NYC immigrants strike against union busting

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NEW YORK—B&H Photo, the nation’s largest nonchain photo store, announced during contract negoti­ ations plans to shut down two warehouses in Brook­ lyn and move facilities 75 miles away to Florence, N.J., by the end of the year. For 330 immigrant B&H ware­ house workers who belong to the United Steel Work­ ers (USW) union, the move will bust their union and destroy their jobs. Some workers have slaved there for up to 10 years.

The B&H bosses, whose annual revenue exceeds a quarter-billion dollars, have refused to provide trans­ portation to N.J. for its workers. This blatant union-busting is a cold-blooded attack on the entire labor movement. The workers are mostly from Mexico and Central America. We say, “An injury to one is an injury to all!”

On May 1, May Day, 200 B&H warehouse workers struck against union busting and in solidarity with the national “Day Without Immigrants,” which in­ cluded New York City protests and marches. Outside the Manhattan store about 100 strikers and support­ ers held a morning picket, chanting, “What’s disgust­ ing? Union busting!”

B&H worker Francisco Pimental told the rally, “We are here today to let B&H know that we, the work­ ers, have the power. We will not allow B&H to leave over 300 workers without a job!” Some supporters shouted, “Boycott B&H!” as they leafleted customers.

B&H has been hit with $43 million in National Labor Relations Board fines in suits launched by the USW for racism and sexism, which included “whites only” toilets, racist pay discrepancies, and discrimination against women, who, if hired at all, are paid less than men for the same work.

In Nov. 2015, warehouse workers fought and won a union recognition vote by a dramatic 200 to 88 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Bushwick warehouses. In February 2016, warehouse workers at the Manhat­ tan store, who do not face immediate job loss, also unionized.

B&H says it must move by 2018 when its lease with the city expires. The warehouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard is adjacent to a major TV/film studio owned by Doug Steiner, a pal of “progressive” Democratic Party Mayor Bill de Blasio and a contributor to the mayor’s causes, which includes a proposal for a new trolley line stopping at the Steiner studios.

The mayor’s campaign to promote corporate me­ dia produced in the city stands in contrast to record homelessness and his re-zoning scheme that will gentrify the mostly Hispanic northern Manhattan.

B&H is owned by millionaire Herman Schreiber, a member of the Jewish Satmar Hasidic sect in Brook­ lyn, who provides B&H jobs for the ultra-orthodox (male) community. Brooklyn’s orthodox Jewish lead­ ers have delivered big blocks of votes to de Blasio. In contrast, dozens of other Jewish leaders denounced B&H abuses.

The B&H organizing drive was spearheaded by New York’s non-profit Laundry Worker’s Center. In 2012, the LWC successfully organized immigrant workers at the “Hot and Crusty” bakery on the upscale Upper Marty Goodman / Socialist Action East Side, documented in the award winning film, “The Hand That Feeds.”

Conditions at B&H before unionization were a throwback to the 1800s. “They treated us like ani­ mals,” said Amando Girron, a B&H employee for nine years. Warehouse work included exposure to fiber­ glass and asbestos, a lack of water, carrying heavy items alone, working 13 to 16 hour shifts with only one 45 minute lunch break, no safety training, not be­ ing permitted to leave the warehouse for 30 minutes during a fire in 2014, and dismissals of union sup­ porters.

Rosanne Rodriguez, a LWC co-director, told Social­ ist Action, “These workers are a treasure. They are brave and powerful; they’ve been fighting for dignity for two years. We cannot let this company run away!” Please show your solidarity when and where you can. Checkout LWCU.org and #BHEXPOSED for picket times, updates, and much more. n working class needs a party of our own to