Wednesday, January 10, 2007

12/05/06: Worker Press Conference with San Francisco Board of Supervisors


At 11:00 am on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006, over 100 immigrant workers and community supporters will rally on the steps of City Hall to declare that workers shouldn’t have to pay the price for “Monster Profits”. They demand that Monster Cable take responsibility for outsourcing their livelihoods overseas by paying a fair severance package and contributing to a Worker and Community Transition Fund to mitigate the long-term impacts of mass layoff on the community. They will be joined by members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors who will be introducing a resolution that day to support the demands of the laid-off workers. Since early November, workers made their demands in person and in writing to management, and at time of press, have received no response.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dear Ms. Liu,

Thank you for your letter of January 30 asking me to help in your action against Monster Cable and Noel Lee.

I have received and reviewed your documents and while I feel for the displaced workers, I simply do not agree with the entitlement philosophy contained in your request. I know that losing a job is difficult and disruptive and
painful, but it is sometimes part of the free market system which has
made our economy and country strong.

Mr. Lee is a great American and you are unfairly besmirching his name and reputation. Think of what he did for the people you claim he treated unfairly. He provided a great place to work for many years and income for many immigrants with few skills. Today, to compete effectively he had to change his strategy and shift manufacturing outside the United States. He provided severance pay although under no
obligation to do so.

Now you are taking the position that because Mr. Lee is of Chinese
descent, because he is an immigrant, because he gave employment to immigrants, he must be handcuffed in the marketplace and must incur debt, avoid marketing and change his business model because the voluntary severance in your judgment was too low.

I wish your efforts were spent trying to help these people get jobs elsewhere rather than in this quest to get their hopes up that they should be getting something to which they are not entitled. The American way is one of hard work, risk and reward. Noel Lee took a lot of risks and built a company. The employees did not take risks and they do not own the company. This is not a socialist country, and everyone has their shot at the American dream.

I am appalled that you are taking such a harsh view of a great American immigrant simply because he is successful.

I started out as a factory worker but struggled to go to college and
graduate school. Some of my friends made different choices. Our national value is that both employers and employees make choices and that is why our country succeeds.

I will not help you as I find your campaign disturbing and totally
unfair to a great American.

Sincerely,

Gary Shapiro
President and CEO
Consumer Electronics Association

February 2, 2007 at 3:28 PM

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