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Support SF carpenters against racism
From: Renee Saucedo renee@lrcl.org
Date: Feb 14, 2008
Dear friends and allies,
I AM WRITING ON behalf of nearly fifty San Francisco carpenters, African-American and Latino, who are organizing and fighting their corporate employer for the exploitation and racism taking place at construction sites in the Bayview / Hunters Point. PLEASE SUPPORT THEM AND ATTEND A SF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEARING ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1 PM, SF CITY HALL, 2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM.
Since last year, these union carpenters and community members of the Bay View / Hunter's Point neighborhood have had complaints against AIMCO, the property owner, as well as the various construction contractors for illegal, racist, and disturbing employment practices. For example, the managers, executives, and foremen of the companies embarked upon a racist campaign to divide the African-American carpenters from the Latino carpenters. Among other disturbing practices, the managers and foremen held separate events for the two communities of workers, at which they told each group they were "at war" with one another and where they bad mouthed each group referring to the African-American workers as "lazy" and the Latino workers as "trying to steal jobs." In addition, managers and foremen at AIMCO forced both the African-American and Latinos to do shoddy work because "niggers" were going to live in the apartment buildings. Some of the workers were terminated when they complained about these comments and practices.
In addition to the racist practices and comments, several foremen extorted many of the Latino carpenters out of a large portion of their wages. The foreman told these Latino workers that they would be fired if they did not give a cut of their salaries to the foremen. When many of the African-American workers found out about this crime, they began to circulate a petition protesting the abuse and were fired in retaliation for defending their Latino brothers.
AIMCO receives tax exempt, state bond money and has been allowed to engage in this type of illegal behavior!
THE WORKERS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! AIMCO HAS GOT TO GO!
Many of the carpenters have filed a lawsuit against AIMCO and the construction contractors, and are organizing a campaign to hold them accountable.
This hearing on February 28th is extremely important because the City of San Francisco holds oversight authority over this public-funded project.
WHAT: SF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEARING TO SUPPORT SAN FRANCISCO CARPENTERS
WHEN: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1 PM.
WHERE: SF CITY HALL, 2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM.
For more information, please contact Renee Saucedo at renee@lrcl.org or (415) 553-3404.
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