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 ادعموا العمال السودانيين والافارقه المضربين فى مدينة بروكس فى البرتا
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October 24, 2005
Letter to Tyson Foods Expressing Concern of Lack of Basic Rights for Black, Immigrant Workforce
John Tyson, Chair and CEO
Tyson Foods Inc.
2210 W. Oaklawn Dr.
Springdale, AR 72762-6999
Dear Mr. Tyson:
I am writing regarding the current strike by the largely Black, immigrant workforce at the Tyson Lakeside Packers’ Plant in Brooks, Alberta, Canada. Recent events within the factory, as well as at the bargaining table, have been deplorable. Tyson is obligated to be a supportive, encouraging and accountable corporation to its workforce.
All harassment of the striking workers must end immediately. This repression has led to the hospitalization of Local 401 President Doug O’Halloran as well as physical attacks on numerous workers on the factory floor.
Furthermore, Tyson must continuously reevaluate its efforts to address the needs of all of its workers, including the needs for adequate facilities and breaks throughout the day, institutional support of workers, an end to all worker repression, ensuring worker’s freedom of association as well as a thorough appreciation and understanding for the individual cultures of the workers.
Unfortunately the alienation and persecution of workers at the Lakeside Plant is not the first case of discrimination at a Tyson facility. It would be impossible not to mention the racially hostile and segregated facilities at the Ashland, Alabama chicken-processing plant. I hope that the current allegations encourage you to commit yourself and your staff to ensuring that such crimes of racism and discrimination never occur at a Tyson facility again. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) suit must not only end blatant forms of discrimination, but should act as a catalyst to encourage Tyson to become an outspoken advocate against racial and economic disparities and prejudice.
Additionally, disputes over a collective agreement illustrate the immediate need for a compromise. While the workers eventually agreed to the mediators’ proposal, Tyson has yet to sign the compromise. Tyson must return to the bargaining table to accept the current settlement negotiated by the Alberta Labor Department immediately.
Sincerely,
Bill Fletcher, Jr.
President, TransAfrica Forum
I encourage you to write a similar letter to Tyson, protesting the inhumane treatment of their workers and requesting that all acts of violence and intimidation end immediately. Yours in solidarity, Bill Fletcher, Jr.
Bill Fletcher is the President of TransAfrica Forum. TransAfrica Forum is the leading advocacy organization for Africa and the African Diaspora in U.S. foreign policy. TransAfrica Forum led the world protest against apartheid in South Africa and today works for human and economic justice for African people on the continent of Africa, in Latin America and in the Caribbean.
First published in 2005 by TransAfrica Forum, 1426 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036. 202.223.1960 (ph); 202.223.1966 (fax); [email protected]; www.transafricaforum.org. © October 2005 by TransAfrica Forum. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2005.
Elfadil Elhashmi
President
The Sudanese Canadian Human Rights Organization
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Re: ادعموا العمال السودانيين والافارقه المضربين فى مدينة بروكس فى البرتا (Re: الفاضل الهاشمي)
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هذه قضية تهم كل السودانيين وفي أي مكان ، فما يعانيه الاخوة بهذا المصنع اقل ما يوصف به ( عبودية ) جديدة وبشكل متوحش ، ففي هذا المصنع تنعدم الحقوق بشكل كامل ، وقد زرت المدينة في شهر تمانية الماضي ، اثناء وفاة الصديق مرغني ، وهو أحد العاملين بهذا المصنع وقد كان عضواَ اساسيا في اللجنة التي قادت الاضراب العام الماضي ، وقد سمعت الكثير من الحكي عن تفاصيل العمل داخل المصنع ، وعن المخالفات وصعلكة إدارة المصنع والتي وصلت حد الإعتداء ومحاولات إغتيال للنشطاء في العمل النقابي !
وكأن قدر السوداني أن يخرج من إضطهاد لإضطهاد آخر .
القضية التي تتبناها المنظمة الآن هي قضية كل سوداني أينما وجد ، وارجوا من الزميل الهاشمي أن يضع جهة ما يمكن مراسلتها ليرسل كل السودانيين إحتجاجهم لها .
كما أثمن عالياً الدور الذي تقوم به المنظمة وإهتمامها بقضايا السودانيين بكندا .
ع . الماهري
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Re: ادعموا العمال السودانيين والافارقه المضربين فى مدينة بروكس فى البرتا (Re: الفاضل الهاشمي)
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الاخ الفاضل الهاشمي
فاليتواصل الضغط لاجل عمالنا الشرفاء في البرتا.
هذا ما فعلته حتى الآن :
Quote:
د. محمد القاضي سلام
واتمنى ان يواصوا صمودهم وينجحوا في تحريك النقابات الكنديه
هذه صيغة الخطاب الذى ارسلته لرئيس حزب الديمقراطيين الجدد
جال ليتون:
Quote: October 23, 2005
Jack Layton, MP
NDP Caucus Services
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Subject: Tyson Foods Violent Attacks On Striking Canadian Workers
Dear Jack Layton:
I am writing this letter to direct your attention to the tragic situation of our Canadian workers at Tyson cattle slaughterhouse and processing plant in Brooks, Alberta, the majority of whom are originally Sudanese and Somali nationals, asking for your support to their legitimate rights.
More than 2,300 workers at a Tyson cattle slaughterhouse and processing plant in Brooks, Alberta have been forced to strike after U.S. based Tyson Foods threw out a proposal by a mediator appointed by the Alberta government to facilitate a first-contract agreement.
Three striking Sudanese workers, who escaped brutal repression in their own country by coming to work in the relative safety of a Canadian slaughterhouse, were taunted with racial jeers, beaten with metal pipes and left in a ditch near the plant. UFCW Local 401 President, Doug O’Halloran was hospitalized after his SUV was run off the road by three vehicles. Tyson managers have been charged with criminal activity in both incidents.
While Canadian law enforcement investigates the two violent incidents,
We urge you to support the workers demands in:
Tyson Foods should immediately take action to prevent further injury to workers and supporters
It should take action against any management employees who are instigating and carrying out dangerous attacks on striking workers.
It should start by coming back to the table and negotiate a contract that provides a safer working environment for its employees and compensates them fairly for the job they do for it. Thanks
Sincerely, Yours
Tragi Mustafa
Sudanese activist in Hamilton, ON
ولم اتلقى ردا بعد.
وسانشر الرد لكم لو تلقيته.
تراجي. |
اعتقد خطاب منك معنون لجاك ليتون ايضا قد يساهم في دفع القضيه.
شكرا لجهودك عبر منظمة حقوق الانسان السودانيه.
تراجي.
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Re: ادعموا العمال السودانيين والافارقه المضربين فى مدينة بروكس فى البرتا (Re: الفاضل الهاشمي)
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الاخوات الاخوه القطعه ادناه اضاءه تسبق المناشده الملحقه نرجوا استخدامها بارسالها لمن تراه مناسبا للضغط مسئول برلمانى فدرالى او وزير هجره عمده الخ والشكر مقدم
هاشمى المنظمه السودانيه الكنديه لحقوق الانسان
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Struggle between the workers of Tyson Foods meat packing company and the company
Background information
The following events took place at Tyson Foods meatpacking plant:
· 2,300 workers have been putting up picket lines since the first week of October 2005 after Tyson refused to negotiate a contract that would have brought the Brooks facility up to regional standards in terms of workplace safety, wages and benefits. Lakeside processes almost 40 per cent of Canada's cattle.
· The workers voted overwhelmingly more than a year ago to form a union as part of the United Food and Commercial Workers. They have organized for dignity and respect on the job and a safer workplace. Making up to 4,000 cuts a day by slicing a knife through a carcass as it moves down the line, wears out workers’ bodies. When a worker is too injured to keep up with the speed of the line, Tyson discourages them from reporting their injury or getting treated by an independent doctor. A couple of cases of refusing workers to go to the washrooms have been documented.
· Tyson Foods refused to bargain a first contract with the workers. When workers voted and announced plans to strike in July 2005, Tyson Foods appealed to the provincial labour board to mediate a contract through a neutral third party. The workers accepted the mediator’s proposal. But Tyson Foods rejected the proposal and left workers no other choice but to put up picket lines on October 12, 2005.
· Four workers were injured when Tyson Foods supervisors targeted some workers including the president of the union, Doug O’Halloran.
· Tyson’s position is inexcusable. According to Canadian labor law, an impartial third party mediator crafted a collective agreement, which the workers accepted and Tyson rejected. The company created this conflict by refusing to abide by the decision of the mediator.
· The Brooks plant employs workers from the Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Ethiopia as well as drawing native Canadians from as far away as the Maritime Provinces on the Atlantic coast.
· Half the workforce at the Brooks plant is comprised of African immigrants who escaped violent persecution in their home country. At Tyson Foods, they have found themselves subject to economic and physical persecution. The workers organized with the UFCW Local 401 out of deep concerns for lack of adequate safety measures in the plant. Female employees frequently complain of lack of access to the restrooms. Conditions are dangerous. Without a union, Tyson workers do not have a voice to address these issues with management nor resolve them. After the strike, attacks have been taking place against striking workers.
· UFCW Local 401 president, Doug O’Halloran was hospitalized after his SUV was run off the road by three vehicles. Tyson managers have been charged with criminal activity in both incidents.
· Three striking workers of the Canadian slaughterhouse, most of whom are immigrants, were taunted with racial jeers, beaten with metal pipes and left in a ditch near the plant.
· While the Canadian law enforcement is investigating the violent incidents, Tyson Foods has not been taking any action to prevent further injury to workers and supporters
· As of today, the workers continue to suffer from the company’s greed-driven attacks on striking workers.
· The local authorities are not proactively intervening in a constructive manner to resolve the conflict. For instance, the Mayor Don Weisbeck said” "Lakeside has about 2,400 employees, a payroll approaching $2 million a week. They purchase about $5 million of cattle per day,"
Thank you for your help and support.
To learn more about the striking workers and Tyson’s track record with its workforce, log on to www.ufcw.org/tyson.
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Re: ادعموا العمال السودانيين والافارقه المضربين فى مدينة بروكس فى البرتا (Re: الفاضل الهاشمي)
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Please find below the Appeal that should accompany the background information above
Regrads
Elfadil Elhashmi
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Urgent Appeal
Intervene and require Tyson Foods to settle the labour dispute at the company’s Brooks, Alberta, Canada and stop violence against its workers
The Honourable -------
A glance at the attached background information is self-explanatory in demonstrating that reputation of Canada as a safe heaven for immigrants and refugees is being threatened. We believe that the conduct of Tyson Foods in Alberta is bad for all Canadians, the future of immigration in this country, in addition to the direct harm it is inflicting upon a couple of thousands of new and old Canadians working in this company. It is indeed a hard blow to deeply rooted and established Canadian values to allow immigrants to be denied their basic human rights and safety by a giant US company taking advantage of their desperate need for work. The situation in Brooks, Alberta went out of hand to the extent that a spokeswoman for Alberta Employment Minister, Mike Cardinal, said he will not comment on or become involved in the dispute -refer to the Canadian Press of October 13,2005.
We kindly urge you to:
· Intervene and require Tyson Foods to end its campaign of repression and brutality against workers and supporters at the company’s Brooks (Alberta, Canada) meatpacking plant.
· Call upon the managers of Tyson Foods to take action against any management employees who are instigating and carrying out dangerous attacks on striking workers.
· Force the managers of Tyson Foods not to deny its employees the opportunity to legally strike for a fair contract.
· Require Tyson Foods to come back to the table and negotiate a contract that provides a safer working environment for your employees and compensates them fairly for the job they do for you.
Thank you for your help and support.
Letter sent by ------------------
Address:---------------------
Phone number -----------------------
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ابنوس
Tragie Mustafa
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست