MILWAUKEE, WISC. – Voces de la Frontera’s Essential Workers Rights Network (EWRN) and United Giving Hope will hold an in-person and virtual press conference this Friday at 1:30 p.m. outside of Medline Industries, INC in Waukegan, IL, to demand justice for Medline Latinx workers fighting for fair treatment and just compensation, see details below. The press conference will make public the demands of workers, who gave decades of service to make life-saving medical products on the frontlines of the pandemic, and were unjustly terminated for discriminatory reasons.
Press Event Details:
What: Press Conference to demand justice for Medline immigrant workers
When: Friday, June 24th, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.
Where: In-person: Medline Industries, INC., 1160 S Northpoint Blvd, Waukegan, IL, 60085
Virtually: Via our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/VocesdelaFronteraWI
Visuals: English and Spanish banners that read “Justice for the Heroes of Medline: Fair Treatment and Just Compensation Now”
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, said:
“The power of working people comes when we stand together against injustice and demand accountability from corporations. Since May 2022, we have been trying to reach a just settlement with Medline. But it is apparent that Medline would rather spend money on more attorneys and public relations rather than honor these humble workers whom they once called heroes and family. These brave workers are speaking out against unfair terminations related to COVID-19 safety protocols and no meaningful due process that appears to be an excuse to get rid of older workers. Workers are also protesting discriminatory treatment against Latinxs, including language issues. We are inviting people to stand in solidarity with Medline essential workers and support their demands for a just settlement by calling Medline, signing the petition, and joining future public actions. When workers stand up, they are not just standing up for themselves. They are standing up for all of us.”
Jovita Marchan, a previous employee of Medline, 72 years old, said:
“I am 72 years old and have worked for Medline for 22 years. I suffer from diabetes, and in the past I have gone to Human Resources for an intervention when my sugar and heart pressure suddenly went up. I recognized the symptoms because I have told my supervisors that I have diabetes and at times I had to go to the doctor immediately to get insulin or in other occasions I have had to eat something.
This happened again in July 2021 when I was at work. I knew that my symptoms were not COVID-19 related, but related to my diabetes. I already had two COVID-19 vaccines. But HR, assumed I had COVID-19 and terminated me. I never had COVID-19, yet they got rid of me, even when I had proof. The real reason, I believe is that they are getting rid of older workers like me, who have worked there for 20-30 years or more.”
Another Medline worker, Leticia Murillo, 53 years old said:
“I worked at Medline for 20 years as an assembly worker. The company applied the COVID-19 safety rules at their convenience. I was responsible because I let the company know that my son had tested positive for COVID-19 and I needed to care for him. I also did not want to infect others at work. Human Resources did not tell me that I had to return in 14 days. They told me to come back when I had proof of a negative test. The company rules on COVID-19 kept changing. After ten days at home, I had a negative test result for COVID-19 with me that I gave to Human Resources when I presented myself at work on July 27, 2021. I also had no more sick days or vacation days left, and I was worried they would fire me. What I feared and tried to avoid, is what happened. I returned on July 28, 2022 with yet another covid-19 negative test and it did not matter. Medline applies covid-19 protocols when it is convenient for production and there is also favoritism on the part of some supervisors. Medline’s lack of paid sick days for covid- 19 quarantine for sick workers or those exposed has contributed to people going to work sick. This makes me feel like all my years of work for Medline, did not matter. All of our work during the pandemic as “heroes” making medical products at the height of the pandemic did not matter.”
Pastor Julie Contreras, from United Giving Hope said:
“United Giving Hope stood in solidarity with Medline workers back in 2019 to keep their company open when it was being threatened with plant closure. To witness the inhumane treatments of these Latinx workers today, by this company, is absolutely unacceptable. We are here to tell any company here in our community that we have zero tolerance for inhumane treatment of vulnerable workers, including Latinx, elderly, and injured workers, and Medline is no exception.”
Background:
Founded in 1966, Medline Industries Inc. is one of the nations largest private health care companies and a leading manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies, products and services. They hire over 27,000 employees and conduct operations in over 125 countries, making an annual revenue of $17.5 billion. Early this month, Medline was bought by a private-equity group in a $34 billion deal, one of the largest leveraged buyouts since the financial crisis, according to the Wall Street Journal. Medline also has a dark history of labor rights violations, with several charges filed against it with the National Labor Relations Board.
The Essential Workers Rights Network (EWRN) was founded in response to workplace abuses that were happening at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. The mission of the EWRN is to strengthen the leadership of workers and promote mutual support in the workplace and across the Essential Worker Rights Network. We provide trainings on workers’ rights, and empower workers to collectively address workplace concerns and build community support, especially when legal protections are weak or do not exist. We also identify and fight for changes in laws and institutions to protect workers against all forms of discrimination and abuse, and the right to work with dignity. Learn more on our website at vdlf.org
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Contact:
Voces de la Frontera: Jessica Schmidt, Jessica@vdlf.org, 414-469-9206
United Giving Hope: Pastor Julie Contreras, juliecontreras66@yahoo.com, 773-986-6366