@newera
Help save the co-op factory workers of New Era Windows
Occupy Wall Street's Co-op Working Group calls on the 99% to stand up against the injustices done by Bank of America against these workers trying to defend their own livelihood!
We need your help to save the factory workers! Let's show Mesirow, Serious, and investors in Silicon Valley that people, community and jobs are what we protect! We only have until FRIDAY July 13th when negotiations will begin.
"What's happening with those workers is reflective of what's happening across this economy!"
-President Barack Obama
In the Media
wbez.orgthenation.com
abclocal.go.com
truth-out.org
truth-out.org
www.chicagotribune.com
How you can get help:
>> Sign the petition to help save Good Green Jobs in Chicago>>Join the forum and help come up with a strategy to show our support of the workers
>>Give to the Support Fund
>>If you are in Chicago, send an email to newera@interoccupy.net to stay informed about what you can do locally!
>> Tweet this: Urgent! Help save Chicago Factory Worker Co-op as they struggle against corporate greed! http://interoccupy.net/newera
>>PLEASE Share on Facebook
Here's a video clip about these workers:
Occupy Your Job: Workers at Republic Windows & Doors Stage a Sit-Down Strike in 'Capitalism: A Love Story' from MMFlint on Vimeo.
Here is an URGENT Call to Action From Occupy Wall Street's Co-op Working Group
The rising cost of living and falling wages. We can whine or sit back, or we can stand up and fight. The factory workers of New Era have chosen to fight. Rather than watch their jobs sink into the abyss by the rich, they’ve decided to buy their factory in a good faith effort to build a better world where they will both earn their keep and experiment with self-management. Now, their company Serious Energy, is trying to deny them the right to bid for the machinery they’ve been working on for years. As they march the 99% into an exciting new efforts toward economic justice, we, members of cooperative working group of New York City, call everyone who has supported our movement to stand with them.
For far too long, the United States manufacturing sector has been hemorrhaging good union jobs, particularly across what is now known as the Rust Belt. Chicago, the city of broad shoulders, is a city that has struggled with skyrocketing poverty and the departure of hundreds of thousands of blue collar families who just couldn’t make ends meet.
When Bank of America and the Republic Windows and Doors company decided to illegally cut the jobs at a tax subsidized factory on Goose Island, the workers and their union, Electrical Workers Union Local 1, took the immediate steps to demand their just rights to compensation and/or their jobs. They didn’t whine and complain that the economy wasn’t working for them, right in 2008 as the banks were being bailed out and the people were being sold out. They took direct action to make sure they could continue to feed their families.
It was the first factory occupation this country had seen in 71 years, and it represented a break with the fear and complacency with which working people had been taking the hit for the inept management of their bosses and the banks. They thought a new company, Serious Energy, had come along to build sustainable products and keep the United States working.
Nearly three years later, working people across many classes came together in an effort to reverse the growing brutality of economic inequality in the United States, and build a new world based on the principles of direct democracy and dignity for all. We gave rise to a whole series of occupations of parks and plazas across the country and the world.
The workers, as many of us have, came to find that there’s no way to place all of their faith in big businesses and the same system that keeps grinding us back down. Serious Materials, for one reason or another, has been unable to turn the factory around. And that’s fine, because these workers have a sense of imagination. They’re ready to run their factory themselves. Just as cooperatives like ours have found fertile soil in Occupy Wall Street within which to grow, These workers are seeking a new way forward based in a rich history of economic democracy the world over.
The idea is simple. If owners and bosses can’t keep us working, then let’s try to do it ourselves. The workers at this window and door factory have appropriately titled themselves New Era, seeking a solution for working people out of a system that has cast us aside out of blinded greed.
Unfortunately, Serious Energy and its financial backers have not stuck to their side of the bargain much better than Republic did. Where Republic and Bank of America attempted to sell off the parts of the factory to a non-union plant in Iowa, violate Illinois law that the workers get 90 days compensation or notice, and continued to receive tax subsidies for maintaining jobs that they had in fact cut, Serious sounds ready and willing to sell off the factory, and refuse the workers their fair opportunity to buy the very parts they’ve been working on for many years to protect their jobs and attempt a cooperative model.
As workers in current or developing cooperatives, and people tired of bankers willing to gamble away any sense of human progress and their bought out politicians, we stand in solidarity with the workers of the proposed New Era cooperative in both their willingness to create what they were told was impossible, and their fight to get a fair shake in the bidding process from Serious Energy, and its financier Mesirow Financial. If corporations can’t solve our economic crisis, then we’d like to see them get out of the way and let us build democratic solutions. Even funnier, Mesirow Financial claims that 91.5% of its company is owned by a quarter of its employees, and we want to know why they’re willing to deny that style of management to the UE workers at New Era.
It is the duty of everyone who has believed in our movement, as well as those who told protesters to stop whining and just work, to come out in support all of these people who are ready to labor and willing to experiment with direct democracy.
Coordinated Investor-Targeted Action Plan to save New Era Workers!
Hey fellow Occupies,
PLEASE FORWARD TO LOCAL OCCUPY LABOR/COOP/PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA Working Groups from:
Occupy SF, San Jose, Oakland, LA, Chicago, OWS, Philly, Toronto, DC, and Maryland
Good workers who have been struggling against corporate corruption and greed need your help! HERE IS A CALL FROM OWS CO-OP WORKING GROUP TO THE REST OF OCCUPY THE RISING COST OF LIVING AND FALLING WAGES….
We can whine or sit back, or we can stand up and fight. The factory workers of New Era have chosen to fight. Rather than watch their jobs sink into the abyss by the rich, they’ve decided to buy their factory in a good faith effort to build a better world where they will both earn their keep and experiment with self-management. Now, their company Serious Energy, is trying to deny them the right to bid for the machinery they’ve been working on for years.
See these links to get up to date on the issue
InterOccupy Hub for coordinating: http://interoccupy.net/newera/
http://www.thenation.com/blog/168727/workers-vs-investors-famous-windows-factory-danger-liquidation
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/10168-a-beacon-of-hope-in-chicago-a-new-era-for-worker-ownership
Here’s where we are right now, and we need more help to make this happen!
We’ve put together a list of targets tied to Serious Energy (the company that’s abusing the New Era Windows Coop workers) throughout the country that different occupies can target. Serious Energy is still a rather small start-up firm that is heavily reliant on the investments of a few venture capital firms. It is a situation similar to ALEC, most of these venture capital firms can’t afford the negative publicity if all they need to consider is the small amount of money Serious Energy needs to sacrifice to sell the factory back to the workers.
The idea here is that if we put on strong enough coordinated actions on these targets, it’ll pressure these investors/advisors to force Serious Energy to reconsider its decision to renege on its promise to sell the factory to the workers.
What will be key here is that each occupation that is interested in doing so has access to their press team so that a coordinated press release can be sent beforehand to multiple cities announcing occupies intention to defend the workers of New Era by targetting these irresponsible investors.
We’ll probably need someone with press experience to whip up a basic press release that each occupy can work off of. The basic text should probably all be the same, with a special section tailored to whatever the local target may be.
After that, ideally we can pick a date where we can all do some sort of simple action on the local targets (it can be as simple as a letter delegation, a picket line, or whatever people want to do. Ideally it can be combined with a social media call-in campaign to the local office/target to ask them to put pressure on Serious Energy.
Since time is short however (negotiations restarted on July 13th), it’s probably not that important that we find a common day to act together. So long as we can get 3-5 cities on board to send a joint press release and plan some sort of action, we can probably put some serious pressure on Serious Energy. Some cities have multiple targets – we’ll want to prioritize the board of directs/investors first, followed by advisors.
Symbolically, this is a critical fight. These workers on their own accord had occupied their factory multiple times years before Occupy even started (something you rarely see in the labor movement nowadays).</strong> To top it off, their solution to the corporate outsourcing attack on labor was to create the ideal Worker-operated and owned co-op.
If Occupy can help them win this fight, we can count it as a huge victory for both occupy and the labor movement.
Now, who’s on board?
Solidarity,
Kelvin
Occupy Chicago
Here are the list of targets
(notice how we’re putting a face to each of the institutional investors by naming the relevant board of director or advisor):
SAN FRANSCISCO
John Babcock – Partner, Rustic Canyon (board of directors, investing company)
john@rusticcanyon.com
An experienced venture investor, John Babcock has been a partner at Rustic Canyon Partners since the firm’s formation in 1999. John Babcock brings over 15 years of technology industry experience to both the firm and our portfolio companies. He focuses on investment opportunities in clean technology, technology-enabled services, outsourcing and advanced construction materials.
“Rustic Canyon helps standout entrepreneurs build innovative companies to create and commercialize disruptive change.”
475 Sansome Street
Suite 1880
San Francisco, CA 94111
Forest Baskett, PhD – General Partner, NEA (board of directors, investing company)
fbaskett@nea.com
Forest joined NEA in 1999 as a Venture Partner and became a General Partner in 2004. Forest focuses on information and energy technology investments. He founded and directed the Western Research Laboratory of Digital Equipment Corporation from 1982 to 1986 before joining SGI. Prior to that, he was a Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University from 1971 to 1982. “When it is time to take a promising business or business idea to the next level, entrepreneurs want a venture partner who understands and believes in the power of big dreams, bold visions and fresh ideas that have the power to change an industry, a sector, the world.”
2855 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Tel: (650) 854-9499
Fax: (650) 854-9397
Paul Holland – General Partner, Foundation Capital (board of directors, investing company)
Paul Holland
pholland@foundationcapital.com
650-614-0500
Prior to joining Foundation Capital, was senior vice president of worldwide sales at Kana Communications, a leading supplier of Enterprise Relationship Management solutions to strategic e-businesses. Paul went on to build a team of over 350 people that secured more than 900 customers worldwide, helping Kana become one of the top ten IPOs of 1999. Before Kana, Paul was a vice president and general manager for another highly successful start-up, Pure Software, helping raise their market value from $2 million to over $1 billion in his five-year tenure there. He began his professional career at SRI International (formerly the Stanford Research Institute).
“Foundation Capital was founded in 1995 by Bill Elmore, Kathryn Gould, and Jim Anderson with a single purpose: to build great companies.”
Foundation Capital
250 Middlefield Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-614-0500
Saints Capital(investor)
475 Sansome Street, Suite 1850
San Francisco, CA 94111
Navitas Capital (investor)
“Investment Thesis: sustainability is inherently and inextricably linked to energy management, cost savings and the environment, there is a systemic change with respect to increased recognition of the value of sustainability in the construction and operation of buildings worldwide.”
1751 Harbor Bay Parkway
Suite 200
Alameda, CA 94502
David Gottfried – Managing Director of Regenerative Ventures (advisor)
415.230.0740
info@dgottfried.com
Gottfried is the CEO of WorldBuild Consulting, a subsidiary of Regenerative Ventures. Since 1994, WorldBuild has advised many of the U.S.’s leading green building organizations and their projects across the many sectors of the built environment. The entity provides strategic green management consulting services, treating each client as an exclusive “partner” and one of its portfolio companies. Its specialty is the greening of companies, products and real estate portfolios – through invention of creative programs and initiatives. The company has worked with hundreds of leading organizations that strive to lessen their reliance on limited natural resources and wasteful practices, while boosting lifecycle based economics and quality of life.
“Regenerative Ventures operates under the notion that changing the world means making buildings front and center in the solution. Even more important, is changing our individual and corporate thinking to embrace “green” as the definition of value. We specialize in helping its portfolio companies enhance their value and profitability through green building initiatives.”
150 CALIFORNIA STREET, STE. 300
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111
Phillip Williams, PE, and LEED AP – Webcor’s Vice President of Technical Systems and Sustainability (advisor)
Phil Williams
Phil Williams’ career focus has been in the California marketplace with extensive experience in the design, application, installation and service of HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire protection, data, control, security and related technical systems. He serves as the Chairman of the San Francisco Mayor’s Task Force on Green Buildings which developed recommendations for private sector green building requirements. These aggressive standards; adopted and implemented in 2008, cover virtually all private sector commercial and residential building types with phased escalations to enable industry implementation. In addition he serves on the Advisory for the Business Council on Climate Change (BC3), the San Francisco Building Code Advisory Committee (including Code Advisory Green Building Subcommittee), Chair of the Industry Advisory Board for the Center for the Built Environment (CBE) through UC Berkeley and serves on several Cleantech/Greentech advisory boards.
207 King St Ste 300 San Francisco, CA 94107-5451
T : (415) 978-1000 F : (415) 978-1005
CHICAGO
Thomas E. Galuhn – Senior Managing Director, Mesirow Financial (board of directors, investing company)
+1 312.595.6096
tgaluhn@mesirowfinancial.com
Mr Galuhn is involved in all aspects of private equity investing, including direct and partnership investment sourcing, selection and monitoring. He has more than 23 years private equity investing experience. Prior to joining Mesirow, he was a principal in corporate finance for three years with a regional investment banking firm and has served in various management capacities with First Chicago Investment Advisors
“Mesirow Financial’s tenet of personal attention is not limited to within our office doors. Good citizenship is practiced through a wide range of civic and community support. We feel a strong responsibility to foster the vitality of the places where we work and live, and to promote the well being of people in our communities. Mesirow Financial, as a firm and as individual employees, actively supports the efforts of numerous organizations, many of which focus on children and their families, and the critical issues facing them. We give assistance to educational institutions, social service agencies, civic associations, health agencies and cultural organizations, on both a local and national level.”
353 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654
NEW YORK
New Enterprise Associates New york (investor)
44 West 28th Street
8th floor
New York, NY 10001
Gregory Katz, Managing Director, Good Energies (advisor)
greg.kats@goodenergies.com
Greg Kats currently serves as Managing Director of Good Energies, a leading investor in solar energy, wind energy, load management and green buildings. He is a Senior Advisor to Cherokee Investment Partners, the country’s largest private brownfields development fund (with over $5 billion in projected green developments) and serves on Cherokee’s Sustainability Board. He is the lead advisor to the cast and ductile iron industries in guiding greening and green branding of their building products. He has been the Principal Advisor in developing $1 billion of green low income housing, involving Enterprise Community Partnership, JPMorgan Chase, Fannie Mae, American Institute of Architects, etc.
“Every investment that we make is also committed to putting environmental responsibility at the core of its planning. Whether it is a renewable energy project protecting local wildlife or a gas drilling company taking care of water supplies, all of our management teams subscribe to this commitment.”
277 Park Avenue
29th Floor
New York, NY 10172, USA
T: +1 212 704 3000
Rob Watson, Chairman, CEO & Chief Scientist, Ecotech International (advisor)
Tel. 917-224-3821
Fax. 212-439-6042
email: rwatson@ecotech-intl.com
F: +1 212 704 3001
“EcoTech International is inspired by a vision to create Better Buildings and Better Living for all people. We believe everyone is entitled to buildings that are healthy and affordable. We believe that our precious earth deserves to be treated with respect. Our goal is to create buildings that sustain human life and restore natural systems.”
900 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021
Toronto
EnerTech Capital (investor)
“We invest in early to growth stage companies that offer products or services that dramatically improve the profitability of producing or consuming energy. Whether fuel or electricity, alternative or traditional, we help create companies that make energy more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective. Since our founding in 1996 we have managed approximately $450 million and we have delivered nearly 30 exits.”
Suite 801
1235 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario M5R 3K4
Philadelphia
EnerTech Capital (investor)
“We invest in early to growth stage companies that offer products or services that dramatically improve the profitability of producing or consuming energy. Whether fuel or electricity, alternative or traditional, we help create companies that make energy more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective. Since our founding in 1996 we have managed approximately $450 million and we have delivered nearly 30 exits.”
Building D Suite 105
625 W. Ridge Pike
Conshohocken, PA 19428
DC/Maryland
New Enterprise Associates (investor)
“”When it is time to take a promising business or business idea to the next level, entrepreneurs want a venture partner who understands and believes in the power of big dreams, bold visions and fresh ideas that have the power to change an industry, a sector, the world.”"
5425 Wisconsin Ave
Suite 800
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Los Angeles
Navitas Capital (investor)
“Investment Thesis: sustainability is inherently and inextricably linked to energy management, cost savings and the environment, there is a systemic change with respect to increased recognition of the value of sustainability in the construction and operation of buildings worldwide.”
11990 San Vicente Blvd
Suite 350
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Seattle
Staenberg Ventures (investor)
“We believe that there is opportunity to be found in the new economic landscape. The world is shrinking, and while that does heighten competition, it is also bringing people closer together”
1301 5th Avenue Seattle, WA 98101