The company has been receiving e-mails, letters and phone calls from state employees such as Barbara Skoglund, who is boycotting the Taher-operated cafeteria located near the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
"As a daily cafeteria diner I spent between 5-10 dollars a day. So with an average of $7.50 a day you will lose around $50 a week from me or $2,700 a year," she wrote company CEO Bruce Taher. "I will be encouraging my fellow employees to do the same until you rehire the dismissed employees, offer real employee benefits and stop union busting."
 |
|
AFSCME members Diana McGee and Scott Grefe are participating in the "Brown Bag Boycott." Photo courtesy of AFSCME Council 5 |
AFSCME and MAPE, the unions representing 30,000 state workers, are encouraging members to honor a boycott of the cafeterias until they rehire all 18 workers who lost their jobs when Taher took over operation July 1.
Taher also refused to recognize the workers\' union, UNITE HERE Local 17, which has represented the cafeteria workers since 1958. The state has changed contractors in the past, but the private companies always recognized the union and retained the workers, the union said.
The Pawlenty administration let the bid for cafeteria operations without including any requirements that the jobs be full-time, pay a living wage or provide health care or other benefits, the union said.
State workers have been given brown bags bearing the slogan "Brown bag boycott" to carry their lunches from home.
For more information
Visit the UNITE HERE website, www.uniteherelocal17.org
Here is the entire text of Skoglund\'s letter:
Dear Mr. Taher,
I was very disappointed, but unsurprised, to learn that you fired several long-time employees from the state cafeterias you recently took over. I wasn\'t surprised because I knew the Taher employees in my building were underpaid and did not receive sick, vacation, health or other typical employee benefits.
While I am unable to boycott the Capital cafeterias where you fired workers and refuse to recognize the union, effective today I am boycotting your cafeteria located between the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. As a daily cafeteria diner I spent between 5-10 dollars a day. So with an average of $7.50 a day you will lose around $50 a week from me or $2,700 a year.
I will be encouraging my fellow employees to do the same until you rehire the dismissed employees, offer real employee benefits and stop union busting.
It is despicable that you have full and part-time, hardworking employees who have no health care because you refuse to provide insurance to your workers and who qualify for public assistance programs because of your sub standard wages.
Barbara Skoglund
Share
The company has been receiving e-mails, letters and phone calls from state employees such as Barbara Skoglund, who is boycotting the Taher-operated cafeteria located near the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
"As a daily cafeteria diner I spent between 5-10 dollars a day. So with an average of $7.50 a day you will lose around $50 a week from me or $2,700 a year," she wrote company CEO Bruce Taher. "I will be encouraging my fellow employees to do the same until you rehire the dismissed employees, offer real employee benefits and stop union busting."
|
|
AFSCME members Diana McGee and Scott Grefe are participating in the "Brown Bag Boycott." Photo courtesy of AFSCME Council 5 |
AFSCME and MAPE, the unions representing 30,000 state workers, are encouraging members to honor a boycott of the cafeterias until they rehire all 18 workers who lost their jobs when Taher took over operation July 1.
Taher also refused to recognize the workers\’ union, UNITE HERE Local 17, which has represented the cafeteria workers since 1958. The state has changed contractors in the past, but the private companies always recognized the union and retained the workers, the union said.
The Pawlenty administration let the bid for cafeteria operations without including any requirements that the jobs be full-time, pay a living wage or provide health care or other benefits, the union said.
State workers have been given brown bags bearing the slogan "Brown bag boycott" to carry their lunches from home.
For more information
Visit the UNITE HERE website, www.uniteherelocal17.org
Here is the entire text of Skoglund\’s letter:
Dear Mr. Taher,
I was very disappointed, but unsurprised, to learn that you fired several long-time employees from the state cafeterias you recently took over. I wasn\’t surprised because I knew the Taher employees in my building were underpaid and did not receive sick, vacation, health or other typical employee benefits.
While I am unable to boycott the Capital cafeterias where you fired workers and refuse to recognize the union, effective today I am boycotting your cafeteria located between the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. As a daily cafeteria diner I spent between 5-10 dollars a day. So with an average of $7.50 a day you will lose around $50 a week from me or $2,700 a year.
I will be encouraging my fellow employees to do the same until you rehire the dismissed employees, offer real employee benefits and stop union busting.
It is despicable that you have full and part-time, hardworking employees who have no health care because you refuse to provide insurance to your workers and who qualify for public assistance programs because of your sub standard wages.
Barbara Skoglund