Another bank draws worker anger: Teamsters picket KeyBank for funding union-busting

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/14188/


Author: Rick Nagin
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 12/22/08 17:41




CLEVELAND — Teamsters and supporters from Jobs with Justice and Working America picketed the corporate headquarters of KeyBank here Dec. 19, accusing the bank of funding a union-busting drive by Oak Harbor Freight Lines.

The action was in solidarity with some 600 drivers in the 13th week of a very tough strike in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

The company, one of the largest and most profitable freight haulers on the West Coast, has hired scabs, cancelled retirees’ health care and violated U.S. labor law, the union charged.

“We are here today because KeyBank is underwriting this rogue company,” said Frank Burdell, president of Teamsters Local 407, representing truckers in the Cleveland area. In addition, he said, the bank is getting $2.5 billion from the Troubled Asset Recovery Program (TARP) — the $700 billion bailout approved by Congress.

“That money is supposed to provide relief to those hardest hit in this economy, but instead they are using it to buy other banks and subsidize union-busting,” the union leader said.

After over a year of fruitless bargaining for a new contract, the Teamsters struck Sept. 22 when the company bypassed the union and tried to negotiate directly with the workers — a violation of labor law, Burdell said. The Teamsters have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board and are awaiting a decision.


FULL story at link.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. My tax dollars are being used to fund union busting??!?

Fuck. That. Shit. :grr: