Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 22:14:36 -0800
To: Labor-Rap@csf.colorado.edu
From: aanz@sirius.com (anzalone/starbird)
Subject: Re: Letter of Support for Locked Out Crown workers (forwarded message)
>Re:      Letter of Support for Locked Out Crown workers
>Date:   98-02-04 15:11:57 EST
>From:   nicwj@igc.apc.org (National Interfaith Committee)
>
>
>Friends,
>
>Attached is an open letter to Mr. Henry Rosenberg, CEO of Crown Central
>Petroleum Corporation, whose company locked out their refinery workers
>during contract negotiations two years ago.
>
>On Wednesday, February 11, 1998, Baltimore religious leaders and
>representatives of the National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice will
>be paying Mr. Rosenberg a visit -- to deliver the messages from the people
>across the country who have signed on to this open letter and to ask him to
>end the lockout.
>
>If you haven't already signed on to this letter, we urge you to do so right
>away.  Please email your name back to us at  nicwj@igc.org or call me at
>(773) 381-2832 and we can add you to the list.
>
>If you would like to circulate this to others, please circulate it as
>quickly as possible.  The more names this delegation can deliver, the better.
>
>Thank you for your quick response.  Please give me a call if you would like
>more details about the situation.  You can also refer to the December issue
>of Faith Works.
>
>*************************************
>Open Letter to Henry A. Rosenberg, Jr.
>CEO of Crown Central Petroleum Corporation
>
>Dear Mr. Rosenberg,
>
>        As people of faith, we are deeply concerned about the ongoing
>lockout of
>250 workers at the Crown Pasadena refinery in Houston.  This lockout has
>persisted since February 1996, when the company and the union failed to
>reach an agreement.
>        Crown workers have been members of the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic
>Workers
>Union for 45 years.  We understand that just a few years ago, workers
>considered Crown a model place to work.  Now, the workers are locked out and
>the AFL-CIO has called a national boycott of all Crown products.  Management
>and union employees have filed a class action lawsuit against the company
>for discriminatory practices, and citizens around Crown's Pasadena refinery
>have sued the company for health and property damages.  The dispute, has
>escalated over the two years, with few signs of reconciliation.
>        All of our faith traditions support the rights of workers to be treated
>with justice and dignity.  Most faith traditions firmly oppose organized
>efforts to break existing unions.  Locking out workers is unjustifiable in
>contract negotiations.
>        We call on the company to end the lockout and to address the issues of
>discrimination and environmental pollution.  Finally, we urge you to take
>steps to reach a fair agreement with union representing the workers.
>With peace and justice,
>
>Full Name (please include title):
>Organization/Congregation:
>Address:
>City/ST/Zip:
>Phone:
>Fax:
>email:


Ellen M. STarbird, Instructor
Laney College Labor Studies Program
900 Fallon St.
Oakland, CA  94607
(510) 464-3210
aanz@sirius.com
>
>Please return to nicwj@igc.org
>National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice
>1607 W. Howard St., Suite 218
>Chicago, IL  60626
>(773) 381-2832 phone * (773 381-3345 fax
>www.igc.org/nicwj