SUPPORT GOBOLT DRIVERS FIGHTING UNIONBUSTING
Donation protected
On Thursday September 28, GoBolt's Markham site fired all 23 of parcel delivery drivers, in the middle of union first contract negotiations. GoBolt did this in the most cowardly way possible - over the phone after we'd headed home after completing our routes. Single mothers, new fathers, and newly married drivers looking to start their new lives with their spouses were amongst caught in the sudden mass termination.
We certified with Teamsters Local 938 in June, several months after an attempted pay cut disguised as a 'pay structure change'. It's only when we walked out of the warehouse instead of taking our routes that day that the company reconsidered. A winter of delivering parcels long into the night, navigating inefficient routes, driving the company's vans ill-equipped for the icy Canadian roads didn't help matters much. Throughout this period, arbitrary and inconsistently applied discipline was the norm.
Despite GoBolt's claim to operate on the principles of "one dream, one team" and "ideas over hierarchy", and despite speaking up about the problems we were facing at every opportunity, there is nothing to indicate that any of our issues were ever even deemed worthy of minor consideration by upper management.
Let's be clear though - we like what we do and we want our jobs back.
We are determined to fight for our jobs, and we need the union movement and our community's support more than ever. As a result of this sudden firing, many of us need financial support to care for our families. We intend to use the the money to help those of us that need it the most, and continue our fight for worker justice. No amount is too small!
If you are not able to donate (and even if you are), follow us on our social media to learn more about our working conditions and our fight, support our calls to action, and encourage your communities to do the same!
Facebook: GoBolt Drivers Union
Instagram: goboltdriversunion
Twitter: goboltdrivers
Organizer
Dan O'Hara
Organizer
Markham, ON
