On Saturday afternoon, June 15 the General Manager of the Borders Bookshop in Center City Philadelphia, David Stewart, fired an employee named Miriam Fried, claiming she had accepted a customer's check without an address.
Who is Miriam Fried? Well, even her boss knew that she was a good worker. In fact, she'd never been written up since her employment began. Nope, she wasn't really fired over a mistake with a customer's check. She was fired because of her involvement with a union organizing drive. In fact, she belonged to the organizing committee.
What really happened was that on March 27, her union, the Industrial Workers of the World, narrowly lost an NLRB election at the store. David Stewart fired Miriam Fried out of revenge. Borders often brags about its well-trained, customer-oriented staff. But Borders workers only get $6.50 an hour and have no say in the conditions of their work. No wonder Borders workers want a union! They want what any worker wants: Decent wages, good treatment, and control over their job. Borders gave them threats, brought in a professional union buster, forced them to attend anti-union meetings, and fired Miriam Fried! While this was going on, Borders' top executives got between $240,000 to $860,000 in one year alone.
Tell the Borders bosses what a bunch of skinflints and tightwads they are! Tell them to bring back Miriam Fried! Plug up the Borders phoneline (1-800-644-7733). Jam up their mailbox (311 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor MI 48104). Overload their Webpage ( http://www.borders.com ). Show them what SOLIDARITY means!
Our union, the Industrial Workers of the World, is picketing Borders all around the country! In Boston, the Store Manager even tried to call the cops on our pickets. Unfortunately for the corporate cowards who run Borders, theres no law against picketing on a public sidewalk! And, if you'd like to join a real union, one that won't leave you hanging when the going gets rough, call the Puget Sound IWW (935-9012). Call us NOW,and start to take control of YOUR job!