Palermo Pizza Boycott

Striking Palermo's Workers Ask Costco to Enforce Suppliers Code of Conduct
2COMMENTS08/06/2012Mike Hall

Workers at Palermo's Pizza in Milwaukee, Wis., have been on strike for nearly two months in a struggle for justice with one of the largest frozen pizza manufacturers in the nation.

Palermo's Pizza workers are demanding safe working conditions and recognition for their union. They are also seeking reinstatement of workers who they say were terminated for organizing. The National Labor Relations Board is investigating the company’s conduct. The workers also say Palermo's is continuing with its intimidation campaign.

You can help the workers—like Laura Torres, a single mother of six who has worked at the Palermo's plant for 10 years—by asking Costco, Palermo’s biggest customer, to urge the pizza maker to respect workers and improve working conditions at the plant.

The workers are focused on Costco because the wholesale warehouse chain has built a reputation as the anti- Walmart with a commitment to a strong “Suppliers Code of Conduct.” A major part of that is a “continuing commitment to the protection and improvement of employees’ rights.” Costco can audit its suppliers, like Palermo’s, to make sure they are in compliance with the code.

Click here to send the following letter to Costco that emphasizes that many people shop there because of its commitment to the Suppliers Code of Conduct.:

I am writing you to express my concerns about the labor dispute with your pizza supplier, Palermo’s Pizza, and its workers and to urge you to contact Palermo’s executives Giacomo and Angelo Fallucca to urge them to improve workplace safety and treat their workers fairly.

Follow the Palermo’s Strike on Twitter: @PalermosStrike, sign the Palermo's workers' petition here and go to http://sliceofjustice.com/ for the latest news videos and more.

AFL-CIO Endorses Nationwide Boycott of Palermo Products
Calls for company to respect the voices of their workers

(Washington, D.C., August 9) The AFL-CIO endorsed a nationwide boycott of Palermo Villa Inc. in response to the company’s blatant disregard of its workers’ choice to form a union. The boycott covers Palermo’s brand pizza, “Classics” brand pizza and private label brand frozen pizza produced by Palermo including Costco’s Kirkland brand. This endorsement is part of the continued support for the efforts of the Palermo Workers Union by the United Steelworkers and the AFL-CIO, community and immigrant rights groups like Voces de la Frontera and students from the United States Students Association, the nation’s largest and oldest student-led organization.

“The twelve million union families of the AFL-CIO are proud to stand with these Wisconsin workers who have bravely joined together for a voice on the job,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said. “Their courage and strength are a model for working people around the country whose rights are being violated and voices silenced. We hope that this boycott will encourage Palermo to finally respect its workers who work so hard for them every day.”

Workers from Palermo, a large frozen pizza manufacturer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have been on strike since June 1, 2012 to protest unfair labor practices. After the workers requested that Palermo recognize their union and bargain with them over serious workplace problems, Palermo fired over 75 workers. Many workers at Palermo face serious health hazards, have no sick days and make little more than the minimum wage.

Raul De la Torres, a Palermo worker said, “Everyone – workers, consumers and the community – have a reason to be very concerned about Palermo’s actions. It’s shameful the company still refuses to recognize the workers’ concerns or hear the voices of the community.”

Release online here: http://www.aflcio.org/Press-Room/Press-Releases/AFL-CIO-Endorses-Nationwide-Boycott-of-Palermo-Products