Jimmy John’s workers announce union elections, allege union-busting
Days after workers at Minneapolis Jimmy John’s franchise locations filed to hold union elections, the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) Jimmy John’s Workers Union alleged that their franchise owners, Mike and Rob Mulligan, were in the process of attempting to bust the union actions.
The first union for workers at Jimmy John’s, which serves sub sandwiches “so fast you’ll freak,” led actions throughout September, including a rally on the University of Minnesota’s campus and halting business at several Minneapolis locations in an effort to force the company owners to hear the union’s case.
In an Oct. 1 press release, bicycle delivery worker and former MCTC student Ayo Collins expressed disappointment in the unwillingness of Jimmy John’s management to negotiate. He said that the company’s management opted “to illegally union-bust rather than just come to the table.”
A week earlier, the union claimed that a franchise manager forced a worker to prepare food that was later condemned by an inspector from the City of Minneapolis Health Department.
On average, full-time union workers take home $908 per week compared to $710 per week for full-time non-union employees, according to 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor.
The National Labor Relations Board, created by act of Congress in 1935, will administer elections for Jimmy John’s workers on Oct. 22. In 2009, the board conducted 1,619 elections with 96,964 employee voters. 63.8% of those elections resulted in a union representing workers.
