Supporting Workers

This is from the conference office and the Massachusetts Council of Churches:

On March 7, about 300 workers at Shaw’s Methuen warehouse went out on strike in a contract dispute over the company's plan to place the burden of rising health care expenses on the workers. On March 22, the company announced plans to hire permanent replacement workers, terminating the union workers. Part of the company’s plan is to lay off 600 non-union store workers and open the warehouse jobs to them.

It is now the fourth week of the strike. The burden is taking a toll on the workers and their families, who have gone without income for a month and lost their health insurance as of April 1.

The Massachusetts Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice invites churches to help provide material relief to the families, especially baby items like diapers, wipes, and baby food. As the strike continues families will need non-perishable food items.

Where to Bring Donations:
Days Hotel and Conference Center, Rooms 615 and 618
159 Pelham Street, Methuen, MA 01844

Relief Coordinator:
If your congregation or community can be of help, please contact
Rev. Richard Capron
Lexington United Methodist Church
2600 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, MA 02421
(781) 861-9301

The Social Principles states the following on collective bargaining:"We support the right of all public and private employees and to organize for collective bargaining into unions and other groups of their own choosing. Further, we support the right of both parties to protection in so doing and their responsibility to bargain in good faith within the framework of the common interest.... We reject the use of violence by either party during collective bargaining or any labor/management disagreement. We likewise reject the permanent replacement of a worker who engages in a lawful strike." (¶163.B)

We do have a member of our congregation who is one of those who was laid off and offered a position in the warehouse, which they did not take. I'm sure this issue was not addressed during the national health care debate, but shows the seriousness of the issue. In addition to their loss of income, these workers and their families have also lost their health care and cannot afford the premiums to get new insurance. Please pray for a resolution to this situation and for all the affected workers.