Nationwide Boycott of Palermo’s Pizza Begins
August 10, 2012 12:08 pm
In a follow up to this story, the AFL-CIO has officially endorsed a nationwide boycott of Palermo’s Pizza, a Milwaukee, WI company that produces several brands of frozen pizza including “Classics” and Costco’s Kirkland brand. The boycott is in response to the company’s refusal to recognize the Palermo Workers Union, affiliated with the United Steelworkers, the AFL-CIO and several community groups.
In a post on the AFL-CIO website, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said:
“The twelve million union families of the AFL-CIO are proud to stand with these Wisconsin workers who have bravely joined together for a voice on the job….Their courage and strength are a model for working people around the country whose rights are being violated and voices silenced. We hope that this boycott will encourage Palermo to finally respect its workers who work so hard for them every day.”
Palermo’s Pizza workers have been on strike since June 1st, protesting rock-bottom wages, no benefits or paid sick days and other unfair treatment. Palermo’s responded to the strike by firing more than 75 workers and threatening to deport Palermo Workers Union members if they could not verify that they were legally able to work in the US (a verification that had apparently not been required upon their being hired for their jobs). Palermo’s was forced to halt their crackdown when charges were filed with the NLRB citing illegal termination and intimidation of workers in an attempt to sway the union election. The election has been delayed indefinitely.
For more on Palermo’s dirty tactics, read our recent piece, check out the AFL-CIO’s press release and go to Slice of Justice.com.
Image from SliceofJustice.com