IWW strikes for respect at Sister’s Camelot
http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/story.aspx?ID=1907278
3/8/2013
By Doug Cunningham
A dozen workers at a non-profit collective in Minnesota are on strike seeking resolution of workplace grievances by insisting on their right to collectively bargain as a unit of the Industrial Workers of The World (IWW). John Snortum is one of the IWW workers at Sisters Camelot, which provides free food to low-income people who need it. Snortum says Sisters Camelot isnt respecting its workers and despite being a collective is resisting true collective bargaining for its canvassers. The canvassers do door-to-door fundraising for Sisters Camelot.
[John Snortum]: The real issue that comes down to me is they dont respect us as a part of Sisters Camelot. The way I see it isthat they think Sisters Camelot is the collective when really, you know, we raise 95% of the funds for Sisters Camelot and they cant do it without us.
The IWW Sisters Camelot workers have a list of demands and are attempting to negotiate them. The collective said in a statement that the workers are trying to force the collective into the role of boss. The collective then acted very boss like by firing Shuge Mississippi - one of the IWW workers.
[John Snortum 2]: Yeah, it is really strange, you know. The behavior that theyre showing is a clear sign that they are drawing straws and theyre unwilling to give up any power that they hold.