Milwaukee, Wisc.-based Palermo’s Pizza is taking heat from unions and union sympathizers following a Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) report alleging that the business illegally fired 90 employees for attempting to organize a union.
Palermo’s has a sponsorship agreement with University of Wisconsin Athletics and is a supplier of Roundy’s, a University of Wisconsin, Madison, licensee. In the wake of the WRC report, pro-union forces are calling on the University to cut all ties with the pizza maker.
#UWM students occupy campus office in solidarity with @PalermosStrike Support stiking #Palermos workers! No scab pizza! pic.twitter.com/T8U1IzSR
— Occupy Clarksville (@OccupyClarksvil) February 6, 2013
Know what makes #badgers really angry @UWMadison? @Palermos_Pizza violating labor rights. http://t.co/mpU5pBCQ #wiunion
— USAS (@USAS) February 7, 2013
.@UWMadison I've read it. Ward acknowledges he hasn't read WRC report and that @Palermos_Pizza fired some workers for organizing. @JulieTFB
— Andy Richards (@richards_andy) February 8, 2013
.@UWM: you’re a WRC affiliate, so this report makes it a no brainer to cut contracts with @Palermos_Pizza http://t.co/rG3uwVy7 #wiunion
— Andy Richards (@richards_andy) February 8, 2013
How do we know @Palermos_Pizza is guilty? They're PROUD of NLRB ruling they unlawfully fired 9 workers in retaliation for union activity.
— Jeff Hauser (@jeffhauser) February 8, 2013
According to the WRC, not only should all of the fired employees be rehired, but they should be given full back pay and be allowed to collectively bargain. Palermo’s disagrees and is firing back at critics from its Twitter account:
@BadgerHerald http://t.co/DyYCu0nO
— Palermo's Pizza (@Palermos_Pizza) February 7, 2013
From a February 7 letter from UW-Madison Interim Chancellor David Ward to the University Committee, the Academic Staff Executive Committee, the Associated Students of Madison and the Labor Licensing Policy Committee:
On November 29, 2012, NLRB Regional Director Irving Gottschalk issued a decision that found the majority of the alleged labor law violations against Palermo’s lacked merit.
…
Also, Palermo’s has acknowledged its willingness to remedy an unresolved issue involving approximately five employees who may be extended offers of re-employment. The university urges the parties to move toward a swift resolution for the benefit of the employees involved.
The NLRB findings noted above have been appealed, with an outcome of the appeal not completed at this time.
@richards_andy You work for the AFL-CIO. The NLRB already ruled this is all false.
— Palermo's Pizza (@Palermos_Pizza) February 8, 2013
@AFTunion Allow us to serve up some truth for you: The NLRB already proved all of this is false.
— Palermo's Pizza (@Palermos_Pizza) February 8, 2013
@USAS That WRC report is a work of fiction that contradicts the federal government ruling.
— Palermo's Pizza (@Palermos_Pizza) February 8, 2013
Good on Palermo’s for standing up to knee-jerk union thuggery.
https://twitter.com/jrios68/status/299958823337209858
https://twitter.com/jrios68/status/299959891945193472
https://twitter.com/teeocee/status/299943555164680193
What a radical idea.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member