RWDSU Local 1102 Files Federal Charges Against Saks (1/5/09)

RWDSU Local 1102 today filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Saks Fifth Avenue, slamming the company for violating federal labor laws when it fired 115 workers in the cosmetics department of its flagship Fifth Ave. store in New York City.

 “Saks has a long history of obstructing the rights of their employees to organize,“ said Local 1102 President Frank Bail who pointed out that the firing came less than two weeks after the union filed a petition to represent the workers.  “We can’t let Saks’ lawlessness go unchallenged, and we won’t.”

In its charge to the NLRB, Local 1102 described how Saks tried to rob workers of their right to organize by playing what Bail calls a “sophisticated corporate shell game.” Bail explained that Saks fired the workers to replace them with lower paid “outside vendors” while continuing to control of the cosmetics department.

“It’s another example of a troubled company taking management’s failures out on their employees as they continue to reduce wages and benefits,” Bail added.

Local 1102 is also charging that Saks broke federal labor laws when it offered a “severance” package only to workers who agreed to release Saks from any employment related legal claims – including claims that their right to organize a union were being violated.

“Our message to the NLRB is that Saks has to rehire the workers they fired, recognize their union, and come to the bargaining table. Anything less would be a legal travesty and a moral outrage, “ Bail said.