could be a turning point for labor at a time of deepening poverty for millions of Americans affected by the recession, many of whom are employed in low-wage service sector jobs.

“People who thought of themselves as middle class or upwardly-mobile two years ago are now making minimum wage at Jimmy John's, with no real prospects for moving up. If these are the kinds of jobs that American workers will be stuck with, then we are going to make them quality jobs for working families,” said Mike Wilkow, a union member at Jimmy Johns.

If a majority of workers vote in favor of unionization, the company will be legally bound to negotiate with a bargaining team elected by its employees.



The unprecedented fast food union campaign at Jimmy John's comes at a time of deepening economic misery for US workers. According to a recent report by the US Census Bureau, a record-breaking 43.6 million Americans– 1 in 7 people– are living in poverty. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the unemployment rate at 9.6%, with 14.9 million people out of work and uncounted millions more too discouraged to look for work. Layoffs and outsourcing have decimated higher-paid jobs, particularly strongholds of unionization such as manufacturing and construction, forcing many workers to seek employment in low-wage areas of the economy once reserved for teenagers and students. For many, it feels like food service and retail are the only jobs left.

While many workers are forced to seek employment in food service, industry wages and working conditions are widely regarded as substandard; in 2009, the median wage in the fast food industry was $8.28/hr and as of July 2010, the average workweek in fast food was only 24.3 hours. The median annual income for fast food workers is $10,462, or $871 per month. This is less than half the federal poverty line of $21,954 for a family of four, and below the federal poverty line of $ 10,830 for an individual. Jimmy John's is below industry standards, paying most workers the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr, scheduling most workers less than 20 hours/week, and offering no benefits.

Unionization has clear allure to poverty-wage food service workers.

FULL story at link.

[TexasObserver]

1. recommend

[rpannier]

2. Sounds like a good place as any to start nt

[Andy823]

3. It's all been part of the republican plan

With the huge layoffs, and all the jobs that were outsourced, the republicans have found a way to force wages down. They have laid off workers who made fairly good money, and when they do start hiring again, they will be able to hire younger workers for much less money, and no benefits! I live in Washington state and we have one of the highest minimum wages in the country at around $8.40 I believe. Dino Rossi, the republican running against senator Patty Murray, has already stated that the minimum wage is to "high" and should be lowered! I have heard this about other candidates running for congress on the republican ticket.

Right now there is a huge labor force out there that is looking for work. When the companies cut lose and start hiring, and I think they will after the elections, there will be hundreds of people apply for those jobs, and willing to work for less money than what the employer paid his former employees. I think this whole thing with companies stock piling all their money had to do with getting wages down, and trying to keep the economy from rebounding so republicans had a chance to win back power in congress and help big business undo all the things president Obama has already done. They want to do away with new regulations, and they know the republicans will help them do that.

[Catshrink]

4. Thanks for posting, OS!

[FredStembottom]

5. Thank you, Steve.

Apparently happening right under my nose - but didn't know it.

[Omaha Steve]

7. Glad I posted it

Your welcome.

[lonestarnot]

6. K & R

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. K & R