My name is Olivia Guzman. For 17 years, my husband Fausto and I have been coming to the U.S. each season from our hometown in Mexico as H-2B guestworkers. We worked with thousands of other guestworkers who process and pack seafood for big retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods. The guestworker visa requires us to work for only one employer. The name of our boss is inscribed in our passport, and if we are fired or leave to seek work somewhere else we can be detained and deported by ICE. Our employers paid us a piece rate—by the weight of seafood we cleaned—that often came out to be less than the minimum wage no matter how fast we worked. They housed us in decrepit labor camps on company property where snakes crawled up through cracks in the floor. Bosses and managers surveilled us in the camps, humiliated us, and even physically abused us. To keep us silent, they constantly threatened us with firing, deportation, and blacklisting so we could no longer find work as guestworkers. There comes a time you can’t take the abuse any more, and in spite of the threats, you have to speak up. I did that when I became of member of the National Guestworker Alliance (NGA). I traveled across the Gulf Coast and organized my fellow guestworkers into committees to try to change conditions in the industry. I traveled to Washington, DC, and Mexico City to tell political leaders about the abuse. But when I hosted NGA meetings in my house, the recruiter spied on us. She said we were all trouble makers and threatened to have us blocked from coming back to the United States. And I learned that the threats were real, because this year, my employer blacklisted me in retaliation for my organizing. I was removed from the employment list, accused of being a trouble maker, and blocked from coming back on an H-2B visa to my employer. Walmart says it wants to stop forced labor on its supply chain, but continues to buy from suppliers who abuse guestworkers every day. Whole Foods tells customers all about where its fish were caught, but not that the fish were packed by workers who were trapped in severe labor abuse. Walmart and Whole Foods set the standards that thousands of suppliers follow. My fellow NGA members and I are calling on them to sign the NGA’s Forced Labor Prevention Accord. The Accord is a binding agreement that would ban retaliation and blacklisting, ensure basic labor standards, and create a binding dispute resolution process that includes employers and workers. We are urging retailers to sign the Accord to ensure that their suppliers don’t trap guestworkers in exploitation and forced labor.

I work at a plant in Selma, Alabama, operated by Renosol, a car parts manufacturer. We make foam for seats that are installed in Hyundai vehicles. Recently, NBC News ran a story about years of safety problems at our plant that have made me and many of my co-workers sick. Read it here: http://nbcnews.to/1jHg6vQ The current round of problems started on May 1, when workers at my plant in Selma were evacuated because of a chemical leak. When I arrived at work, management admitted there had been a leak. They put a “diaper” on the leak—some old rags and plastic—but said a more permanent repair would have to wait until Sunday. Even though workers said they were getting sick from the fumes, we still had to work all day Thursday and Friday. Some people even had to work a 12-hour shift on Saturday. The alarm went off again the next day, and several more times since. OSHA—the federal agency that protects worker safety and health—has been in the plant several times conducting a full investigation. Still, the company refuses to admit anything is wrong. If you're one of the 35,000 workers in the U.S. who work in a foam plant, you already know the chemicals I'm talking about are called isocyanates—chemicals that go by names like TDI and MDI—and that they are widely known to cause asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic health issues. But did you know that it's possible to actually stand up and make our employers pay attention to how TDI and MDI affects our lives? My co-workers and I got sick and tired of waiting for Hyundai and Lear to clean up our plant. We stood together and took our story to the public and the local press. We called in federal health and safety regulators, who have started an inspection of our plant. And we're not stopping there. We won't stop until our plant is safe and we feel our health issues have been addressed. When workers take the courageous step to speak out against dangerous and unhealthy work conditions--like we did--it can spark changes that go far beyond the walls of our own plant. For example, in August OSHA announced that, because of a higher-than-expected number of safety complaints, it is launching a program to inspect every auto supplier in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Read story here: http://www.autonews.com/article/20140804/OEM01/140809941 As much as we want to change working conditions here in Selma, we know the problem is bigger than just our plant. Every person in the foam seating industry should be able to work without fear of developing a chronic illness from their job. By signing this petition, you'll help show the auto industry that workers in communities and plants across America demand action.

Apple Valley, MN OUR Walmart member, Gabe Teneyuque was instrumental in getting the state's minimum wage passed. Gabe spoke at the State Capitol, collected and delivered petitions and marched to end poverty wages in Minnesota. His courage to speak out and improve lives of Minnesotans across the state should be encouraged. Instead, Walmart fired Gabe for stubbing his toe at work and reporting the injury. Walmart managers claim that Gabe violated Walmart policy by not reporting the injury that same day even thought it didn't start hurting Gabe til days later. No one should be afraid to report a work related injury. Walmart do the right thing and give Gabe his job back. LEGAL DISCLAIMER: OUR Walmart's purpose is to help Walmart employees as individuals or groups in their dealings with Walmart over labor rights and standards and their efforts to have Walmart publicly commit to adhering to labor rights and standards. OUR Walmart has no intent to have Walmart recognize or bargain with it as the representative of Walmart employees.

Mia, do you remember when you shipped us free copies of your book, Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet? It was inspiring to read that we must, "See the bicycle as a tool for empowerment and social change, not just sport or transportation." We couldn't agree more. However, the title left some of us wondering where we fit into that “healthier planet” as we worked without healthcare, doing dangerous jobs on busy streets and in a filthy warehouse by the Superfund section of Southwest DC. Given our situation, we were surprised to discover that Alta repeatedly signed a Federal contract with DDOT, agreeing to pay specific prevailing wages and health & welfare benefits to all Capital Bikeshare workers in compliance with the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act. These wages and benefits apply to all workers under the contract regardless of full or part-time status (29 C.F.R. § 4.176). We helped build Alta's flagship bikesharing program in DC and we're proud to see Alta landing big contracts all over the USA as a result of our hard work: Citi Bike in New York, Divvy in Chicago, Hubway in Boston; Puget Sound Bikeshare in Seattle; San Francisco, Columbus, Baltimore, Portland... It would be a shame to see bad labor practices pollute the growth of such a socially and environmentally important industry. Mia, it's time for Alta Bicycle Share to play fair and set an example as a leader in good green jobs. Here's how: 1) Honor the Alta-DDOT contracts and immediately pay full back-pay for all unpaid wages and unpaid health & welfare benefits. 2) Comply with the letter and the spirit of the Service Contract Act, from here on out. 3) Commit to paying strong living wages and benefits to Bikeshare workers at every Alta-operated Bikesharing program from New York City to the San Francisco Bay. We trust that you will take prompt action to address these challenges as we all pedal together towards a sustainable future. Capital Bikeshare Workers past & present, Samuel D. Swenson 9/2011-8/2012 Bernard F. Smith 8/2010-9/2012 Omar Estrada 10/2010-10/2012 Spencer Turner 10/2010-10/2012 Anibal Apunte 4/2011-7/2012 Scott Brumbaugh 11/2011-4/2013 Jamal Hicks 2011 Khalil Brown 2011 Jeff Bertolet 2012-present Fhar Miess 7/2011-present Greg Washington 2011-present Zeek Manago 3/2012-present John Farmer 6/2012-present Kermit Demus 8/2012-present Douglas Tyrone Jones 1/2012-present Robert Apunte 2011-present * 2 current long-time workers asked to sign anonymously Kevin Gordon, 4/2013-present Gerald Sinclair, 7/2012-present Veltrick Copeland, present Jason Frantz, Bike Checker, 2012-present Alejandro Fuentes

----2015 UPDATE--- In an interview with Julie Foudy, Abby Wambach broke news that FIFA leaders assured her that the Women's World Cup would never again be played on turf. She said, “[Valcke] assured us that the Women’s World Cup would never be played on turf again. He gave me his word, which for me, that’s a win. For me, that’s progress.” Original text: In 2012, the Women’s Gold Medal soccer match for the London Olympics was the NBC Sports Network’s most watched event in the network's history with 4.35 million viewers. More people around the world livestreamed the women's final than any other sporting event during the Olympics. And yet, still, professional women soccer players struggle to be given the respect they deserve. The latest insult to professional women soccer players comes with the decision by FIFA to hold the entire 2015 Women's World Cup tournament on artificial turf. When Abby Wambach -- the 2012 FIFA Women's World Player of the Year -- heard of this news, she noted, "The men would strike playing on artificial turf." And Wambach, who is known for her physical style of play, should be especially worried. The American Academy of Neurology recently reported that concussions appear to be more prevalent for certain athletes playing on artificial turf, and that women athletes appear more likely to experience concussions in soccer than in other sports. Artificial turf has been blamed for increased injuries on sporting fields, including more sprained ankles, concussions, turf burns, and an injury known as "turf toe." Overheating is also a health concern for athletes since temperatures can be hotter on artificial surfaces than on natural grass. Finally, turf is widely known to alter the speed and quality of play on the field. With all of this in mind, it's not hard to understand why many players feel that being forced to play their World Cup on artificial turf is gender discrimination. I'm a huge fan of women's soccer. I love going to Washington Spirit games -- where the team plays on natural grass -- and I'm excited to attend the upcoming CONCACAF qualifiers for the Women's World Cup. These women deserve respect for their athleticism and that's why I'm standing up with professional players from national teams around the world who have spoken out and signed on to this campaign as well. Some of the best soccer players in the world deserve to play the most competitive matches of their lives on real grass. FIFA has the power to modify the venues for the World Cup games to fields with real grass. Do the right thing, FIFA, and give professional women soccer players the respect they deserve. ----Signatures from Players---- More than 70 national team players from at least 17 different national teams have signed this petition to FIFA calling for natural grass in the 2015 Women's World Cup. Below is a list of professional players who've added their name to this public petition: Abby Wambach - USA Heather O'Reilly - USA Carli Lloyd - USA Shannon Boxx - USA Ali Krieger - USA Alex Morgan - USA Whitney Engen - USA Ashlyn Harris - USA Christie Rampone - USA 安藤 梢 (Kozue Ando) - JPN 大儀見 優季 (Yūki Ōgimi) - JPN Anja Mittag - GER Nadine Angerer - GER Annike Krahn - GER Célia Okoyino da Mbabi - GER Kim Kulig - GER Almuth Schult - GER Laura Benkarth - GER Melanie Behringer - GER Nadine Keßler - GER Lena Goeßling - GER Alexandra Popp - GER Babbett Peter - GER Melissa Barbieri - AUS Sam Kerr - AUS Caitlin Foord - AUS Natalia Gaitan - COL Melissa Ortiz - COL Nataly Arias - COL Stefany Castaño - COL Eugénie Le Sommer - FRA Camille Abily - FRA Wendie Renard - FRA Sarah Bouhaddi - FRA Élise Bussaglia - FRA Louisa Nécib - FRA Caroline Seger - SWE Lotta Schelin - SWE Kosavare Asllani - SWE Olivia Schough - SWE Sara Thunebro - SWE Malin Levenstad - SWE Sofia Lundgren - SWE Emma Berglund - SWE Charlotte Rohlin - SWE Hedvig Lindahl - SWE Nilla Fischer - SWE Annica Svensson - SWE Therese Sjoran - SWE Caroline Jönsson - SWE Anita Asante - ENG Faye White - ENG Nora Holstad - NOR Ingvild Isaken - NOR Maren Mjelde - NOR Arianna Romero - MEX Theresa 'Lupita' Worbis - MEX Jackie Acevedo - MEX Renae Cuéllar - MEX Ana-Maria Crnogorčević - SUI Noëlle Maritz - SUI Vanessa Bernauer - SUI Sandra Betschart - SUI Martina Moser - SUI Rahel Kiwic - SUI Fabienne Humm - SUI Shannon Smyth - IRL Ciara Grant (b. 1993) - IRL Veronica Boquete - ESP Erin Nayler - NZF Stefanía Maggiolini - URY Desire Oparanozie - NGA Indira Ilić - SRB Getter Laar - EST Michelle Akers - USA (Retired) Linda Hamilton - USA (Retired) Sandra Smisek - GER (Retired)

Patient safety is a major concern. Registration is not medical staff, thus we are unable to perform basic first aid duties or CPR if need be. If we are unsure about a situation, the only option is to call a code medical response, which can take up time and resources for other patients who need critical care. We did not take this job on to do the duties of a nurse, nurses aid, or the like. We took on this job to provide accurate insurance information for billing and to confirm patient demographics. This is unable to be done efficiently when three shifts a day are doing a job that we are not meant to be doing, especially without clinical support. When patients come in and they need help and nurses are unavailable, we aren't able to help them. We can't do anything except sit and watch them in pain, bleeding, or vomiting. This looks bad on the emergency department and on the hospital as a whole.

It is important to allowed beanies in the Meat Department because of how cold it is. Associates from other departments cannot step in the Meat room without rushing to get out. Meat Cutters are in that environment their entire shift. We're cutting under a blowing fan that maintains the temperature of the department. Which in fact, causes constant runny nose which also leads to a pause mid-production at least 3-4 times every hour. An article published Jan 31, 2022 by Times Of India states the following: "When your scalp is exposed to the cold weather, you lose more heat from the body and you are at a greater risk of cold and flu. Keeping your scalp warm is as important as keeping your body warm." Hopefully you can now understand how important it is for the health of your associates.

On Mon., January 9, 2023, Elijah Wood was terminated from his employment at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) after speaking up about safety concerns that the Systems Advocates’ team were raising in the field. The concerns Elijah raised are rooted in the desire to protect the people who are doing this work, our unhoused neighbors, and our community. We believe Elijah’s termination was unjust, illegal, and without cause or due process. Therefore, we, the unified employees of KCRHA, stand together to demand that:  Systems Advocates not be assigned to conduct outreach in the field without proper safety equipment.  Systems Advocates not be assigned to conduct outreach without the proper information about encampments needed to do their jobs safely and effectively, like whether any known dangers are present.   All staff concerns be heard and centered with regards to safety policy and procedure, and not be dismissed or punished.  We, the undersigned, hereby demand that Elijah Wood be reinstated to his former position immediately and that an internal investigation be conducted into the safety concerns raised.

It is the job of Facebook content moderators to try and make the platform safe. This means reviewing every post that is either reported by a user or flagged by Facebook’s automated tools from its 3 billion users. For context, around 130,000 images are uploaded to Facebook every minute. The work can be harrowing, with content moderators having to look at some of the worst material on the internet. This includes murder, gruesome violence, hate speech and the sexual exploitation of children. Outsourced content moderators don’t receive proper mental health support and many develop PTSD as a result of their experience. This year, TIME magazine (https://time.com/6147458/facebook-africa-content-moderation-employee-treatment/) revealed chilling abuse at Facebook's content moderation centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Workers reported exploitation and unlawful union-busting at the Nairobi office, run by Sama — the US company who Facebook use as its main provider of outsourced content moderation in Africa. For this harrowing and dangerous work, TIME revealed workers are paid as little as $2.20 per hour. Sign this petition today in solidarity with them and all Facebook content moderators around the world.

This is important cause to many people who work hard everyday get unrecognized. While those who are the favorites or in with a group so they can’t be held accountable for same offenses that they target others with.

Our store deserves to operate smoothly a majority of the time. We want you to know that we love this store. We love Starbucks. We love each other. We are asking to be listened to and heard, and to find actual solutions to these problems. We are asking to be staffed so that we are not in tears on the floor. We are only asking that someone will work with us to make this store even better, so that we don’t need to transfer to other stores or leave the company we love and know can do better for us.

While our staff are vaccinated and most are boosted, putting at less risk of hospitalization and death, many of our employees share homes and provide care to those most vulnerable to COVID: children too young to be vaccinated, elders, and immune-compromised loved ones.