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December 2013
Mobilize Union Power to Get Their Jobs
Back Now
NYC Labor:
Defend Fired Domino’s Workers!

Candlelight vigils and Democrats cannot defeat a
multi-billion-dollar corporation like Domino’s. NYC labor
must mobilize its power to get delivery workers’ jobs
back. (Internationalist
photos)
DECEMBER 10 – On Thursday, December 5,
there was a “fast food workers strike” in a number of
cities around the country. This time, in comparison to
past protests, there was a greater participation of the
workers themselves, who run a big risk of reprisals for
daring to stand up for their rights. Just that happened in
New York City, where two days later two dozen delivery
workers of a Domino’s Pizza outlet in Upper Manhattan were
fired for showing solidarity with a victimized worker.
After an initial protest on Sunday, almost 200 people
showed up on Monday, December 9, to picket the Domino’s
location on 181st Street in Washington Heights. The
Internationalist Group was there leafleting and holding up
signs defending the fired workers. In speaking with the
fired delivery workers, who were there in force and in
uniform, they told us that on Thursday workers from a
nearby McDonald’s and other fast food outlets in the area
came by and they all went together to a 4 p.m. rally
downtown at Foley Square. Pizza deliveries would have to
wait.
On Saturday, as it was getting busy in the afternoon, the
manager ordered one of the workers who had gone to the
protest to wash dishes instead of making deliveries where
he could get tips. When he complained that this was
unfair, since delivery men are only paid $5.65 an hour,
well below the unlivable minimum wage of $7.25, on the
assumption that they will receive tips, the boss told him
to get out: “The door is open.” When the other workers
stood with their comrade, they were given the boot, too.
Workers said this kind of arbitrary reprisal was not
uncommon at the store. Not only is it illegal to pay
employees much less than the minimum wage for working
without tips, it often happened that after they punched
out the boss ordered them to stay and clean up the kitchen
off the clock. The fired workers also complained that
since Domino’s charges $1.65 per delivery, many customers
think that this goes to the workers and don’t tip. But in
fact the boss pockets that money.

At the protest Monday there were a number of Dominican
community organizations from Washington Heights.
Democratic elected officials also spoke, including City
Councilman Ydanis Rodríguez and State Assemblywoman
Gabriela Rosa. They reported that when they called
Domino’s operations manager, they wouldn’t even pick up
the phone. The Internationalist leaflet warned that
appeals to the Democrats, who like Republicans represent
the interests of Wall Street and capital, are a dead end
and workers must rely on their own strength.
A call was made at the protest to boycott this Domino’s
outlet, which is certainly justified. But it is difficult
to implement effectively as 95% of their business is
call-ins. Demonstrators vowed “we will be back” every day
this week. But to win, it is necessary to back up this
group of courageous workers with the power of the
New York City labor movement, together with the millions
of Latino, African American and Asian working people. “New
York is a union town,” and “union power” people chanted on
December 5. So now is the time to use that power.
One of those who voiced support for the Domino’s workers
at the sidewalk rally on Monday was Mahoma López of the
Hot and Crusty Workers Association, which last year won a
union contract with union control of hiring, a vital
demand for these immigrant workers. At a key point in the
struggle, a labor rally was held bringing out
representatives of the TWU Local 100, AFSCME DC 37, CWA
Local 1101, PSC, UFCW Local 1500, LIUNA Local 78 and
delegates and activists from other unions to show that the
Hot and Crusty workers were not alone.
A strong display of union power is vital now. The
struggle to win the jobs back for the fired Domino’s
workers could be a spark that turns the fast food workers’
“strikes” into a reality. It is high time for militant,
mass, independent workers action! ■
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