Dangerous and degrading working conditions endured by employees of one of the world’s
largest printing companies, Quebecor World.
Dear friends in the library community,
Last summer I heard Sandy Weaver, an organizer with the Graphic
Communications International Union (GCIU), talk about the dangerous and
degrading working conditions endured by employees of one of the world’s
largest printing companies, Quebecor World. Afterwards, I went up to her
and asked what exactly Quebecor prints. “Books and magazines,” she said.
I did a double-take. Books and magazines are my industry too.
Maybe you’ve been like me-reading and purchasing books and magazines for
all these years without giving a thought to the people who actually
produce them. As a writer, I think we who are committed to promoting a
love of books and learning ought to stand together with the printing
workers at Quebecor World who have taken the courageous step of
organizing for union recognition in the face of a vicious anti-union
campaign of threats, intimidation, and harassment.
I got involved in the fight for justice at Quebecor World by calling upon
my fellow writers to sign on to a “Writers’ Call for Justice at Quebecor
World.” Several of my colleagues have already signed on
(see
http://www.justiceatquebecor.org/WritersCallForJustice.pdf).
Now, I’m
writing to urge the library community to support the printing workers at
Quebecor World.
Quebecor World prints books for some of the most well-known publishing
houses in North America. Libraries are among these publishers’ biggest
customers. Because of your purchasing power, you can have a major impact
on the campaign to win dignity and respect on the job for these workers.
Here’s what I’d like you to do:
1. Click on this link, www.unionvoice.org/campaign/librarians
to send via fax the “Librarians’ Call for Justice at Quebecor World” to
selected publishers who use Quebecor World as their printer. A copy of the
“Librarians’ Call for Justice at Quebecor World” will also be sent to
Pierre-Karl Péladeau, CEO of Quebecor World.
The publishers who will receive your fax are:
HarperCollins, Lisa Herling, CEO
Houghton-Mifflin, Anthony Lucki, CEO
McGraw-Hill, Harold McGraw III, CEO
Pearson, Marjorie Scardino, CEO
Penguin USA, David Shanks, CEO
Random House, Peter Olson, CEO
Reed Elsevier, Jim Casella, CEO
Scholastic, Richard Robinson, CEO
Simon & Schuster, Jack Romanos, CEO
St. Martin’s, Sally Richardson, CEO
2. If you routinely purchase from publishers not listed above, please
make a copy of the “Librarians’ Call for Justice at Quebecor World,” and
send it to those publishers. Chances are good that they use Quebecor World
for at least some of their printing. This puts the publishers on notice
that we are concerned, will keep asking questions and demand
accountability until Quebecor World stops its vicious anti-union
campaign.
3. Spread the word! Send this message on to your colleagues in the
library community, and urge them to get involved. When publishers hear
from customers like you, they listen.
If you want more information about Quebecor World and the GCIU’s
organizing drive, please contact Amy Masciola at GCIU, 202-721-0533, or
go to www.JusticeAtQuebecor.org
Thanks for reading this and showing solidarity with our fellow workers in
the communications industry!
In solidarity,
Barbara Ehrenreich
Author: Barbara Ehrenreich
Leave a Reply