By Phillylabor.com

– Although each situation involving accusations of alleged abuses of workers’ rights, wages and standards is unique in its own right, disputes between organized labor and non-union contractors/developers are nothing new on the streets of Philadelphia. A hypothetical scenario of a typical labor dispute may include labor leaders confronting a situation, an initial meeting with the contractor, a brief negotiation, a possible protest, continued negotiations, etc., after all of which a fair resolution of the situation does or does not occur and it plays itself out from there. You rarely ever hear about the situation again, at least not out in public.

However, a recent dispute between Philadelphia area unions and developer Post Brothers has taken things to a whole new level of prime time visibility, causing echoes of strife that have even spawned interest from filmmakers who have gone as far as to make it the subject of a new controversial documentary that is quickly becoming all the rage throughout Philadelphia and beyond.

The new documentary video, called “Deconstructing Post Brothers,” was recently released by 9.14 Pictures (producers of the award winning film “Art of the Steal”), featuring shocking footage of a center city construction site that has been at the heart of one of the most controversial labor disputes in recent Philadelphia memory between area labor unions and its developer, Post Brothers.

The documentary includes in-depth interviews with Philadelphia area union leaders John J. Dougherty, Business Manager of IBEW #98, and Patrick Gillespie, Business Manager of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, as well as political officials including Congressman Bob Brady, City Councilman Mark Squilla and City Councilman James Kenney, etc., each offering their sentiments about the conditions surrounding the project that have caused such outrage.

The creation of a website (http://deconstructingpostbrothers.com/) and related social media pages have also accompanied the documentary.

CLICK HERE To WATCH the controversial documentary “Deconstructing Post Brothers,”

By PhillyLabor.com

– Longtime Teamsters 830 Secretary Treasurer/Business Manager Danny Grace will be the featured guest speaker at the upcoming Phillylabor.com Business To Labor Network Event, an endeavor created to introduce premium union and union friendly businesses and professionals to area labor leaders. A 36-year member of Local 830 and a passionate advocate for his members, Danny Grace has been at the helm of Local 830 as Secretary Treasurer/Business Manager since 2001, where he has been involved in all aspects of local 830’s success as one of the Philadelphia area’s premier Teamsters locals.

Amongst his many accomplishments, Danny Grace has previously held the position of Vice President of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, was appointed in 2011 to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission as Commissioner, was awarded Labor’s Man of the Year from the Philadelphia Irish Society, was named Delegate to the Brewery Soft Drink Conference and was Organizer at Teamsters Boot Camp sponsored by IBT Department of Training and Development, just to name a few.

The PhillyLabor.com Business to Labor Network is proud to have Danny Grace as our featured guest speaker at the event which will be be sponsored by the Injured Workers’ Advocacy Program and take place on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 from 6pm-8pm, at the Ironworkers Local #401 Union Hall.

For additional information on the PhillyLabor.com Business to Labor Network, go to: http://phillylabor.com/advertisenetworkpromote-your-business/

Original Story By Cherri Gregg

– In a partnership with City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and as part of Operation Warm, an endeavor that has provided overcoats for 1.2 million children during the past 15 years, the Philadelphia Firefighters union is raising money with a goal to purchase 1,000 coats for Philadelphia children in need of them. “No donation is too big or small,” says Tim McShea, Vice President of Firefighters Local 22 in a story originally published by CBS Philly’s Cherri Gregg.

McShea, who also gave kudos to other organizations such as IBEW #98 and Univest Bank for making contributions to the cause, said this year’s goal is to raise enough money to buy 1,000 coats for needy children while also stating that “In addition to giving them warmth all winter, we’re giving them the dignity that comes with having a brand-new coat to call their own.”

For more information on how you can help between now and the end of the year, go to operationwarm.org

Source: Original Story by Cherri Gregg for CBS Philly at: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/11/26/philadelphia-firefighters-hoping-to-purchase-1000-overcoats-for-needy-local-kids/

By Allison Kilkenny

OUR Walmart, the group behind last year’s Black Friday activism, has promised even more actions this year with 1,500 protests scheduled at stores all across the country. Walmart is clearly nervous ahead of this year’s plans because the company has asked judges in Maryland and Florida to bar protesters from entering stores on Black Friday.

“This is yet another move from Walmart to try to bend the law to its liking. Walmart has made it a practice to pursue over-the-top legal maneuvers to try to avoid hearing the real concerns of workers and community members,” said Derrick Plummer, spokesman for the organizer, Making Change at Walmart, in a statement.

OUR Walmart announced that Black Friday protests are scheduled in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Miami, Chicago; Seattle, Washington (DC), Minneapolis and Sacramento, and the group calls it the “largest mobilization of working families in recent history.”

“Workers are calling for an end to illegal retaliation, and for Walmart to publicly commit to improving labor standards, such as providing workers with more full time work and $25,000 a year. As the country’s largest retailer and employer, Walmart makes more than $17 billion in profits, with the wealth of the Walton family totaling over $144.7 billion—equal to that of 42% of Americans,” the group said in a statement.

Anthony Goytia, a part-time worker who stocks shelves during the overnight shift, says he isn’t protesting because he hates Walmart. Al Jazeera America:

“I actually do like my job. It’s fast-paced, and time goes by quick,” he said. “But last year I made $12,000. I’m a husband. I have four kids. It’s not enough. I’m living in poverty.”

Goytia is a member of Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart), which is backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers union. He has taken part in several protests for better wages and working conditions at the store, including one in early November, when fifty-four people were arrested during protests at a new Walmart store in Los Angeles.

But worker actions against Walmart aren’t isolated to Black Friday. On Monday, Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) joined Walmart workers in Minnesota who walked off the job, and in Los Angeles, workers went on a two-day strike that culminated in the largest-ever act of civil disobedience against Walmart. Last week, workers in Seattle, Chicago, Ohio and Dallas joined them in walking off their jobs.

Additionally, Walmart workers at three Washington, DC, area stores went on strike Tuesday, calling on the company to end its illegal retaliation against workers, and calling for better wages and full-time work.

“I’m speaking out today because Walmart can afford to do better by its workers,” said striking worker Tiffany Beroid. “We want to work full time, and earn above the poverty level. And we are taking action today because Walmart needs to publicly commit to ending illegal retaliation against workers and better wages.”

In fact, the resistance against Walmart’s low wages never really went away. Workers have continually organized, fought for higher wages, and engaged in creative civil disobedience. For example, these workers led a flashmob back in September at a Raleigh, North Carolina Walmart store:

Since June, Walmart has illegally disciplined more than eighty workers, including firing twenty worker-leaders, and more than 100 Unfair Labor Practice charges have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the company. Recently, the NLRB regional office announced it found merit to OUR Walmart’s charge, and found Walmart committed eleven violations of national labor law.

At a time when workers are struggling to survive on low wages, activists expressed outrage at the retirement pension of Walmart CEO Mike Duke, which at $113 million, is more than 6,200 times greater than the average worker’s pay.

“Walmart should be ashamed of the vast labor mismanagement under CEO Mike Duke. From the low wages at Walmart stores to dangerous working conditions in warehouses and the inexcusable safety conditions in factories in Bangladesh and other countries, as the world’s largest employer, Walmart can and should do better to create good jobs and safe working conditions,” Sarita Gupta, executive director of Jobs with Justice, said in a statement.

Following the announcement that Doug McMillon will succeed Duke as CEO, Beroid said the change of leadership is “a testament to the pressure the company is feeling that they’re changing leadership at this moment.”

She added:

“We’re happy to see Mr. McMillon acknowledge the hard work of associates in his statement this morning, and we hope that this appreciation translates into improving jobs for Walmart workers. Americans nationwide are looking to Walmart to improve jobs and strengthen our economy, and Mr. McMillon has an opportunity to be a leader in moving Walmart in the right direction, not just in offering more empty promises. We sincerely hope that Mr. McMillon will answer the country’s calls for Walmart to publicly commit to paying $25,000 a year, providing full-time work and ending its illegal retaliation against its own employees.”

Source: http://www.thenation.com/blog/177392/activists-plan-nationwide-walmart-protests-black-friday