AMERICAN LABOUR:

TELL RITE AID TO DO RITE:

The following appeal for solidarity with warehouse workers at Rite-Aid Pharmacy in the USA comes from the United Students Against Sweatshops organization.

RARARARARA
Rite Aid Pharmacy wants its workers sick?‏

Tell Rite Aid: No more sweatshop conditions for California warehouse workers!
Support Rite Aid workers in their fight for a fair contract

Rite Aid wants to overcharge its workers by nearly 3,000% on their health insurance plan. Why would a company bringing in billions with the mission of keeping customers “healthy and safe” try to rip off its own employees with the health insurance they need to care for themselves and their families?

Tell Rite Aid CEO John Standley to stop cheating its workers on health care and to negotiate a fair first contract with its warehouse workers.

Rite Aid has been a bad actor for decades – exploiting our tax dollars, cheating the government, cutting and running from union plants, and punishing workers when they stand up against egregious conditions in Rite Aid warehouses. Two years ago, workers in their Lancaster warehouse refused to put up with Rite Aid's abuse, speaking out against daily harassment, disrespect, job insecurity, working mandatory overtime, and toiling in the sweltering heat. After voting in a union to protect themselves from Rite Aid’s abuses, the company retaliated with illegal layoffs and has refused to negotiate a reasonable first contract with these workers for more than two years. Now the company is proposing to overcharge them 28 times on health insurance while pushing higher drug prices on consumers.

Take action now and demand that Rite Aid stop this sweatshop behavior and negotiate a fair contract!

Rite Aid’s directors earn up to $100 million a year and pour money into busting unions, and yet they insist on ripping off workers by overcharging them on the health care that Rite Aid workers and their families need. Send a letter to Rite Aid CEO John Standley and tell him to stop cheating warehouse workers in healthcare costs and to negotiate a fair first contract in Lancaster.

RARARARARA

THE LETTER:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to the CEO of Rite-Aid.

RARARARARA

Dear Mr. Standley,

As a Rite Aid customer, I am troubled to hear that workers in your Lancaster, California distribution center who voted to form a union two and a half years ago do not have an agreement with Rite Aid to improve working conditions and give employees a voice at work.

Union contracts are our best assurance that Rite Aid is providing the good jobs our communities need.

I am also alarmed to hear that Rite Aid management has proposed overcharging employees by 28 times on their health insurance plan. This would constitute an enormous financial strain on workers and their families. For me, these abuses really are personal.

By making such an outrageous and unethical proposal, your company is making it impossible to move forward in finalizing a fair contract to end sweatshop conditions at the Lancaster distribution center.

I urge management to do everything possible to bring these negotiations to an expedited conclusion with a fair agreement for Rite Aid's hardworking employees. As a company that provides critical health care services to the public, it's hypocritical not to provide a health insurance plan that workers and their families can afford.

AMERICAN LABOUR-CALIFORNIA:

TELL RITE-AID TO DO RIGHT:

The following appeal is from the American Rights at Work Coalition, and it's about the stubborn anti-union tactics of the American pharmacy chain Rite-Aid. Workers at their warehouse in Lancaster California have unionized, but the company has continued to stall and pig-headedly refuses to bargain in good faith. Here's the story and appeal from the American Rights at Work group.

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Tell Rite Aid: it's personal:‏
Tell Rite Aid: You're right, it's personal.
Rite Aid’s workers won an uphill battle to form their union, but now Rite Aid has delayed their negotiations for over a year.

You can help Rite Aid workers fight back.
Tell CEO Mary Sammons to stop delaying union negotiations.

You've seen it on TV. Smiling customers, happy employees, and the slogan: "Rite Aid. With us, it's personal."

Well here's what we take personally...

Rite Aid's employees faced a campaign of misinformation and intimidation for trying to form a union. After two years, they finally formed their union, but the company has stalled contract negotiations for over a year.

Rite Aid employees have been working non-stop to get their company to do the right thing, But they need our help to break this damaging stalemate.

Let's make it impossible for Rite Aid to ignore their workers any longer: Write CEO Mary Sammons right now.

Here's what's happening...

Rite Aid employees in Lancaster, CA, decided they wanted to form a union to improve working conditions, like sweltering heat in their warehouse. Rite Aid's response was to oppose the union. Workers reported they were threatened and intimidated, and some were even fired for supporting the union!

The federal government stepped in and prepared to charge Rite Aid with 49 labor law violations. But because Congress hasn't yet passed protections like the Employee Free Choice Act, Rite Aid has been able to repeatedly break the law, facing little more than a slap on the wrist.

The workers thought they finally had prevailed in March 2008 when they successfully voted to form a union. But Rite Aid refused to negotiate seriously with them, instead bringing in a notorious anti-union consulting firm to try and fight the workers!

These workers are paying the price for Rite Aid's delay tactics every day. Please, tell Rite Aid execs to bargain fairly with their workers!

American Rights at Work is pulling out all the stops to enact the Employee Free Choice Act, which would hold companies accountable for anti-union tactics like these. But until we pass that law, Rite Aid workers will need your help.
Thanks for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Liz, Manny, Elizabeth B. and the American Rights at Work team

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The Letter:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to Rite Aid management.

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As a consumer who cares about working people, I am deeply troubled by reports that Rite Aid has used stalling tactics in its contract negotiations with workers at its distribution center in Lancaster, CA.

Interfering with workers' attempts to improve their lives and working conditions is wrong. Rite Aid has received big tax breaks, and promised good jobs, to locate in Lancaster. The public expects better.

I want Rite Aid to immediately reach an agreement with its workers. This is very important to me as a consumer. While I have heard things have improved somewhat thanks to their efforts and to the help of a mediator, I'm deeply disappointed that it has gone on for this long.

I plan to share the news of Rite Aid's treatment of its workers with my friends, co-workers, and members of the community. Your workers deserve to have a voice at work, and I firmly believe that they will use that voice to make the company better.

Again, I urge you to immediately reach a first union contract with your workers in Lancaster.
Respectfully,

AMERICAN LABOUR:

TELL RITE AID TO STOP ITS UNION BUSTING:

The following appeal for online solidarity comes from the Jobs With Justice coalition in the USA.

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Tell Rite Aid: Stop the union-busting and sign a 1st union contract!‏:
Companies aren't supposed to attack workers who want a union,but Rite Aid and other employers are doing it every day. When 650 workers at Rite Aid's distribution center in Lancaster, CA, wanted to join a union to address problems like sweltering heat in the warehouse, the company threatened and fired them.

The federal government was preparing to charge Rite Aid with 49 labor law violations, but let the company off with a slap on the wrist. After workers prevailed and voted to join the International Longshore and Warehouse Union last March, Rite Aid continued the attacks. Now the company is refusing to sign a first contract and has hired an anti-union consulting firm to guide the company through the decertification process. This situation at Rite Aid is a perfect example of why passing the Employee Free Choice Act is so important.

We can't let Rite Aid succeed in its attempt to rob their workers of their right to collectively bargain. Please call or email today and tell Rite Aid CEO Mary Sammons it's time for Rite Aid to do the right thing: Respect workers rights, stop union busting, and sign a fair agreement.

You can take action on this alert either via email (please see directions below) or via the web at:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/riteaid/wukd7sdry7wt6x8j?

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/riteaid/forward/wukd7sdry7wt6x8j?

We encourage you to take action by May 3, 2009

Tell Rite Aid: Stop the union-busting and sign a first union contract!

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:

If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this alert by going to the following URL:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/riteaid/wukd7sdry7wt6x8j?

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:

Just choose the "reply to sender" option on your email program.

Your letter will be addressed and sent to:Mary Sammons

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THE LETTER:

By clicking on one of the above links you will send the following letter to Rite Aid management.

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----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

As a consumer who cares about working people, I am deeply troubled by reports of union-busting at Rite Aid's Distribution Center in Lancaster, CA. Threatening and firing workers for wanting to improve their lives and working conditions is wrong.

Rite Aid received big tax breaks, and promised good jobs, to locate in Lancaster. The public expects better. I want Rite Aid to immediately stop union-busting and reach an agreement with your workers. This is very important to me as a consumer, and I'm angry that it has gone on for this long. I plan to share the news of Rite Aid's union-busting with my friends, co-workers, and members of the community.

Your workers deserve to have a voice at work, and I firmly believe that they will use that voice to make the company better.

Again, I urge you to immediately stop the union-busting and reach a first union contract with your workers in Lancaster.

----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----