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Justice for Fred's Workers
 In 2005,
Fred’s warehouse workers signed a union contract after more than
3 years of struggle for dignity and justice on the job.
The Mid-South Interfaith
Network stood with Fred’s
workers and
their union UNITE-HERE as together
they defended their rights. The
combination of
workers’ determination and the faithful witness of
Mid-South Interfaith Network won a contract which
includes a pay raise,
reduced health care costs, and
a seniority and grievance system which
will stop Fred’s
previous practices of discrimination and favoritism.
Fred's management and workers began
negotiations on March 30th. The company
was pressured into
coming to the bargaining table, in part, by the
Forty
Day Fast for Justice at Fred's.
More than one hundred people of
faith, community members, and Fred's workers
joined the fast.
Background: In
March 2002, workers at the Memphis distribution center for the
Fred's discount
store chain decided that
they had had enough of rampant
disrespect and favoritism, on the job
injuries, and sub-standard wages and
benefits. The workers, almost all of whom are
African-American or Latino, voted 2 - 1 to join the
union
UNITE-HERE. Fred's retaliated by firing union
supporters (including
a worker who lost his foot in
an on the job injury and another who was
pregnant);
harassing and intimidating
workers; and even
locking the women's restroom.
The Mid-South
Interfaith Network mobilized key
support among people of faith by
holding prayer
vigils, joined rallies, and accompanying Rev. Jesse
Jackson several times in attempts to meet with
Fred's CEO Michael Hayes to
discuss problems at the warehouse.
Read a Memphis Flyer article about the faith communities' involvement with Fred's workers(11-21-2002)
Photo credits: Upper left photo by Greg
Staples, lower right photo
by Rebekah Jordan.
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