🐦 March 4 - Bernie Sanders and Danny Glover - March on Mississippi - Nissan Protest

[Donkees]

Excerpt:

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and actor Danny Glover are coming to Mississippi to help bring attention to what organizers call poor working conditions at Canton's Nissan manufacturing plant, according to the Mississippi NAACP.

The "March on Mississippi" is scheduled for March 4 at the Canton Sportsplex, as advertised by the Mississippi Alliance For Fairness at Nissan.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson and Sierra Club President Aaron Mair will also attend.

The march focuses on attempts by Nissan workers to unionize and the intimidation they say they've faced in response.

"As we meet with workers, we see a heightened level of frustration and concern about the atmosphere and treatment at the plant," said Derrick Johnson, president of the Mississippi NAACP, which is helping organize the event. "Far too often we are receiving repeated complaints."

An emailed response from the company Tuesday said, "Nissan's history reflects that we truly value our employees and respect their right to decide who should represent them. Nissan Canton employees enjoy good, stable, safe jobs with some of the highest wages and strongest benefits in Mississippi. The allegations being made by the union against Nissan are completely unfounded."

In December, the Detroit-based United Auto Workers filed complaints in the Netherlands, Japan and France against Nissan, French automaker Renault, which partners with Nissan, and the joint corporation. It was the latest in a string of complaints Nissan has received over the past several years as Canton workers have tried to unionize.

The Dec. 20 press release announcing the complaints stated that a report based on interviews with workers, testimonies and documents from Nissan showed several violations on the part of the company.

"They include aggressive policies and practices of union avoidance, harassment and intimidation, which instill fear at work with the aim of preventing workers from securing union representation. For years, management at Nissan and Renault have repeatedly ignored calls from workers and policy-makers to use their powers to address these global human rights violations," the release states.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2017/02/07/bernie-sanders-coming-miss-march-against-nissan/97602820/

[Donkees]

1. Facebook Event Link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/597707593752332/

Saturday, March 4 at 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM CST

Canton Multipurpose Complex
501 Soldier Colony Rd, Canton, Mississippi 39046

End Voter Suppression at Nissan and all employers across Mississippi. Let the worker decide without fear and intimidation.

Mississippi Alliance for Fairness at Nissan
Community Organization

The organization was founded after Congressman Bennie Thompson called on Mississippi leaders to form a committee to stand up for Nissan workers.

[Donkees]

2. Union effort intensifies at Nissan; Bernie Sanders joins fight

Discord at Mississippi's Nissan plant seems to be escalating with more than a little help from a high-powered, Detroit-based union, all while the auto manufacturer continues to receive labor complaints and safety violations regarding the facility.

The involvement of French leaders, as well as a former Democratic presidential candidate, is only raising the stakes of a possible vote on whether to unionize at the plant.

"They think they can beat you guys up," U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is seen saying in a video in response to concerns some Canton Nissan workers shared during a Feb. 16 meeting in Washington, D.C. "What you're doing is courageous. It is enormously important. It impacts not only workers in that Nissan plant. If you win (a union vote), I think it's going to be a spark probably all over the state, maybe all over the South, maybe all over the country."

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2017/02/25/nissan-canton-uaw-union-bernie-sanders/97836276/

[Donkees]

3. UAW tweet

Link to tweet