Boycott List + Bigfoot Strike Update

[u/Busy_Improvement_139]

Here is the full list of boycotted goods https://boycottbigfoot.now/

Once again I am not a Teamster and do not represent the striking workers in any official capacity. I am a union carpenter and DSA member who helps out with the strike as much as I can.

It is day 108 of the strike. It started out with Bigfoot Beverages not bargaining in good faith and demanding the workers lose their pension and switch to a 401k, the workers are now fighting to keep their union.

Some highlights

-Bigfoot Beverages has threatened all strikers with permanent replacement. That goes against labor law as this is a ULP strike and the workers have protections. -Bigfoot policy changed and eliminated the daily overtime threshold, an employee must now work 40+ hours a week to qualify for any overtime. -The striking workers have had their healthcare removed as Bigfoot Beverages states they are no longer employees. -Teamster held a rally on Dec 24th to ask governor Kotek for support. -On November 26th Bigfoot Beverages claimed it had withdrawn its recognition of the union representing employees. Stating they had received a petition from a majority of members. In reality this was a petition signed by the scab workers, and it is a violation of labor law. For decertification to happen the NLRB must conduct an election https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/employees/decertification-election

It’s been a long fight, and the Teamsters are not giving up, the workers must win. Spirits have been very high this week, Teamsters and community orgs have been sending people out to put up posters and fliers. Apparently Bigfoot is having their scabs take them down, what a fine use of scab time.

Striking Teamsters also spoke to some more bars this week and have convinced even more to join the boycott. The strikers have years long relationships with these people, you can’t just replace that. It’s good to see how many people are willing to stick with the workers and be on the right side of history.

I wish that I had more updates for you all, unfortunately since Eric Forrest and Andy Moore have refused to come to the negotiating table, there has been no progress with negotiations.

They have hired out of state scabs for nearly double what the striking workers earned, in addition to 24/7 security. They are losing customers and business support. Simply put, there is no way that they are not losing money since they have less income and more expenses. This is now a test of how greedy Eric and Andy are. How willing are they to run the company into the ground to get rid of the union?

Here’s how you can help

-Join the boycott, there is a lot on this list and it’s easy to slip up https://boycottbigfoot.now/

-Join the line and show your support. Bring supplies if you can, water and hand warmers are always appreciated.

-Tell Bigfoot what you think of them. Call them and tell them to come back to the table or leave them a 1 star review and call them union busters.

-Boycott Fast Track Carwash, it is owned by Eric Forrest, don’t give him your money.

-Eric Forrest sits on the board of directors for Umpqua bank, if you have an account there you can complain and ask for him to be removed.

-Andy Moore sits on the board of directors for Summit bank, if you have an account there you can complain and ask for him to be removed.

-Help us put up posters and hand out fliers to get the word out and annoy the bosses. Sign up here and say that you are interested in the "how you heard about us" box https://boycottbigfoot.now/contact-us/

Thank you for all of the support!

The photos of the folks on the line are provided by a local photographer who came out and took them out of the goodness of his heart. Please check out his Instagram, he's a great guy and has more strike photos there. https://www.instagram.com/m5n5d?igsh=dHV1emhjeHVpN3Vu

[u/DKFran7]

I don't know enough to ask the right questions to anyone or the internet. Aren't they supposed to file with the NLRB first? Or is that what you meant: NLRB is free, and hiring a lawyer isn't, so they're deliberately going to that Board.

I thought the Teamsters were particularly militant activists for their members. Or was that years ago?

(I wasn't kidding about not knowing what to ask. I'm in my late 60s, and never worked a job that had a union.)

[u/Booger_Flicker → u/DKFran7]

In my experience, unions choose to spend workers dues on themselves and building public support and not on actual lawyers and lawsuits.

That's why despite their claims of lawsuit-worthy offenses, they haven't filed any.

They want to save money by using the free labor of the public, like the commenters here, so that they can spend the union dues on themselves.

In my opinion, if unions prioritized spending their dues on legal fees, then we'd all be better off.

[u/Rikishi6six9nine → u/Booger_Flicker]

That's not how labor issues are handled.

If you actually knew what most of the union officials made, I don't think you'd be nearly as impressed as you're led to believe. I earned more than all the union officials at my local union in wages and benefits. The officials in my local definitely work their assess off. Not a job for anyone that's thin skinned and can't handle lots of time away from their families.

[u/Booger_Flicker → u/Rikishi6six9nine]

I'm sure some unions are exceptions. My union was a massive bureaucratic affair. Looked more like a local government. About as efficient as one, too. Also lacked legal and relied on free labor of public support.