Profiling can be as dangerous as the old Salem Witch hunts. See that
hunched over, wrinkled old woman with the evil gleam in her eye?
Even worse is the use of names. I once hired an O&M instructor whose
last name was Colten. Until the agency held its annual All
Staff/Holiday gathering just before Christmas, I had no clue that
Colten was Jewish. But Colten filed a discrimination complaint with
the governor, claiming that the agency was celebrating a Christian
only Holiday, on state time. Whatever word came from the governor's
office, I have no idea, but that was the last all staff gathering the
Director had just before Christmas. While I agreed with Colten that
the agency should not try to cover a Christmas Party with an official
All Staff Training Session, still I did suggest to Colten that a good
follow up would be to take on the Federal Government's inclusion of
that arbitrary Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus, making it
an official holiday. I said that Colten should begin by insisting
that there be no pay if people took that day off, and that it be
declared just another work day. Colten felt that I was turning the
seriousness of this very important matter into one of frivolity.
As a rehab teacher, I was supervised by a fellow named Don Brown. Don
came to Seattle from Iowa, where he'd been employed by the Iowa
Commission for the Blind. He directed the OTC prior to my own
appointment. Don and his wife invited Cathy and myself to dinner.
What a surprise to learn, upon entering their home, that they were
Jews. Of course Don might have had a Star of David tattooed on his
forehead, and as a blind man I missed it, but seriously, there was no
way a casual observer could identify these people's Faith. And then
there was the attorney in North Seattle, back around the mid 80's. I
think, without checking it, that his last name was Goldmark, or some
close name beginning with "Gold". He and his family were murdered by
a man who hated Jews, and decided that these people fit the
bill...based on their last name. They were not Jews. All of which
begs the question, why are there so many angry, violent, crazy people
living like time bombs, ready to blow up for the most unimportant
reasons?
Of course that's a silly question. How can a fruit cake diagnose
his/her own mental problems.
Carl Jarvis
On 5/15/17, Frank Ventura <frank.ventura@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Miriam, come on, you're from NYC and you don't know that answer. Look at the
persons last name on the order form, look at their appearance, skin
colorspeech patters, accent, , jewelry etc. Come on I looked (and probably
still do) look like a Hispanic working class guy. Its not rocket science. Of
course all of the above is sterotyping; but that is exactally what they
did.
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2017 7:38 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: NYC Immigrants strike against union busting
Really? And how did they know who was Jewish and who was Gentile?
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Frank Ventura
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2017 11:43 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: NYC Immigrants strike against union busting
I remember shopping at B&H in the early 90s and being followed around the
store because of the tone of my skin. Also they have different prices for
Jews than gentiles for the same products.
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran
Bailey
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2017 10:41 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] NYC Immigrants strike against union busting
https://socialistaction.org/2017/05/13/nyc-immigrants-strike-against-union-busting/
NYC Immigrants strike against union busting
/ 13 hours ago
May 2017 B&H workersBy MARTY GOODMAN
— NEW YORK — B&H Photo, the nation’s largest non-chain photo store,
announced during contract negotiations plans to shut down two warehouses in
Brooklyn and move facilities 75 miles away to Florence, N.J., by the end of
the year. For 330 immigrant B&H warehouse workers who belong to the United
Steel Workers (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 transportation 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 included New York City protests and marches. Outside the Manhattan
store about 100 strikers and supporters held a morning picket, chanting,
“What’s disgusting? Union busting!”
B&H worker Francisco Pimental told the rally, “We are here today to let B&H
know that we, the workers, 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 Manhattan 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 media 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 Brooklyn, who provides B&H jobs for the ultra-orthodox
(male) community. Brooklyn’s orthodox Jewish leaders 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 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 animals,” said Amando Girron, a B&H employee for nine
years. Warehouse work included exposure to fiberglass 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 being permitted to leave
the warehouse for 30 minutes during a fire in 2014, and dismissals of union
supporters.
Rosanne Rodriguez, a LWC co-director, told Socialist 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.
Photo: Marty Goodman / Socialist Action
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May 13, 2017 in Labor, Immigration, New York.
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