#OccupyYourWorkplace!

The Occupy Wall Street Movement is an important one. The #OWS General Assembly statement transcript is here: http://nycga.cc/2011/09/30/declaration-of-the-occupation-of-new-york-city/

This blog has been discussing violations of labor laws and what ordinary employees and ethical Human Resources professionals and workplace leaders can do about them since its inception.

Now we call upon everyone to #OccupyYourWorkplace!

Please see FREE sample memos on this blog to help you with any workplace problems you may be having.

Join the LinkedIn Group: Occupy Your Workplace – http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4134115&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

Like the FB Page : #OccupyYourWorkplace http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/OccupyYourWorkplace/154597297969515 ~ #p2 #1u #OWS #ConnectTheLeft

Recognize that when you are urged to be against each other, you lose. When you are urged to be against anyone because of their race, gender, age, disability, sexuality, color, veteran status, marital status, citizenship, religion, whether they are in a union or not - or because someone at work thinks someone else should be bullied, ridiculed or ganged up on – for any reason – recognize that THAT is just a way to distract you from the fact that your workplace rights and protections in the US are insufficient and are also constantly under attack by the GOP.

Do NOT waste time and energy ganging up on others in the 99%. That is what the 1% want you to do. It’s a distraction to keep the 99% from being unified and powerful, and it happens all the time. Do NOT fall for it.

Recognize that if you demand and expect that your rights at work will not be violated that you also must not violate anyone else’s rights by harassing, discriminating against them, retaliating against them, lying about them, demanding that they cover up for your own unlawful behaviors, etc.

I don’t care if you buy my book or not; the book was written to help Human Resources professionals stand up for themselves and employees when they are pressured or directed to engage in violations of labor laws (which is epidemic in the US).

I care about whether you SPEAK UP and support other employees who SPEAK UP against workplace injustice and violations of labor laws. THAT is my only concern.

Print out any page on this blog and make sure your HR people at work and your managers and bosses understand that YOU know your rights. Make sure they know that YOU know when they’re violating labor laws, which is an epidemic in the US. Demand that they operate your workplace in a legally compliant manner. Remember that your HR people at work are also employees and are also part of the 99%.

Some HR people are ethical and others are not. Many ethical HR people are pressured and directed by their bosses to engage in unlawful vioations of labor laws. If you think this is happening to your HR person, have compassion for them, direct them to this website and remind them that they are part of the 99%. Ask them to have courage and SPEAK UP and #OccupyTheWorkplace!

DEMAND that your Human Resources professionals at work do their jobs properly, ethically and within legal compliance. Get my book at your local library and show it to your HR people at work. Ask them to read it, and make sure they’re ensuring that your workplace is compliant with all labor laws and that your rights and those of all of your co-workers are protected.

If you’re nervous about taking that action, print out any page on this blog and slip it under the door of your HR person at work or under the door of your boss or the head of your workplace. Or put it in their mailboxes at work.

If you’re nervous about taking that action, print out any page from this blog and mail it anonymously to your HR person, your boss or your workplace leader.

Share this blog with your co-workers. Educate yourselves about what your rights ARE and ARE NOT in the US. Understand that the US has terrible labor protections for workers. Understand that the labor protections we do have were hard-won by brave workers over many decades – and for which thousands of people died. Understand that there are strict rules and time-limits that apply when you wish to protect yourself using US labor laws.

Does your workplace hire outside consultants or lawyers who are unethical? Do these consultants or lawyers give you lectures or show you films that tell you that unions are a bad choice for you? Do these consultants encourage you to tell them what your experiences are at work and then betray you to your bosses? There are many unethical lawyers and consutltants out there who will do things like this for money. They should be ashamed of themselves, and if they do this, you should make it clear to your HR person and/or your workplace leadership that you find it objectionable. Do so anonymously so you are not retaliated against, but do it. You can also ask your State Attorney General or Inspector General if they will file Union-Busting charges against such attorneys, consultants and workplaces. You can also ask your state BAR Association if they will sanction such attorneys.

Do you get paid sick days? Do your friends and family? Many US employees to NOT get paid sick time. This is bad for all of us. Please visit this excellent site: http://paidsickdays.nationalpartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=psd_index

Understand that Government is NOT the problem; http://www.governmentisgood.com/articles.php?aid=1

The Republican party and conservative Democrats are the problem and have been fighting against labor laws and trying to repeal them for over 4o years. Understand that only progressive Democrats and Independents like Bernie Sanders fight for working people. Be sure to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq1zpHF0J04

Make sure you Vote! #OccupyVotingBooths! Demand Progressive Action from your elected officials! Demand that they all read and understand this! Former Financial Regulator William Black: Occupy Wall Street Movement is a Counter to White-Collar Fraud http://bit.ly/q3okjB

Understand that the only jobs Republicans have created are overseas so that corporations can pay slave wages to people in other nations that have labor laws that are even worse than those we have in the US. THAT is why there aren’t enough jobs in the US. Understand that when Republicans say that labor laws and regulations prevent job creation; they are lying. Corporations can still be very profitable if they hire Americans in US jobs at living wages with excellent health and retirement benefits.

The problem is that corporations want to make even MORE money, so they choose to pay slave wages to workers in 3rd world nations instead of creating good jobs in the United States and hire Americans. Corporate leaders are not happy with two homes and four cars; they want 12 homes, 2 yachts, 10 cars, and even more. Corporate greed is the problem.

Unions are not the problem. Labor laws are NOT the problem. Regulations that protect consumers, employees, the environment, or our rights to sue for damages, negligence, or harm (Tort Law) are NOT the problem. Corporate Greed is the problem! Understand all of this. Watch this to understand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47dg1uxiF4o

Government is NOT the problem. Republicans and Blue Dog Conservative Democrats who are in bed with multinational corporatoins ARE the problem. Do NOT vote Republican if you value your job, your health, your life, your family and your future. Be sure to see this important film, Hot Coffee: http://hotcoffeethemovie.com/

Do not support global slavery. Do NOT purchase anything that was made in China. Do NOT purchase anything from Wal-Mart.

Do NOT purchase anything that was made by child labor. Do NOT purchase anything that is made by the Koch Brothers’ coporation, which funds Republicans and ALEC (http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed), which are doing all they can to repeal all labor and consumer protections in the US. These are important boycotts to maintain strictly. Learn more about SLAVERY that is still happening and be sure you are NOT supporting it here: http://slaveryfootprint.org/

Boycott Koch Industry Products: http://wp.me/pDm0g-3P4

Know your rights. Speak up at work when your rights are being violated. Support others whose rights at work are violated. Tell the truth at work about violations of labor laws. Go on record to be a witness if you see somene being harassed, discriminated against or retaliated against. Stand up for each other. NEVER lie about such things. Always tell the truth about such things.

Do NOT allow anyone at your workplace to engage in unlawful harassment, discrimination, retaliation, union-busting or other violations of labor laws. Speak UP! Have Solidarity with other employees who are being harassed, discriminated against, retaliated against or unlawfully terminated. You are stronger together than apart.

Occupy Your Workplace! Demand legal compliance at work. Please sign both of these important petitions:

1. Demand Legal Compliance @ Work http://chn.ge/bO31L8

and

2. Please sign this petition to the Whitehouse: Make this petition site work properly and extend ALL deadlines for ALL petitions for 30 days after this site is fixed! http://wh.gov/TK6

The Whitehouse Petition site has been very glitchy. Scores of people have been unable to sign petitions. Please complain to the Whitehouse about this on their site. I have complained to them repeatedly and have asked them to extend the one-month time-limit for getting 5,000 signatures, however, they have not replied to these requests and complaints and have cancelled this petition anyway. This petition essentially said the same thing as the petition above on Change.org, but in shorter form. Thank you.

#OccupyYourWorkplace

Also, please consider moving your money OUT of big banks into CREDIT UNIONS. Remember you are part of the 99%. Here is a list of credit unions searchable by zip code: http://moveyourmoneyproject.org/find-bankcredit-union

Please do not be fooled by Republican propaganda and consider this response to it: Thoughtful response to a “I am the 53%” guy in @dailykos. http://bit.ly/niV2hD

#OWS

I studied writing and poetics with Allen Ginsberg at Naropa for over two years. Please see him singing his poem Ballad of the Skeletons; it is very relevant to the Occupy Movement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdvM0IB5Sbs

I believe and hope that President Obama will fight for the 99% and that he will be successful in doing so if we re-elect him and also elect a Progressive Democratic Congress with a strong majority. You may disagree, and that is fine: http://opinionateddem.addictinginfo.org/2011/06/25/accomplishments-of-president-barack-obama/

#OccupyWallStreet! #Solidarity! #p2! #1u!

Judith Butler speaking at Occupy Washington Square Park on 10/23/11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYfLZsb9by4&feature=share

Learn about how CONSENSUS is reached at #OWS General Assemblies: http://www.youtube.com/embed/6dtD8RnGaRQ

Follow me on Twitter/@deniseromano

Link to me on LinkedIn. Tell Your Workplace Story on this blog! The more we speak up about violations of labor laws, the more we expose this epidemic.

Support Labor Unions. Support each other!

Some of what you read on this blog or see in the Occupy Movement may surprise you if you don’t have time to follow credible news sources daily. Be sure to get your news from credible news sources; FOX is NOT news, and that is why they’re not allowed to broadcast in Canada, which has laws against lies being transmitted over the airwaves. Excellent journalism can be found at: DemocracyNow!, The Rachel Maddow Show, The LastWord with Lawrence O’Donnell, The Nation magazine, UP with Chris Hayes, F.A.I.R., Media Matters, Mother Jones magazine, The Daily Kos online, Citizen Radio and some others. Be very careful where you get your news. Just because it’s on the internet or on TV or radio, does not make it true.

Speech at #OccupyWashingtonSquarePark on 11/28/11 at 7pm General Assembly (audio for this will be added soon):

My name is

Denise Romano

 

I have trouble speaking -

because of disabilities.

If I can’t speak at some point -

someone here will help.

I might start coughing.

I’m not contagious or choking.

It’s just what my body does.

  

I am going to talk to you today

about Direct Action

and labor issues.

 

Point of Information

and especially

in case my disability company sees this speech;

I have taken a special medicine today

to help me speak to you.

I can’t take it often.

 

The Occupy Wall Street Declaration

mentions labor issues

in several different ways.

 

Before I get to Direct Action-

A short teach-in

about workplace issues and your rights:

If you have questions after this,

see my blog or ask me after this.

 

Point of Information:

I am a workplace expert-

a former whistleblower-

a former Human Resources Director-

and an author on labor issues.

 

I am not here to sell books-

In fact, don’t buy my book.

Get it at a library

or visit my blog-

where much of it is posted for free

 

I will be donating a copy of my book

to the Zuccotti Park library

and also here

if a library is established

 

I wrote it for Human Resource professionals-

to help them when they are pressured to violate labor laws-

which is an epidemic in US Workplaces.

 

This happens every day to millions of HR professionals

in private companies

in government workplaces

in academia

in non-profits

 

Many times employees think-

their Human Resources people at work-

are not to be trusted.

 

That might or might not be true.

 

Keep in mind-

they are employees like you-

and are also part of the 99%.

 

Most HR professionals-

are pressured daily-

to violate labor laws.

 

This is not okay with us!

 

I call upon you all-

to Occupy Your Workplace!

 

What does this mean?

 

This means:

Understand what your rights ARE

and ARE NOT.

 

We are not taught our workplace rights in school.

We are not taught Labor History in school.

 

By law,

workplaces are required

to post laws

so employees can understand them

 

When I worked & studied at Columbia University

they were posted

on a yellowed crumpled piece of paper

on the back of a door;

this is not unusual,

and it’s unacceptable.

 

Education is the first step.

 

Our labor history

is a rich history.

 

Many people suffered and died

so we could have

the 8 hour workday

weekends

child labor laws

health insurance

workers comp

paid sick leave

and other rights we now enjoy

 

I call on you to Educate yourselves-

your coworkers, your family & your friends

about your workplace rights

and responsibilites.

 

When we demand zero harassment

we must not engage in harassment

 

When we demand zero discrimination

we must not engage in discrimination

 

When we demand zero retaliation,

we must not engage in retaliation

 

When we demand zero bullying,

we must not engage in bullying

 

This means we must understand

WHAT those things are

so we understand

how NOT to do them

 

If your workplace

doesn’t train all employees about these things,

Ask them to do so.

 

It is their legal responsibility

to PREVENT

harassment, discrimination and retaliation

 

Unfortunately,

Workplace bullying is legal in the US

 

This means it is legal

for employees to be harassed and mistreated

UNLESS they are mistreated BECAUSE OF

race gender color disability religion age etc

 

This is not only unacceptable -

It is also unwise.

 

We have troops coming home

who have invisible disabilites.

 

Many disabilities are invisible;

PTSD is invisible.

 

My disabilities are invisible

unless I’m coughing badly

or if I don’t have my walker.

 

Many workplaces have employees-

who for various reasons-

think it is fun to bully and harass others

who are different from themselves in some way.

 

Most of us know

This is immature unnaceptable behavior.

 

Most of us have experienced this

or witnessed this.

 

One direct action you can take

is to Speak UP

if you witness this kind of thing.

 

It might make you nervous to do so-

Please consider doing it anyway.

 

There are different ways to do it.

I’ll get to that.

 

Tell your HR person or boss:

you want a policy to prevent this

you want a training to address this

you want all harassment and bullying stop.

 

If you don’t want to say so directly,

slip this speech under their door-

you can get it on my blog tomorrow.

 

There are more than 12 states

that have grassroots movements

to make workplace bullying unlawful.

 

Direct Action in workplaces

can be frightening-

and for good reason.

 

US Labor Laws are insufficient.

 

Unfortunately it is true

that many employees who speak up at work

and make legitimate complaints

despite laws that are supposed to protect us

wind up being disciplined or fired.

 

Unfortunately it is true

that US labor laws

when compared

to the labor laws in other first-world nations

are insufficient.

 

We are NOT okay with this!

We can and we must

demand better laws

and demand that existing laws

be fully enforced.

 

Here are some direct actions

that I have taken

and that I ask you to consider taking:

 

They have varying levels of risk

so choose what is best for you.

 

Sign a petition at Change.org (http://chn.ge/bO31L8)

to let the President and your congresspeople know

that you demand that US labor laws be enforced.

You can do this with a few clicks.

 

It states that currently most workplaces

consider labor laws to be optional.

 

Employers know

that most employees

don’t know their labor rights

don’t know about complex complaint procedures

and don’t know about important time limits

crucial to filing complaints

and getting justice.

 

Employers know

that most employees cannot afford an attorney

and that it is very rare

for lawyers to take cases on contingency.

 

Employers know

that most employees are a few paychecks away

from homelessness

and will sign a gag order

for money they desperately need

if they are fired for making legitimate complaints

 

What they do NOT know

is that we will NO LONGER accept this

We WILL educate ourselves

our co-workers

our friends and family members

and we WILL take direct action.

 

We will demand that our workplaces

provide trainings that address

harassment

discrimination

retaliation

safety

 and bullying.

 

Even though workplace bullying

is legal in every state,

smart workplaces create policies

that make it unacceptable.

 

We will demand that US labor laws

be enforced in workplaces-

-that instead of disciplining and firing

employees who make legitimate complaints-

 

We demand that workplaces

PREVENT violations of labor laws

 We demand

that workplaces discipline and fire

those who harass, discriminate, and retaliate-

even if they are in positions of authority

even if they are the top salesperson

even if they have tenure

even if they are famous.

 

You would think you could do this safely

in the US-

exercise your freedom of speech at work

Think again.

We have to do this very carefully.

 

One safe way to do this

so you do not get retaliated against

or disciplined or fired-

 

is to print out one of the pages on my blog

and slip it in the mailbox of your HR person or boss

There are pages on my blog that address them directly 

 

Another direct action you might take

is to get involved

in the grassroots movement in your state

to make workplace bullying unlawful.

 

Another direct action you might take

Is to talk to your union

if you have one.

 

If you don’t have a union,

consider trying to get one

or

just educate yourselves and coworkers.

 

Another direct action you might take

is to make legitimate complaints at work

in groups.

 

It is safer to complain in a group than alone.

Keep in mind

your complaint must be true.

 

Try using the communication tools

we’ve learned at General Assembly

to get consensus on a written statement

a group of you can sign.

 

If you only witness harassment or discrimination

but it hasn’t happened to you,

you can still complain about it-

and I hope you will.

 

We must remember

those who harass and discriminate and retaliate

are often clever.

 

They know better than to say or write

“I’m firing you because

of your race or gender or disability or age”

 

But we are also clever-

And we will NOT accept violations of labor laws.

 

I encourage you all-

when you complain

to be diplomatic,

gracious,

direct and professional.

Write it down.

Make it easy on yourself

There are sample memos on my website-

feel free to use them.

 

I know from experience it is very difficult

to think clearly enough

to write an effective memo

when you’re being harassed.

 

I encourage you all

to stand in solidarity

with each other at work

and with all workers

in the US and in the world.

 

Do not isolate or fear

those employees who complain;

they need your support

they need your solidarity.

 

I encourage you all

to not take sides

in workplace issues

if you don’t have the facts.

Get the facts

whenever you can.

 

Many times,

workplaces will say

that someone is incompetent

as a way of retaliating against them

because they’ve made legitimate complaints.

 

Get the facts as much as you can

before you give your solidarity

against someone

 

If your workplace or manager

wants you to sit through

a lecture or video

about why unions are not a good idea

consider reporting your employer

to your state Attorney General

for union-busting.

 

Please think about

where the things you buy are made.

 

Please learn about

slave labor around the world.

 

Please consider

boycotting goods made in China

or sold at companies in the US

that have rampant abuses of labor laws

e.g. Wal-Mart 

 

If you are unemployed,

there is a link on my blog

with job-search resources.

 

If you have experienced

harassment

discrimination

retaliation

bullying

unsafe working conditions

union-busting -

 

You can tell your story

on my blog-

sometimes telling the truth can help.

 

The more we speak up and tell the truth

about this epidemic

the less they will be able to get away with it

 

Labor Rights are Human Rights

Labor Issues are Political Issues

 

Think before you vote-

There are serious consequences

to voting-

and not voting.

 

People died so we could vote

 

Just as there is a serious problem

in the American Justice System

and some get harsh sentences or the death penalty

while others go free -

 

The same kind of thing happens

in US workplaces.

Those in high-level positions

are often let off the hook

or protected from discipline or firing -

while the rest of us

are laid off, disciplined or fired

even when we’ve done nothing wrong.

 

What happened to Shirley Sherrod

happens every day to millions of American workers

But they have no recourse.

 

We Are All Shirley Sherrod!

We are All Troy Davis!

We are All Scott Olsen!

 

I stand in solidarity

with anyone and everyone

who works for a living

all over the world

and who protests peacefully

and practices freedom of speech

and freedom of assembly

 

I hope you all will, too.

Thank you.

 

More Than A Paycheck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzlEGxiHpEU – Sweet Honey In The Rock –