Boycott Palermo’s! Youth support striking pizza workers

Protest at Costco’s, which sells Palermo’s products.
Photo: Wendi Kent

The strike of workers at Palermo’s Pizza is entering its third month. On July 29, students from Youth Empowered in the Struggle and the United States Student Association, with support from labor, community and faith-based organizations, led a leaflet distribution and rally at Costco’s in Middleton, Wis., to support the striking Palermo workers.

The targeting of Costco is part of a growing national boycott campaign on behalf of the mostly Latino/a workers at Palermo’s, on strike since June 1. The delegation to Middleton demanded that Costco, Palermo’s largest retailer, respect the dispute and pull Palermo products from its shelves until Palermo recognizes the Palermo Workers Union and its demands.

Costco currently buys about 60 percent of Palermo products and sells Palermo’s frozen pizza under the name Kirkland. Costco management backed off from an earlier promise to meet with the delegation. The delegation vowed their boycott campaign would continue.

The Palermo Workers Union is demanding union recognition, the reinstatement of workers fired or replaced for participating in the strike, an end to threats against immigrant workers, safe working conditions and negotiations for a labor contract. Since the strike began, thousands of supporters have been joining the picket line, thousands of dollars have been raised to help support the striking workers, and thousands of pounds of food and beverages have been donated to the strikers and their families.

There is picketing on weekdays in Milwaukee from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Palermo’s headquarters, 3301 W. Canal St. Supporters are also distributing boycott literature to area businesses. They meet weekdays at 5:30 p.m. at Voces de la Frontera, 1027 S. 5th St., and leaflet until 8 p.m. For more information see sliceofjustice.com and vdlf.org.