Why the IWW is in a labor dispute with the owners of Metro Lighting in Berkeley

IWW members and pro-union workers were locked out that morning after complaining about a potentially serious chemical exposure in their workplace.

The lock-out is yet another union-busting move on the part of Christa and Lawrence Grown, co-owners of Metro Lighting. Workers have been taking collective action to improve their working conditions over the past five months and are demanding the following before they return to work:

• Proper clean-up of dispersed chemicals (caustic alkaline) by a certified abatement company
• Certification that the work environment is safe to return to
• Raise pay from $10/hr to $12/hr for sales staff
• Settle age discrimination violation in a timely mannerPayment for hours not worked due to this labor dispute

For more information, call Gabe at 510-395-1324