More information, contact: Del Vitale - (732) 287-4011; dvitale@usw.org; Tony Montana; (412) 562-2592; tmontana@usw.org
The United Steelworkers (USW) today issued the following statement from District 4 Director John Shinn:
“The USW is committed to keeping more than 300 jobs at B&H Photo Video’s warehouses in New York City. Since workers at B&H voted in favor of USW representation more than a year ago, management led us to believe that they were bargaining in good faith while at the same time making plans to move these facilities.
“Instead of recognizing the will of its workers to be represented by a union and negotiate with the USW for a fair contract as required by law, B&H has instead chosen to close its Brooklyn warehouses and move operations 75 miles away to New Jersey, making the commute difficult and impractical.
“The Laundry Workers Center (LWC) organized a very successful and widely reported May Day action to spotlight B&H’s unfair labor practices, and management has since launched a smear campaign in retaliation.
“From the start, LWC was instrumental in supporting B&H employees in their organizing drive and should be commended for their dedication to helping them make their voices heard.
“If B&H truly wants to improve public perception of its being a bad corporate citizen, then management should reverse its decision to move out of the New York metropolitan area, stop unproductive attacks on the LWC and negotiate with the USW for a fair contract.”
The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations.
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