IBEW Local 494 Statement on Colectivo’s Union-Busting Meetings
MILWAUKEE – The following statement was released by International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 494 Business Manager Dean A. Warsh on Colectivo’s employee meetings:
Today, February 17th, Colectivo owners are hosting a presentation for their employees with union avoidance consultants from LRI Consulting Services. The presentation is designed to convince workers to vote no in their upcoming union election.
Colectivo has said they have been forced to eliminate positions, lay workers off, cut working hours, and demanded full availability from their workers prohibiting them from taking a second job to survive. They have repeatedly told their work force there is no money. Colectivo continues to presents itself as a champion of free speech yet in contrast to what they say, Colectivo has hired union busters from LRI to hold these captive audience meetings with their workers.
Colectivo advised in an email sent to the IBEW, they want their employees to have the opportunity to “VOTE WITHOUT COERCION”. But today in Milwaukee they are spending thousands of dollars to hold one-sided captive audience meetings in the hopes of preventing these workers from building collective power and voting to form their union with the IBEW.
Using union-busting tactics to intimidate workers is one more tool in the toolbox that the global elite uses to keep workers from exercising their rights to improve their working conditions by joining a union.
Employees and community members will be handing out fliers to other employees of Colectivo before the meetings with union busters at these Colectivo locations and times:
Prospect
The Back Room
2211 N. Prospect Avenue
Milwaukee
10:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
Bayview
2301 S. Kinnickinnic Ave
Milwaukee
10:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Union Effort at Colectivo
- NLRB Upholds Colectivo Union Election - Graham Kilmer - Mar 25th, 2022
- IBEW Local 494 Celebrates the Final Decision of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on the Colectivo Coffee Workers Successful Unionization Campaign Effort - International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 494 - Mar 25th, 2022
- Union Blasts Colectivo For Stalling Negotiations - Graham Kilmer - Jan 6th, 2022
- Union Bid At Colectivo Still On Hold - Erik Gunn - Dec 13th, 2021
- County Board of Supervisors Congratulate Colectivo Workers on Successful Union Election - Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors - Aug 27th, 2021
- Supervisor Czarnezki Calls on Colectivo Ownership to Bargain with Employees in Good Faith - Sup. Joe Czarnezki - Aug 27th, 2021
- Congratulations Colectivo workers - Milwaukee Common Council - Aug 25th, 2021
- Colectivo Workers Win Union Election - Graham Kilmer - Aug 23rd, 2021
- Colectivo Union Election Is a Tie Vote - Graham Kilmer - Apr 6th, 2021
- Colectivo Union Election Finishes - Graham Kilmer - Mar 31st, 2021
Read more about Union Effort at Colectivo here