Two nights ago, after standing on my feet for hours during a late shift, I asked my shift manager who was coming in to replace me so I could finally go home and rest. My shift manager berated me and threatened me with violence saying he was going to hit me with the fry basket. I backed away but after the threats continued I firmly told him he needed to stop. Then he slapped me across the face in front of other workers. The next morning my General Manager and District Manager called me into their office, said they had watched the tape of the incident and told me, "He didn't hit you that hard" I am offended, outraged and disappointed that no one in management, even though they had watched the security tape of the assault, was taking it seriously. Letting my shift manager off the hook because he didn't draw blood or knock me out is beyond insulting.

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?

Starbucks is not an easy job, it's hard on your body as well as your mind, and the stress leaves us exhausted. Even part-time employees work because they need the money, but everyone should be given the ability to take time off to vacation with loved ones or take time to regroup and energize, and a mere few hours does not suffice. Personal days are equally important. Life happens. Life doesn't follow a schedule. Things that are out of our control sometimes come up last minute. Employees should not have to sacrifice their pay and potentially threaten their ability to pay their bills, because of a family emergency or the like.

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.

I have to save some of my vacation every year just in case I get sick. I am a working partner who can't afford to stay home when I am sick.

Every single time you see a posting for an unpaid internship, you’re seeing a posting that’s only open to people who can afford to work for free. These unpaid and unregulated positions drive down wages across the whole economy, and prevent anyone without economic privilege from getting ahead. — Mikey Franklin The Democratic Party can't fight for a living wage on one hand and expect people to work for free on the other. Enough is enough.

I’m a huge fan of Apple products. Growing up, I didn't have access to technology at home but the first computer I ever used was an Apple computer at school. When I was finally able to purchase my first personal computer, I chose Apple not just for its intuitive design features but also because I believed that the brand represented values that I also hold-- values like innovation, individuality, and-- what I've always found singular and inspiring in a tech company-- humanity. For me, Apple has always represented a brand that puts people first. It's why I have always chosen Apple at home and why I am proud to use the company’s technology to advocate for civil rights every day at work. That’s also why I was disappointed to learn that the company does not extend these same principles to their employees and chooses not to provide Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday for its employees. Despite its incredible reputation for innovation -- and despite using MLK’s image in its advertising -- Apple does not appear to “think different” when it comes to honoring Dr. King’s legacy. Many top Silicon Valley tech companies including Facebook, Google, Twitter, Yahoo, Ebay, Glassdoor, HP, LinkedIn, Square, and Uber observe this important federal holiday according to reports, but not Apple. In fact, a Bloomberg survey found that 37% of all US employers plan to observe MLK Day as a paid day off in 2015 -- the highest percentage yet. Apple has reportedly agreed to offer a donation of $50 to charity for each hour an employee volunteers for MLK Day of Service, but the company can and should do more by providing a day off for employees so that even more can fully participate and give back to their communities. As Coretta Scott King wrote, “Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is not only for celebration and remembrance, education and tribute, but above all a day of service. It is a day of volunteering to… [build] the beloved community of his dream.” While Apple has generous vacation policies in many ways, as a leader in this area, Apple can surely participate in this important historic holiday as well. By joining other companies in observing MLK Day, Apple will demonstrate its commitment to a diverse staff and customer base and to the achievements of the civil rights movement. Please join me in asking Apple to “think different” on its stance on this policy and provide employees with a paid day off to observe MLK Day.

The problem of long-term, full-time workers being stuck in second class temporary status isn’t just a problem on the Santa Monica beach. Employers shifting jobs from permanent positions to temporary positions is now so common that it’s created a whole new section of permanent temporary workers in the economy - the ‘permatemp’ economy. Employers often do this to avoid things like unions, benefits, tougher labor laws - things that for us workers mean the difference between a job that allows us to get somewhere in life and a job that just keeps us barely surviving to the next day. We can do better. Santa Monica can lead the way.

Lisa's story: My name is Lisa Austin and I work in Apple Valley, MN at Walmart #2642. On December 28, 2014 I was disciplined for staying home to take care of my seven-month-old child while my husband was away training with the National Guard.* The training was on the weekend of December 7, 2014. Per Walmart policy, I requested the days off close to two months in advance but was still written up for the days missed. Now I am close to being terminated and am afraid I will lose my job if I have to miss work if Walmart doesn’t approve future dates that my husband is away. The store manager told me that “my absence was inexcusable and everyone has kids.” I was told that I cannot have another absence until June 14, 2015. Military families sacrifice on a daily basis when their spouse is deployed or away from their loved ones. Should a Military spouse sacrifice her child or her job for just needing a day off to care for their baby? Walmart can help associates like Lisa and show its respect for military families by amending its leave policy today. Please join us in showing your support by signing this petition for a national policy that helps all our military families who work at Walmart across the country. *Since I started working at Walmart in October 2014, I had not been working there long enough to qualify for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. 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.

Over the course of 2014, Starbucks Coffee was in the news on a regular basis. Whether it was a partner (aka, a Starbucks employee) that was struggling with her wages and hours, or a strangely uneven HBO Starbucks-produced tribute to America’s veterans, there’s been no shortage of media attention thrown the way of the coffee siren. Most notably Starbucks turned heads by changing its tattoo policy, finally allowing its employees the ability to show off their ink without having to cover them all day, every day. Much rejoicing was heard, it was an exciting time for many employees as most believed the archaic policy would never move. It did. Further steps were announced by Starbucks corporate. Pay would be changing. In the middle of the hype over the tattoo policy changes, and some calling for higher wages, Starbucks took the lead announcing that pay would increase for a large portion of its US employees. Excitement began to boil again. At a time in US history when stagnant worker wages are at an all time high, and protests are happening from coast to coast, the powers that be at Starbucks headquarters realized [and wisely so] that they had to move first. Move they did. At the end of January, news began to trickle out about these wages. Many Starbucks partners believed and hoped that wages would be raised significantly. Some defended the current wages as being enough. Reading through unofficial Starbucks partner Facebook pages, it became evident that for very few, the initial wage would be substantial, but for partners that have been employed for 1-3 years, they would be put at the new wage base level [which is different per state, per region]. Much of the work many partners put in for their wages would be wiped clean, even starting partners would be paid the same as they would, a gross inequality in a growing number of voices as seen through social media. THE BREAK DOWN (How it used to work) Typically, Starbucks employees were eligible for raises every six months, something no other company was doing up until that point. This system worked. What wasn't working were starting wages and wage caps. Starbucks as a company, like many other companies, falls far behind in paying their workers a livable wage. Many of its employees, struggle to pay their bills week to week. Many live with family or in roommate situations. (How it works now) Now, Starbucks baristas and shift supervisors are eligible for one raise a year, slowing down their rate of pay. The starting wages being reported are a good beginning for the multi-billion dollar company, but in their decision making process, they have failed to account for what will probably amount to tens of thousands of their employees who are now placed at the beginning of the wage system, just to get one raise a year. Tempers are hot. In the scheme of things, Starbucks gets most things right. They offer their employees health benefits, free drinks, a pound of coffee a week, stock options, and a competitive 401k among other things. Most American businesses should be looking at Starbucks as an example of how you treat the people who are actually responsible for the customer connection which brings in the record earnings every quarter. The new wage benefits are promising, a step in the right direction. It would be wise for the decision makers on a corporate level to not throw their mid-term or mid-tenure employees under the bus when premiering new wages. There was a lot of hype around the wage increase, but as you would see if you joined certain Starbucks barista social media groups, a bill of goods was sold and hyped that actually ended up slowing the pace of wage earning, and starting off experienced workers as if they were new. Starbucks now has a worker relations mess on their hands. This petition is to Starbucks for a fair wage increase for partners tenured one year or more. You do not have to be a barista to sign this petition. Although, if you are, I recommend that you share this with your fellow baristas, family and friends. You can share this petition by copying and pasting the link below. http://www.coworker.org/p/fairwageincrease A special thanks to Jill Deblasio!

If you check in for non revenue travel online, you can see if you stand a chance of getting on the flight. My cousin works for another airline and I have to give her mom buddy passes because she cant get on her own daughters airline. The problem is other senior non revs show up and keep knocking her down the list. I commute to work and that would frustrate me not knowing if I will make it. I dont think its fare to allow non revs to walkup 30 minutes before the flight and skip a junior non rev after they've been sitting there all day...I DONT THINK SO!

We, the undersigned, support the Willy St. Co-op workers' efforts to organize a union. All workers deserve well-paid, satisfying jobs and opportunities for career development. We believe that honoring workers' collective voice is the best way to ensure these goals are met. As stated in the Purpose of the Bylaws, Willy St. Co-op stated it will, "Manage the business in an open, democratic manner that respects employees' rights to a humane work environment and participation in decision-making." We think workers' efforts to organize a union are part of this Purpose. We are community members and shoppers at Willy St. Co-op, and we support the workers who make our Co-op great.