Rallies Protest Shady Staples Deal
July 1, 2015
(This article first appeared in the July-August 2015 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)
Supporters of the Stop Staples movement were busy this spring, holding rallies and demonstrations, protesting the shady deal between Staples and the Postal Service.
April 12 Events
Two APWU locals held events on Sunday, April 12, holding signs and asking passerby to boycott the office-supply chain.
More than 300 people attended the Long Island Area Local’s protest, which was held the Sunday before Tax Day (see p. 23). Members of nearby APWU locals, the National Association of Letter Carriers and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union marched in support of the campaign. The protest was held during the weekend because members said it was easier for them to participate rather than on a weekday.
“Our members kept their word and attended,” said Local President Pete Furgiuele. “We had between 300 and 350 show up. Everyone was home in time for Sunday dinner!”
The Pittsburgh Metro Area Local also spread the word that day. Members and supporters asked the public to boycott Staples outside of a store in Robinson Township.
Committee meets with Allegheny County Council
President John DeFazio.
More Resolutions Passed
Boston was the latest city to get behind the Stop Staples campaign, passing a resolution unanimously on May 13.
The City Council of Cambridge, MA, also unanimously passed a resolution on April 27, “supporting the American Postal Workers Union in its efforts to protect living-wage jobs and its insistence on the highest possible standards of customer services.
“The City Council opposes efforts to privatize postal operations, and calls upon all residents of Cambridge to consider this issue when deciding whether or not to patronize Staples,” it said.
A copy of the resolution will be shared with Cambridge’s Postmaster, the USPS Board of Governors, Staples CEO Ron Sargent and Staples’ Board of Directors.
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The Western Pennsylvania Postal Workers Solidarity Committee met with Allegheny County Council President John DeFazio on April 21. After winning the support of the Pittsburgh City Council for a Stop Staples resolution earlier this year, the committee hopes to win endorsements from surrounding communities.
Staples Plays Games with Employee Finances
According to a May 11 article in Deseret News, Staples is playing games with employee finances – literally.
Lisa Blasdale, Staples’ senior benefits manager, said that she was surprised to find out that many longtime employees were struggling with debt and/or credit card issues. To lend them a hand, Staples decided to teach them “fundamental financial management skills,” by urging them to download online games at no cost, which will teach them “the positive power of collaboration and peer-to-peer interactions.”
The games – Bite Club and Farm Blitz – give employees a “chance to manage a nightclub for vampires and a farm.” Staples also bragged about offering services for employees to fill out their own tax returns.
The article contends that “investing in employee financial literacy simply makes dollars and sense.”
APWU President Mark Dimondstein said the ploy was outrageous. “Instead of insulting workers with video games, Staples should pay them a living wage,” he said.
CEO Ron Sargent Rakes It In
According to a Boston Globe study, Staples CEO Ron Sargent raked in $12.4 million in 2014 – more than $6,000 an hour.
The average Staples clerk earns about $9 an hour – which amounts to about $18,000 per year, if they work full time.
Why We're BoycottingIn the fall of 2013, the Postal service and Staples implemented a pilot program that established knock-off post offices in 82 Staples stores. As expected, a modified version of the program is being expanded to Staples stores across the country. The postal counters are staffed with low wage Staples employees rather than highly-trained USPS employees. Secret USPS documents revealed that the Staples deal was intented to privatize window clerk duties and reduce labor costs. The APWU objects to the Staples deal because it privatizes the retail operations of the public Postal Service; transfers living-wage, union jobs to low-wage jobs, and compromises the safety and security of the mail.
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Correction
The May/June issue of The American Postal Worker incorrectly reported the first city council to adopt a Stop Staples resolution. We were pleased to learn that the Berkely, CA, City Council adopted a Stop Staples resolution on Sept. 9, 2014, and regret the error.