My name is Diana Beaumont and I am a teacher at a public High School in Broadmeadows. The recent announcement by Woolworths to close the Hume Distribution Centre and lay off 680 of their staff by 2018 has angered many teachers and parents in the area. Current and former students at our school have parents that work at the Hume Woolworths shed, and I hate to think about the strain this will place on their families. The outer Northern metropolitan suburbs of Melbourne are renowned for insecure jobs. Some families have to move suburbs to find stable work, and this has a massive impact on students both socially and academically. But parents don't have a choice as they must go where the work is. Broadmeadows is one of the most disadvantaged suburbs in Melbourne with 26.4% unemployment. But people want to work! At a recent public meeting at the Broadmeadows Town Hall, the local community pledged to support workers to keep the Hume Woolworths shed open. The Hume Woolworths shed is full of active, proud union members -- people Woolworths is no doubt hoping to silence.

We thought that working for the National Whistleblower Center (NWC) meant that we would be free to question our employer. We were wrong. We, attorneys Richard Renner and Lindsey Williams, along with three of our co-workers, were fired after questioning our bosses about the NWC’s finances and trying to organize a union. It all started when the NWC announced the historic $104 million award granted to UBS whistleblower Bradley Birkenfeld. Shortly afterward, the NWC founders told us that despite our hard work and the influx of cash, they were unable to afford the raises they had repeatedly promised. This did not make any sense to us. After our questions were ignored, we attempted to organize a union as a way to force them to be more transparent with their finances. Retaliation was swift and harsh. We were all fired on November 5, 2012, one by voicemail. To add insult to injury, the severance agreements they offered included an appallingly broad gag clause. The proposed agreements said if we accepted the money we could “not, criticize, disparage, or say or do anything that casts [the employer] in a negative light” to “any other person.” There is huge financial pressure on employees to sign these types of gag clauses. In fact, The Whistleblower’s Handbook written by one of the NWC founders, Stephen M. Kohn, has an entire chapter encouraging employees not to sign gag clauses. Apparently, he did not mean that advice to apply to his own employees. Three of our co-workers signed the agreements. We refused because we believed that the gag clauses violated labor laws and NWC’s stated mission. We filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in January 2013. The NLRB investigated the charges and found enough evidence to proceed with prosecution against NWC for wrongful termination. We were finally able to reach a settlement shortly before the trial would have begun. As part of the settlement, the NWC agreed to remove all mention of our terminations from their records and post a notice to all employees that they would not be retaliated against for exercising their legal rights to work collectively to improve their wages and working conditions. We want the NWC Board of Directors to publicly state that gag clauses in severance agreements (or other employment agreements) are against the core mission of the organization, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act, and, therefore, will not be used by the NWC in the future. We also want NWC to commit that existing gag clauses will not be enforced. We don’t want what happened to us to happen again. Our case serves as a reminder that any worker can have his or her legal rights violated – even lawyers. It also reminds us that every employer should be held accountable when they break the law – even the National Whistleblowers Center. For more information visit: www.fearinghonesty.org.

By Darletta Scruggs I worked as a route coordinator at Brinks on the West side of Chicago since August 2014. Despite being the single mother of a three year old child, I was required to work a minimum of 50 hours a week. I was often told not to leave the building for my lunch break. Brinks pays most of its workers way under $15/hour, and taken away our annual raises, even though the company made $3.5 billion last year. Brinks cut workers' overtime pay last year, even though most workers work up to 16 hour days, often with no breaks. Then earlier this year, they took away workers' earned vacation time, implementing an accrue-as-you-go policy with no compensation for time that workers had saved under the old system. So when I told my co-workers about the April 15th national strike for $15 and a union, they were ready for action. Things got organized in just three days, and a big majority of the drivers and messengers walked out on April 15th! I was targeted and fired just one week after our a successful strike. Management gave no official communication as to why I was fired, but repeatedly intimidated and threatened me for supporting the drive for union recognition. Because I was a dispatcher and paid a salary instead of hourly pay, Brinks labels me as “management” and says I don’t have legal protection to fight for my rights or be represented by a union. But we’ve filed a legal challenge with the NLRB challenging their definition of management and their unjust decision to fire me. Since the strike, a majority of Brinks drivers and messengers have signed union cards, but management refuses to recognize the union or negotiate. Instead they are using the leverage of the economic hardship they can inflict on employees through reduced hours or termination. We must not allow companies like Brinks to just fire someone for speaking up against unfair working conditions or intimidate workers into submission while they pocket millions. We must fight back! Brinks provides service for many banks like Chase and Bank Of America, and large corporations like Walmart and McDonalds, companies known for opposing workers rights. It is time that workers are paid adequately and big businesses are held accountable for worker exploitation and intimidation tactics. That’s why I got active with 15 Now. We need to fight, because MONEY IS NOT MORE VALUABLE THAN HUMAN LIVES!!!

John has worked for Linfox/Coles for 37 years as a forklift driver. He has been a loyal employee with a great work record. John is now 65 years old and has been stood down without pay after a company doctor said that John cannot perform every job at the warehouse. John's personal doctor has said he is fit to return to the work. However, after so many year's of strenuous work, it would be crazy to expect John to lift heavy boxes at high speeds. John just wants a little bit of loyalty back after almost four decades of service. Finding a job that meets both the company's needs and John's would be an easy resolution, which Linfox Management should be making a priority. Linfox Management have left John in limbo, with no termination certificate he is unable to claim the pension. Workers at Linfox in Truganina make sure Victorians can access food on the shelves at Coles. It's time they were treated with some respect, not thrown on the scrap heap without concern.

On January 27, 2015, Australian employees of International Flavours & Fragrances (IFF) began occupying our factory in Dandenong. We were forced to take this action because local Australian management has pushed us to the brink. We believe matters cannot be resolved with local Australian management and we ask that IFF's leadership listen to us, the IFF workforce in Dandenong, because our voices are not being heard in Australia. All we want is to be heard and genuinely negotiate a workplace agreement, which benefits the interests of both the workers and the interests of the company. We, the workers, have a clear interest in IFF . In the past, and specifically during the negotiations of our last agreement, we were promised there would be a cultural change from management. But things have only gotten worse. Local management couldn't care less about us. There is no acknowledgement of the humanity involved in the process of running a business. We were also promised that, due to a break down with local management, we would have quarterly meetings with the Asia Pacific management team. However, we have had only one of these meetings over the last three years. We believe it is not difficult to treat people with respect. Unfortunately a culture of respect is not encouraged or practiced by management in Australia. Mr Koudijs, we call on you to intervene because we believe Australian management cannot or will not negotiate fairly or respectfully. So far, local management have continued to be provocative and combative, which is not conducive to an agreement being reached. There has been much talk of productivity from local management, and workers have gone to great lengths already, including moving to 24-hour production. Now it is also time to recognise that workers want security, not uncertainty and anxiety. This, not stealing workers' 10 minute breaks, will see an increase in productivity and the health and well being of the workforce. Mr Koudijs, to end this lockout and help deliver a swift and fair agreement, will you meet with workers?

On January 26th, I was terminated by Kelly Cooper, the manager for Walmart store #1772 in Klamath Falls, Oregon, in what I believe was retaliation for my efforts to speak out for a better workplace. I worked at Walmart for 11 years and didn’t have problems until I started getting involved along with other employees across the country in campaigns for better wages, better benefits and other improvements at Walmart. Since then, I have participated in some rallies and events and I joined a nationwide strike at the end of last year. The management at my store knew I’ve been a part of these efforts and have discouraged my coworkers from getting involved. Recently, things got worse. First, I was given a coaching because a manager said I left eggs out of refrigeration for two hours. Later, she changed her story and said it was for 40 minutes. I kept working after the incident, but on January 15, 2015 I was coached by an assistant manager at my store about half an hour before I was scheduled to clock out on my overnight shift because he said I wasn’t doing all of my work. The problem is that those of us who work overnight shifts are given more work and are responsible for more sections of the store than any one person could reasonably be expected to handle. I told him that I was scheduled to work another half hour to 7AM and he walked away. All of a sudden, he had called the police and had them escort me outside the story. He told me I would be arrested if I came back. Without knowing anything about what this meant for my employment, I was told five hours later that I would be suspended without pay until the store manager came back from vacation. When my manager returned several days later, she said she would open an investigation. Just a few days later, she called me in and told me I would be terminated over the egg incident many weeks before -- for which I had already been coached. This doesn’t make sense. To me, it’s clear that the real reason why I was terminated is because of my involvement with OUR Walmart. I’ve heard of other workers being retaliated against for speaking out about how Walmart treats us and I want this to stop. Please join me in asking Walmart to give me my job back and to stop retaliating against employees who speak out about their jobs. In addition to signing on to this petition, you can call Walmart Store #1772 in Klamath Falls, Oregon at 541-885-6890 and tell store manager Kelly Cooper to put me back to work and to do the right thing and be fair to us workers. LEGAL DISCLAIMER: UFCW and OUR Walmart have the purpose of helping Wal-Mart employees as individuals or groups in their dealings with Wal-Mart over labor rights and standards and their efforts to have Wal-Mart publically commit to adhering to labor rights and standards. UFCW and OUR Walmart have no intent to have Walmart recognize or bargain with UFCW or OUR Walmart as the representative of Walmart employees.

My name is Courtnee Dean. For the past 10 years, I have been a loyal employee of Olive Garden store 1370 in Bala Cynwyd, PA. I am also a mother, currently seven months pregnant with my second child. On October 1st, 2014, I was unfairly terminated from my employment at Darden Restaurants for a lost coupon. I offered to compensate for the coupon, but the manager, Lily, refused the money. Instead of following the customary procedure of writing me up or taking the money, she called corporate and had me terminated. Even after working at Darden for 10 years, not only was I treated as disposable but so was my growing family. That’s why I am demanding that Darden Restaurants make this right by: 1) restoring my employment, 2) fully compensate me for all the time I have missed from work as a result of this unjust termination, and 3) meet with me and members of the Restaurant Opportunities Center United to address my case and the issues that workers face from Darden management all over the country, like being discriminated against for being pregnant and being forced to work while sick. Please join me in asking Darden Restaurants, the largest full-service restaurant company in the world, to do the right thing so that I can support my family and prevent similar situations from happening to the rest of Darden’s employees.

The timing of Kip’s termination on December 2nd is no accident. It came in the midst of a national week of action for “$15 and a Union,” and just as three different union drives at Delta, and their subcontractor AirServ, kick into high gear. Over 200 rallied on December 5th at MSP Airport, blocking traffic, to demand $15 and a Union and that Delta re-hire Kip. Delta thinks firing Kip, a leading 15 Now and union activist, will silence other airport workers from standing up for their rights. They couldn’t be more wrong. With your support, and the mobilization of the wider labor movement, Delta’s blatantly illegal and unjust actions will only deepen workers’ resolve to fight for $15/hour and union rights. We call on Delta and the Metropolitan Airport Commission, which governs operations at MSP Airport, to immediately reinstate Kip Hedges and to make clear that these intimidation tactics will not continue. We stand in solidarity with Kip and with all workers fighting for $15 and a union!

Having our members show their support for the employees of Capital Bikeshare is key; our main leverage is member relations - namely, you all. Having members sign the petition and show that they endorse the right of CaBi workers to unionize is huge. Please, tell Alta/REQX to voluntarily recognize the union we have formed with TWU Local 100 and to drop the motion to clarify, that is, allow everyone who wants to be in the Union a seat at the table. Thank you everyone to has signed the petition. However, it appears our work has just begun. At the NLRB hearing Jackson-Lewis successfully pushed our petition to unionize out. We are starting back from ground zero. We still need your support - letting them know that we, the public, those who use the bikes stand for workers rights will go a long way in our struggle. Thank You.

Nissan is the most productive automaker in North America. However, that productivity comes at a price. Only a fraction of Nissan's employees are directly hired and few earn the top pay rate. Most work for agencies like Yates, Onin or Calsonic - have few paid days off, and must deal with ever increasing line speeds. Nissan workers want to be directly hired, earn the top pay rate after a reasonable amount of time, and work at reasonable line speeds.

In the words of a former Bluestone worker, "we live from pay to pay, we depend on our wages to be in our account so that we are able to pay our bills and rent". Bluestone's collapse has left some workers missing out on rent and mortgage payments leaving them feeling "sick" and "anxious". When you put in a day's work you should get a fair day's pay.

Tuan is 31. He is a big Brisbane Broncos fan. He has worked at Alphapharm since 2007. Recently, not long after being married, Tuan was diagnosed with cancer. A month after he finished his treatment, his baby girl arrived. Tuan has so many good things to look forward to, but after 7 years of hard work at Alphapharm management would not support him in the process of getting back to full health. Any one of us could suffer a debilitating illness. Adding unnecessary financial burdens at a time like that is simply callous. Where will Don get future employment to support his young family if his employer of 7 years is not willing to assist him?