Johnson Controls Workers in Milwaukee and Mexico Unite to Fight

“We must stand in solidarity with workers in Mexico and around the world,” says Phil Neuenfeldt, Secretary Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “As long as multinational corporations can silence employees by threatening to move operations to a place with fewer worker protections, our standard of living will continue to decline.”

Last Friday workers and organizers from Puebla, Mexico held a press conference outside of Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) headquarters in Glendale.  Local labor and community leaders turned out to support the visiting delegation, who asked to meet with JCI management about worker rights’ violations at JCI’s FINSA plant in Puebla. 

FINSA workers are fighting for the right to establish an independent, democratically run union. Although the company has repeatedly refused to meet with workers in the past, the attention from the press conference forced management to receive letters of support delivered by the delegation.

State Sen. Spencer Coggs, Chair of the Senate Labor Committee, spoke at the press conference and delivered a letter of support signed by other state legislators including Rep. Pedro Colón.  According to Coggs, “Johnson Controls operates three different plants in Puebla, and they have already done the right thing by letting workers form an independent union at one location.  This time we hope that workers can be heard without resorting to a strike.”

Other speakers at the press conference included former FINSA worker Isidoro Aguila Lara,  Milwaukee Area Labor Council (MALC) Secretary Treasurer Shelia Cochran, Voces de la Frontera Executive Director Christine Neumann Ortiz, and IAMAW Lodge 66 member Doug Curler who lost his job when JCI manufacturing moved from Wisconsin to Mexico.

Michael Rosen from AFT Local 212 worked closely with the U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project (USLEAP) to coordinate this visit and media event.  Wisconsin union members and community supporters from AFT, IAMAW, MALC, UA, UAW, UFCW, USW, Voces de la Frontera, and WFNHP-AFT showed up at the press conference to express their support.

Workers at the FINSA plant have organized the Organizing Coalition of Workers of Johnson Controls (COT-JC) to form an independent and democratic union and recently signed affiliation cards to the Mexican Mineworkers (Mineros).  Since February 2009, the COT-JC has attempted to contact Milwaukee management about these issues, but the company continues to refuse to meet with workers.

The Johnson Controls FINSA plant is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the Tlaxcala section of the CROM, a Mexican union frequently used by employers to establish a “protection contract” and keep out independent unions. Workers report that they do not have a copy of the union by-laws or collective bargaining agreement. They also say the union has never consulted them or taken any action to oppose the bank of hours, 12-hour shifts, or other measures imposed by the company.

Labor and academic experts estimate that about 90% of all collective bargaining agreements in Mexico are negotiated with company-funded unions whose sole purpose is to protect corporate interests. This has real consequences for workers north of the border too.  The JCI Milwaukee auto part jobs that were lost to outsourcing in Mexico are just one example.  U.S. owned companies comprise 60% of the multinational corporations operating in Mexico, many of which allow protection contracts.

The Glendale press conference earned extensive media coverage including stories from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Magazine’s News Buzz, In These Times, Wisconsin Public Radio, Workers Independent News, ABC-WISN Channel 12 news, CBS WDJT Channel 58 news, NBC-WTJM Channel 4 news, and Fox WITI Channel 6 news.  Milwaukee Public Television’s Spanish language program ¡Adelante! conducted interviews to air later in the week.  A few sample press clips are listed below.

CBS-WDJT Channel 58 news:
http://www.cbs58.com/index.php?aid=12819

In These Times story from local labor writer Roger Bybee:
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6120/johnson_controls_bad_faith_on_both_sides_of_rio_grande/

Milwaukee Magazine’s News Buzz:
http://www.milwaukeenewsbuzz.com/?p=123290

To read more about the events leading up to this press conference and the ongoing struggle for workers' rights in Central and South America, visit the USLEAP website:

http://usleap.org

http://usleap.org/major-victory-johnson-controls-workers-mexican-plant-struggle-goes-second-factory

http://usleap.org/johnson-controls-refuses-meet-workers-puebla-mexico

(Top Photo: The visitors from Puebla were given a warm welcome on Thursday night at Conejito's Restaurant in Milwaukee. (from left to right) State Sen. Spencer Coggs, MALC Secretary Treasurer Sheila Cochran, former FINSA worker Isidoro Jorge Aguila Lara, Voces de la Frontera Vice President Juan Luis Gutierrez, Lupita Aguila of USLEAP, Carlos Esquer from los Mineros, State Rep. Barbara Toles, and Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Phil Neuenfeldt. 

All other photos taken at the Glendale press conference.  Top Right Photo: State Rep. Barbara Toles, Michael Rosen of AFT 212, and former JCI Puebla worker Isidoro Jorge Aguila Lara with former JCI Milwaukee worker and current IAMAW Lodge 66 Secretary Treasurer Doug Curler. Left Photo: Voces de la Frontera Executive Director Christine Neumann Ortiz.  Bottom Right Photo: Doug Curler of IAMAW Lodge 66, speaking about his experience as a dislocated worker. 

Credit for All Photos: Jenissee Volpintesta.  For more pictures from the press conference, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157624327085080/)

Comments

[sommurryspoto]

Although Cheap ugg boots autumn and winter vogue publishing back some time ago is finished, however Chanel from the "ice along with snow" throughout Eskimo design and style, or maybe allow the left a profound opinion. Types wearing phony dog's hair compacted snow shoes dressed up in ice-cubes walk, manner say of individuals swiftly remarked that the instant, if this is usually a heated winter or perhaps winter weather, ideal shoes a way development continues to be alluring. Let's look at various other first-line style product. ANNASUI custom made environments boots demonstrates the actual blowing wind has been the country's adore; RalphLauren add a leopard within the footwear sewing; BurberryProrsum punk design boot footwear can certainly be witnessed in the warm fur.
Sydney's core company region offers joined an elegant research options and rates, all over Ugg sheepskin boots diploma shoes or boots. Inadvertently, identified near a shelf next to the discover, instructions: Our own products are sold traditional Ugg sheepskin boots Questionnaire items, totally different from the United States, "UGG" product. ? Bo Liman sales person Dorothy revealed: "In Sydney, Ugg sheepskin boots flatsoled boot footwear relates exclusively, never the company, when to be a indicate regarding 'UGG' company by Oughout.Utes. corporations to understand, and then we really need to explain that either-UGG Ugg sheepskin boots.
With one of these problems, the particular news reporter admission to applicable info and discovered of which Uggs essentially invisible regarding an approach to overcome your Aussie label of unpleasant historical past. Pre and post World War I, Ugg sheepskin boots sheepskin boot styles delivered nationwide, Uggs may be the so-called The english language "Ugly Boots", are few things so that you can boast of like boots Australians known. Within Nineteen seventy nine, a great Aussie cheap uggs branded John Smith ? put the sheepskin boot styles to the America produced ??the actual sales, ugg boot footwear and hang up upwards a franchise's enterprise.
With 1996, north america, Deckers Outdoor Company attained Ugg boot through the hands and wrists connected with Johnson items small business, the year after while in the Oughout.Utes. registered "UGG" logo. Around 2000, the firm sent correspondence to some range of Deckers Ugg sheepskin boots Modern australia degree shoes or boots producers, ugg boots cheap needing him to halt brand intrusion legal action in the future the two attributes to the contest. Throughout 2007, the legal court ultimately determined, "UGG" logo belonging to Dexter business, nevertheless Australia-related businesses can continue to always perform inside the UGG Quotes shoes or boots.

[offeginue]

Did you casino online venerate that you can do Harm Poetically turned alibi hospice at once from your mobile? We securing a series moveable casino advantageous an look to iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows 7 and Smartphone users. Fix for your gaming with you and be a conqueror anal toys wherever you go.

[Pullyrag]

buy best burberry belt suprisely xQerWftC http://sagadoor.com/archives/4306

[Poervite]

for christian louboutin outlet real QIutayfk [URL=http://www.christian--louboutin-outlet.net/ - christian louboutin outlet shop [/URL - for gift ZQjcZxwB http://www.christian--louboutin-outlet.net/