Disabled workers fight back against sweatshop conditions

Workers at Peckham Vocational Industries in Michigan, a not for profit company that provides job training and employment for disabled workers are in the process of forming a trade union. Workers have accused the bosses of paying sub-minimum wages to their 1100 employees whilst at the same time making huge profits. So far, around 200 workers have signed up the new trade union.

As soon as bosses became aware of the workers attempting to unionise they have engaged in open ‘union busting’ tactics, such as forcing employees to watch ant-union videos before they can receive pay check, and spreading misinformation about the union.

A spokesman has reported that:

“Another one of our key organizers has been laid-off and another given a one-week suspension for no reason," a post on a Facebook page of United Peckham Employee Group, reads. "We have also confirmed that Peckham is hiring a lot of new people, even as they are laying off current workers. This is clear-cut union busting, and we aren't going to stand for it."

A sacked worker believes that:

“All of this started when we started getting a union in here. Workers are concerned about wages, working conditions, and disrespectful treatment by the company. They are using people on a daily basis and it just has to end. It’s a glorified modern-day sweatshop”

Bosses have predictably claimed that the lay-offs are nothing to do with trade union activities, but rather it is to do with orders being currently lower than expected.

Solidarity with the Peckham Vocational workers!