host posted on June 02, 2010 04:43
OPEIU Local 459 Members Strike American Red Cross
New York, NY -- Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO Local 459 in Lansing, Michigan today joins workers in six states in a three-day multi-union strike against the American Red Cross (ARC) over unfair labor practices. The Lansing strike began at 9 a.m. (PDT) Wednesday.
“The strike is the result of mismanagement at the American Red Cross,” said Local 459 Service Representative Joe Marutiak. “ARC has been fined by the Food and Drug Administration, had unfair labor charges brought against it by the National Labor Relations Board, unilaterally cut benefits, and shipped jobs overseas. All of this puts the blood supply at risk and abuses employees and the donors.
“With this strike, we’re hoping to bring attention to the problem and end this mismanagement, and finally begin good faith bargaining,” Marutiak continued.
Strike sites in Michigan are Lansing, Flint, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Petoskey. Strikes are also occurring in Farmington, Connecticut; Huntington, W.Va.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Toledo, Ohio; and Pomona, Calif.
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Additional Coverage with video: http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/95394689.html