[act-ma] imminent protest forces Harvest to cancel plans!

[Matthew Andrews]

Picketing at the Paulist Center is cancelled!   The Harvest Co-op  
board of directors has been turned away from meeting there.  Thank  
you for your support!  Also, our sincere thanks to the Paulist Center  
for their swift and moral decision.

We also finally have a response from the Harvest board of directors  
(below).  It doesn't say much, but at least we know we have their  
attention.

Deon has received a copy of his personnel file.  There is no secret  
information that justifies his termination as the board implies.  The  
suggestion that we have misrepresented facts or jumped to conclusions  
is baseless.  The only thing we are guilty of is putting the  
Harvest's lack of respect for its workers into public view.  Deon's  
case is just one example.

Volunteers who were planning to join our picket, should instead go to  
the Harvest in Jamaica Plain (57 South Street, near the Forest Hills  
T Stop), to join in leafletting and picketing there between 10:00am  
and 1:00pm.  Our campaign must continue until Deon gets his job back  
and the community can be sure that union-busting is not occurring at  
our co-op.


In Solidarity,
~Matthew Andrews
  IWW Worker / Organizer
  Harvest, JP



 From the Board of Directors, Harvest Co-op Markets:

Unfortunately, due to the plans for picketing that were announced on  
this list serve earlier this week, Harvest is no longer welcome at  
the Paulist Center for our retreat. The Board will not be meeting at  
the Paulist Center on Saturday. We appeal to all potential protestors  
to leave the Paulist Fathers and their community to conduct their  
activities undisturbed.

The Harvest Board would be deeply concerned about any serious  
allegations of union busting at the co-operative. We have no evidence  
that anyone is union busting at Harvest.

As people may already know, it is neither legal nor appropriate for  
management or a board of directors to discuss personnel matters  
related to specific employees with anyone else.  Observers, whether  
staff or others, may not be aware of factors that play into  
unavoidably public personnel decisions such as promotions or  
terminations.  This can also make it easier for people with other  
agenda to misrepresent fact.  In any case, it is important not to  
jump to conclusions.

As always, the Board welcomes Harvest members to contact us at  
board at harvest.coop and to keep up-to-date at www.harvest.coop/board .  
Thank you to all who share our concern for Harvest Co-op, its  
members, and its employees.

Sincerely,
Jessie Myszka (board president), on behalf of the entire Board of  
Directors, Harvest Co-op Markets
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