Teamsters Protest Madison Dearborn's War on Workers

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Oct 27, 2011, 04:55 ET

Teamsters, Allies Say Private Equity Firm Is 'Bad for Chicago'

CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 100 members of the Teamsters Union, UNITE HERE, Occupy Chicago and religious and community supporters rallied in downtown Chicago today to protest private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners' bad values and its disregard for American workers.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO)

Madison Dearborn, based in Chicago, owns the medical and scientific product company VWR International, which has denied decent working conditions to Chicago-area workers represented by Teamsters Local 673. VWR has refused to reach an agreement with the workers at VWR's Batavia warehouse after more than five years of negotiations. In California, VWR is planning to throw nearly 200 longtime, loyal workers onto the streets by closing a warehouse in Brisbane, devastating the local economy, the community and the longtime workers and their families who have supported the company for more than 50 years.

"VWR has axed profit sharing, frozen pensions and increased health care costs," said a VWR employee at the rally, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation. "Most employees have had no pay increases for six years, yet the company has continued to make profits year after year."

John Thomas, a 15-year employee at VWR in Brisbane, Calif., said, "The Madison Dearborn economic model is destroying the lives of too many Americans. My job is going to become a low-wage job somewhere else in California, at taxpayer expense. Madison Dearborn and the rest of the top 1 percent are destroying families just to siphon a few more dollars their way."

"VWR International has many longtime employees but has little respect for them," said Roger Kohler, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 673 in Chicago. "Their Batavia facility is one of the most efficient and profitable locations, but basic job security remains an issue for these senior employees. Madison Dearborn needs to tell VWR to step up and provide good working conditions and job security to workers who have been good, loyal and longtime employees."

Madison Dearborn also owns TransUnion, a company that sells credit reports to employers, allowing them to discriminate in their hiring practices.

"I have bad credit because someone stole my identity. But that doesn't make me a bad employee," said Jackie Amoah, a UNITE HERE member. "I have been on my job for 10 years and I haven't had a single complaint. That is why I'm standing with my brothers and sisters, demanding that TransUnion and Madison Dearborn stop selling people's credit reports to employers."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters