[act-ma] FRI 1/18 12 NOON -- EMERGENCY ACTION FOR LAID-OFF HARVARD WORKERS!! W/ EMAIL/PHONE ZAP

[Geoff Carens]

Dear All,

Today a Harvard staffer with 25+ years of experience got the news she is
being laid off. Out for months on a disability leave, she was cleared by
her doctor to return to work only to be told Harvard is terminating her!
She joins two other employees from University Financial Services who have
already been separated from their jobs. All three are workers of color, all
are over 40, two have histories of disability. Every white worker in the
dept will remain employed. UFS workers have been under layoff threat for
many months, constantly pressured to work ever-faster lest they face the
unemployment line. You can read more about their horrific experiences of
workplace stress by clicking here. <http://www.perspy.com/?p=1072>

Tomorrow, Friday 1/18, starting at 12 noon, activists will hold a rally and
march in support of the laid-off UFS workers. Please join us! We will meet
in front of Starbucks Coffee @ 1380 Mass. Ave., very close to the Harvard
Sq T stop and next to the intersection w/ Dunster Street. A map is
here<http://maps.yahoo.com/#q=1380+Massachusetts+Ave%2C+Cambridge%2C+MA+02138-3822&conf=1&start=1&lat=42.366791&lon=-71.106018&zoom=17&mvt=m&trf=0&tt=>.
Please be on time if you can! We will be marching to UFS at 1033 Mass. Ave.
(between Harvard and Central Square).

Also, please consider calling and/or emailing William J. Murphy, Director
of Harvard's Labor Relations Dept, at 617-496-9193, bill_murphy at harvard.edu.
Sample message: "I have heard that 3 workers of color are being laid off
from University Financial Services, while all Caucasian workers in the unit
will stay employed. This apparent discrimination threatens to give
Harvard's reputation another big old stain! Further I understand that the
workers were subjected to unimaginable stress and the constant threat of
losing their jobs for more than six months before Harvard kicked them to
the curb. One just returned from a disability leave only to be terminated.
Please remedy this situation and immediately reinstate the three laid-off
UFS workers!!"

In Solidarity,

Geoff Carens, Union Rep, HUCTW/AFSCME Local 3650
Delegate, Industrial Workers of the World/IWW
http://www.iww.org/

p.s. An action at this place and time had originally been planned to
support Starbucks workers at risk of losing 10-20% of their pay. At least
in part due to petitioning and a press release by the IWW/Starbucks
Workers' Union, the shift supervisors are to receive a raise and bonus!
Stay tuned for further details as there may be more initiatives for
Starbucks workers to come.
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