Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWorkers Behind Ruthless and Effective Grassroots Campaigns Are Now on Trial for Racketeering
(The Nation) Until recently, the Laundry Workers Center Uniteds claim to fame was a rabble-rousing protest encampment on Times Square, a self-fashioned Worker Justice Café erected by workers as part of a unionization campaign at a Hot and Crusty bakery. Back in 2012, their foolishly brave, Occupy-inspired tactics proved successful in challenging their employers power. Now the LWC is facing its own challenge in court, accused of illegally conspiring to protest against a boss.
According to a complaint brought by the LWCs latest campaign target, the Liberato restaurant in the Bronx, the LWC isnt a humble worker center, agitating on behalf of low-wage immigrant workers, but a racketeering enterprise, waging class warfare against a local business.
The allegations of gangsterism stem from a basic labor dispute: a group of current and former workers have partnered with the LWC to campaign against the restaurant over alleged labor violations and mistreatment. After the conflict escalated and the LWC took legal action last yearwith a class action lawsuit and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) complaint now pendingthe restaurant responded with a classic New York tactic: the countersuit. Liberato has variously charged the LWC with slander and harassment, as well as violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). This federal law, a curious hybrid of reactionary politics and organized-crime fighting, has historically been used to nab both mob bosses and union organizers. The suit seems to follow a rich tradition of corporations seeking to criminalize collective action as labors extortion of capital.
Maggie Andres Crecenio, a server at Liberato, sees her boss as the real racket. She claims that she and her coworkers have been repeatedly shorted on wages and cheated out of overtime hours, as the restaurant flagrantly violated minimum wage and overtime standards. A worker might be paid little as $210 for a fifty-four-hour work week, they say, and some were subjected to intimidation and sexual harassment, and subsequently punished for protesting. .............(more)
http://www.thenation.com/blog/201457/workers-behind-ruthless-and-effective-grassroots-campaigns-are-now-trial-racketeering#
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 572 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (4)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Workers Behind Ruthless and Effective Grassroots Campaigns Are Now on Trial for Racketeering (Original Post)
marmar
Mar 2015
OP
WDIM
(1,662 posts)1. illegaly conspiring to protest
The article says "against a boss" but imagine if they used this law and conspiring to protest was illegal everywhere. Workers unite!
marmar
(77,106 posts)2. pm kick
:kick:
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)3. We stole the wealth your labor created fair and square
How dare you lowly peons try to claw back a living wage?
Here's hoping New York has a strong anti-SLAPP law for the owners of Liberato and whoever's bankrolling their lawsuit.