Seattle, WA: Seattle Jobs with Justice led a group of 30 supporters in an action at a downtown Rite Aid store. Participants represented a variety of organizations, including: ILWU Local 19, the Inlandboatmen’s Union, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, IATSE, Teamsters Local 117, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Alliance for Retired Americans, and the IWW.
Rite Aid workers, union activists and community supporters mobilized for a national “Day of Action” on December 15th to focus attention on the company’s disrespect for workers’ rights. Rite Aid workers in Lancaster, CA, Philadelphia, PA and Cleveland, OH are fighting for fair contracts with decent health benefits. The actions were organized by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the AFL-CIO, Jobs with Justice (JwJ) and United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS).
In total, Day of Action participants organized more than 40 store actions in 13 states and the District of Columbia. On the West Coast, ILWU members joined many of the actions including those in California at San Pedro, Wilmington, Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland and West Sacramento.
Bellingham, WA: Dozens of activists, including International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) members and retirees, members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 843, JwJ and United for National Health Care, and students from Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College rallied at a Bellingham, WA Rite Aid store.
There were seven actions in Oregon and Washington, including Portland, Eugene, Seattle, Aberdeen, Longview, Vancouver and Bellingham. Participants included high school students, long-time union members, retirees and other community activists.
Twelve local Jobs with Justice coalitions helped organize actions and eight events were sponsored by affiliates of United Students Against Sweatshops, UFCW Local 880 held a big rally in downtown Cleveland. Workers at Rite Aid’s Lancaster, CA distribution center had a lunchtime rally in their cafeteria where they educated co-workers about the company’s healthcare proposal and sent a strong message to Rite Aid that workers won’t roll over for Rite Aid’s health insurance rip-off.
The Coalition of Rite Aid Workers was formed to support employees at Rite Aid stores and distribution centers who are fighting to change the company’s culture of corporate greed.
ILWU International Vice President Ray Familathe addressed the crowd in Oakland, CA.
The National Day of Action was the Coalition’s biggest effort to date. Several elected officials came out to support the Rite Aid workers. In Oakland, mayor-elect Jean Quan attended a rally outside of a Rite Aid store in downtown Oakland. Quan talked about her long history of support for workers and pledged her solidarity and support with the Rite Aid workers in Lancaster and around the nation.
In Cleveland, State Senator Michael Skindell, State Representative Mike Foley and Cleveland Councilwoman Dona Brady delivered a letter in support of Rite Aid workers to a local store. Readers of the Dispatcher are already familiar with the stonewalling tactics used by Rite Aid executives against the 500 workers at the Southwest distribution facility in Lancaster, CA and the attempt by the company to gouge employees by “marking-up” the cost of health insurance 28 times over the increases charged by insurers.
ILWU members in Aberdeen demonstrated a Rite Aid store.
The struggle for a fair contract and for decent health benefits is not just limited to Southern California. Rite Aid workers across the United States are being targeted while executives’ pay continues to rise. For example, while CEO John Standley recently doubled his own compensation, Rite Aid is:
- Proposing onerous health insurance hikes for workers in Northern Ohio, which may force them to strike;
- Closing a unionized distribution center in Rome, NY and going non-union, leaving 400 employees without work.
- In Pennsylvania, thousands of Rite Aid workers are trying to reach a fair settlement.
Rite Aid workers across the country are coming together to take a stand against this culture of greed. Here are just two of the many demonstrations that took place on the Day of Action:
More than 70 UFCW Local 1776 members gathered in downtown Philadelphia to leaflet the public about how Rite Aid is shortchanging employees and communities out of good jobs that support working families.
In Oakland, ILWU members joined more than 30 demonstrators who protested outside a Rite Aid store near City Hall. Demonstrators were treated to a live performance from a team of professional actors who portrayed Scrooge, Marley’s ghost and Rite Aid CEO John Standley.
All three later joined the picket line. ILWU International Vice President Ray Familathe led a delegation of workers into the store to deliver a letter to the store manager. He was asked to pass the letter along to Rite Aid executives.
“Most Americans are fed up with the way that corporate greed is wrecking America,” the letter said. “Rite Aid is becoming an example of what’s wrong with our country—when it could be an example of a well-managed company that treats its workers with respect,” the letter stated.
The Coalition of Rite Aid Workers and its supporters will continue to work with Rite Aid employees and our community, student and labor allies to ensure Rite Aid workers and their families get the fair wages and benefits and the respect they deserve.