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Workers stike at Mira Loma warehouse

Daily Bulletin – July 23, 2013, by Neil Nisperos – A group of 30 workers at a warehouse went on strike Wednesday, complaining of what they said was retaliatory surveillance for speaking out against unsafe conditions at the Walmart-contracted warehouse where they work.

The workers at Olivet International were joined, after they walked off the job, by dozens of other protesters from other Southern California unions, including the United Food and Commercial Workers, former Walmart employees from OurWalmart and organizers with Warehouse Workers United.

With picket signs, drums and horns, the large gathering of protesters marched in a circle in front of the truck gate to the Olivet warehouse property with the aim of getting the attention of the retail giant, which contracts with the warehouse.

Some of the workers filed a complaint with Cal-OSHA in May over working conditions at Olivet.

While the state’s investigation is ongoing, protest organizers said warehouse operators had fixed some of the most egregious problems in the warehouse but have also increased surveillance of workers. Warehouse managers, protesters said, issued new rules aimed at stopping workers from discussing health and safety problems, and installed dozens of cameras to monitor workers.

The employees said they are striking for at least two days, beginning Wednesday. Those on strike said that since they began speaking out in May against what they said were dangerous conditions at the warehouse, they’ve been followed by labor consultants, watched on newly installed surveillance cameras and have been harassed daily.

“Warehouse workers at this warehouse are out on strike because they’ve had enough about surveillance retaliation and the illegal practices by this company to silence workers simply because they spoke out against illegal working conditions such as boxes stacked too high and just a lot of problems where workers could potentially get hurt,” said Guadalupe Palma, director of Warehouse Workers United.

Peter Lin, corporate secretary for Olivet, said allegations of retaliation are false. Lin said employees have a right to strike.

“We repeatedly have told our employees that they are free to express their views,” Lin said in a statement. “We have respected their right to do so.”

Lin said Olivet is committed to maintaining a safe workplace.

“The working conditions are nothing like those claimed or reported by some to the media,” Lin said. “We are going through an (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) inspection and have been cooperating fully with OSHA. Any issues that arise as a result of OSHA’s inspection will be addressed accordingly.”

Walmart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said the complaints from the workers in May are being investigated internally by Walmart.

Buchanan said the Wednesday labor action at the Olivet warehouse is a publicity ploy from unions attempting to garner attention to the “failing cause” of unionizing Walmart employees.

“There are other major brands that do work out of that location, but whenever there is a potential or alleged concern raised over poor working conditions, we look into it,” Buchanan said. “We do our own internal investigation.”

Workers are calling for health benefits and a living wage.

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