(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, May 17, 2012)
LANSING, Mich. — Teamster employees of Red Cross in Lansing, who were forced to strike at the end of March, will continue their shutdown of blood drives until Red Cross management makes ample time available for bargaining to reach an agreement.
“Despite nearly seven weeks of cancelled blood drives across the state, Red Cross is only offering six hours of bargaining time to the Teamsters — and not until June 19,” said Mike Parker, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 580 in Lansing. “This is an insult to the City Council of Lansing which passed a resolution in support of our members. By the time June 19 rolls around, our members will have been on strike 11 weeks.”
According to hospitals, blood plasma is currently being supplied by alternate sources. This is in direct contradiction to the statements the Red Cross has pushed out that the strike is “threatening” the area blood supply.
“We will bargain with Red Cross at any time for as long as it takes to reach an agreement,” Parker said. “But, all they will offer us is six hours. Our members are committed to retaining their collective bargaining rights as much as they are committed to providing caring service to donors who visit the blood drives. Forced out on strike by Red Cross, our members remain strong and proud.”
Teamsters have been on strike because Red Cross wants to take away their right to bargain over health care and wages. The union has offered money-saving alternatives, but Red Cross refuses anything less than having workers give up collective bargaining rights in order to implement their own wage and health care package.
In addition to the Teamster unit in Lansing, Teamsters in Cleveland, United Food and Commercial Workers Union members in Toledo and Office and Professional Employees International Union members in Lansing are also on strike against Red Cross.