The union representing employees at Ann Arbor’s Liberty Street Borders will be going on strike this Saturday, November 8 at 9:00 AM after struggling for nearly a year to negotiate a contract with Borders Incorporated management. Below is a message the union is circulating. They’re planning a folk and rock fundraiser at the Ark next Monday; more information is avaliable on the Borders Readers United blog.
“Workers at Borders Books store #1 in Ann Arbor, MI will go on strike this Saturday, November 8 at 9:00 AM. We do not take this step lightly. By striking, we hope to convince Borders Management to negotiate with us in good faith so we can reach a fair contract and return to our jobs.
We are writing to ask you to continue to support us by
1) boycotting all Borders, Waldenbooks, and Amazon.com;
2) volunteering to picket with workers in front of the store;
3) joining Borders Readers United, our community support coalition
4) calling Borders Headquarters (734-477-1100) to tell them you support us;
5) coming to our Strike Fund Concert at the Ark in Ann Arbor on 11/10/03 at 8pm;
6) signing an online petition: http://BordersReadersUnited.2ya.com
7) forwarding this message to all your friends and colleagues!
In Solidarity and thanks,
Borders Workers Union Organizing Committee
More detailed information follows:
***************************************
Long-term Borders employee Hal Brannan says this:
After working at Borders for 18 years and trying to negotiate for nearly a year, now I must take a drastic step. At Store # 1, my coworkers and I have been hoping for a reasonable contract offer, but all we were offered was the employee handbook with the added risk of losing some things. We were hoping Borders would settle our claims of Unfair Labor Practices and
turn over a new leaf; but Borders has seen fit to settle with the NLRB while continuing to intimidate and harass us. We see a strike as the last option we have to get Borders to adopt a new attitude. We need you to come to our picket line to show your support.”