20+ Cities to Participate in National Actions Asking Costco to Pull Palermo/Kirkland Products

Contact: Joe Shansky, 414.218.3331, joe@vdlf.org

WHO: Palermo Workers Union, the United Steelworkers and the AFL-CIO and union members, community leaders, Costco members and more

WHAT: Rallies at Costco stores across the U.S. to ask Costco to pull Palermo/Kirkland pizza from its shelves.

WHEN/WHERE:  Cities across the US – For a complete list, visit www.sliceofjustice.com

Joined by union members, community leaders, students, and Costco members, Palermo workers will launch a National Day of Action in Grafton, Wisconsin tomorrow, asking Costco to pull Palermo/Kirkland pizza from its shelves.  Across the country, solidarity rallies and informational pickets will be held at 29 Costco stores in 20 cities on the same day, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Houston, and more.

Costco is the largest distributor of Palermo’s pizza under the “Kirkland” brand, and their Supplier Code of Conduct specifically requires workplace safety standards, and a “continuing commitment   to the protection and improvement of employees’ rights,” among other pro-labor practices.  As part of the consumer boycott campaign, allies are asking Costco to remove Palermo’s products and cancel contracts until Palermo’s complies with the Supplier Code of Conduct. 
 
The national day of action will bring hundreds of working people to Costco stores to highlight Palermo’s worker abuses and distribute boycott information to Costco customers.  Workers from Palermo’s Pizza, a large frozen pizza manufacturer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have been on strike since June 1st to protest unfair labor practices.  The Palermo’s struggle is a historic test case for the National Labor Relations Board in upholding the rights of immigrant workers to organize without the fear of management using ICE as a retaliatory tool.
 
The Palermo workers are seeking union recognition and reinstatement after their employer fired around 90 workers.  Many workers at Palermo’s face serious health hazards, have no sick days and make little more than the minimum wage.  After three months of striking, Palermo workers continue standing strong in the face of employer threats and intimidation.
 
After Palermo Pizza CEO Giacuomo Falluca issued a national press release asking to meet with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, an invitation was extended by Trumka to meet with him in Washington DC on August 31st to discuss the labor conflict. To date, there has been no response from Falluca.
 
“We sincerely hope that this was not a publicity stunt on the part of Palermo’s, since this decision affects our lives and those of our families,” says Raul de la Torre of the Palermo Workers Union.
 
In Wisconsin, the boycott has gained traction among consumers, small business owners, and working people, with businesses such as the Riverwest Coop & Grocery, Beans & Barley, Willy Street Coop and more committed to standing with workers in defense of the right to organize. 
 
For more info, visit www.sliceofjustice.com

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