By 99 Cents Only Store Workers
Wednesday, March 23 (Los Angeles, CA) Responding to worker concerns about affordable healthcare, poverty wages, and abusive management at the locally-owned discount retailer, two of the leading International Unions have banded together in an historic partnership. The 1.4 million-member United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) and the 1.4 million-member Brotherhood of Teamsters are working hand in hand to improve the wages, benefits, and working conditions of low-wage workers at 99 Cents Only Stores.

The average worker only earns $6.80 an hour–a nickel above the minimum wage. Full-time employees barely make $12 000 per year, but most earn far less working part time.

Workers report that 99 Cents Only Stores managers force them to work unpaid overtime.
99 Cents Only Stores is one of the fastest growing and most profitable deep-discount retail chains in America. Despite a 257 percent increase in net income over the past four years, the retailer pays wages that leave even full time workers eligible for taxpayer-funded food stamps and health care. Workers report that the company charges $125 a week for family health insurance–equal to as much a 55% of a full-time clerd’s net paycheck, an contributes nothing to retirement plans. 99 Cents Only Stores employ an almost entirely Latino workforce at poverty wages, and workers report a pattern of verbal abuse. This is the first organized demonstration of support from community groups, clergy, and labor activists for these struggling workers.

Only 30% of workers are eligible for health care, but few can afford their share of the insurance premiums. Uninsured workers rely on taxpayer-funded health care.
In January 2004, 99 Cents Only Stores Drivers voted to join Teamsters Local 630. After nearly a year of difficult bargaining and a nearly unanimous strike vote, in December 2004 the drivers ratified their fist contract. The Teamsters are continuing their efforts to organize workers in the distribution centers and warehouses. Meanwhile, UFCW Local Unions in California, Nevada, Texas, and Arizona are agressively organizing 99 Cents Only Stores retail clerks in hopes of securing affordable health care, livable wages, and decent working conditions.

The 99 Cents Only Stores retirement plan: “Workers, save your own money!”

“The company wants people to believe that they can’t afford to provide health care and livable wages because their prices are so low. This is a lie. We see them buy stuff for pennies on the dollar and sell it for 99 cents. We can’t live on these wages and we can’t afford to take our children to the doctor for regular check ups. While the company’s profits go up and up, we are living in poverty. We need the unnion to help us improve our families’ lives,” said a 99 Cents Only Stores worker who asked to remain anonymous for fear for management retaliation.

Press Contacts:
Barbara Maynard at (323) 351-9321 (cell)
Dan Braun at (818) 843-3270 (office)

No Respect for 99 Cents Only Stores Workers
99 Cents Only Stores managers practice verbal abuse, assign elderly workers physically demanding tasks, and punish workers who complain.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206~22097~2766827,00.html

The secret to the 99 Cents Only Store fortune is low pay and few benefits, not low prices.

The secret to the 99 Cents Only Store fortune is low pay and few benefits, not low prices.

Teamsters and UFCW Unite to Secure Affordable Health Care, Livable Wages, and Decent Working Conditions for 99 Cents Only Store Workers.

The Teamsters and the UFCW have joined forces to improve the wages, benefits, and working conditions of low wage workers in the retail sector. These two powerful unions have specifically targeted the 99 Cents Only Stores, one of the fastest growing and most profitable deep-discount retailers in America. Despite a 257 percent increase in net income over the past four years, the majority of workers earn just 25 cents an hour above minimum wage, have no health insurance or 401(k) Plan contribution, and receive just one paid holiday per year.

In January 2004, 99 Cents Only Stores drivers voted to join Teamsters Local 630. After nearly a year of difficult bargaining and a nearly unanimous strike vote, in December 2004 the drivers ratified their first contract. The Teamsters are continuing their efforts to organize workers in the distribution centers and warehouses, and UFCW Local Unions in Southern California, Nevada, Texas, and Arizona are aggressively organizing 99 Cents Only Stores retail clerks in hopes of securing affordable health care, livable wages, and decent working conditions.

"The company wants people to believe that they can't afford to provide health care and livable wages because their prices are so low. This is a lie. We see them buy stuff for pennies on the dollar and sell it for 99 Cents. We can't live on these wages and we can't afford to take our children to the doctor for regular check ups. While the company's profits go up and up, we are living in poverty. We need the union to help us improve our families' lives," said a 99 Cents Only Stores worker who asked to remain anonymous for fear of management retaliation.

Please help fulfill 99 Cents Only Stores workers' dreams by joining our public kick-off on Wednesday, March 23:

Who: 99 Cents Only Stores workers, community activists, members of the clergy, and labor activists, including the UFCW and the Teamsters

What: Demonstration to build worker and community awareness for 99 Cents Only Stores organizing campaign

Where: 99 Cents Only Store, 2441 Via Campo, Montebello, CA 90640

When: Wednesday, March 23, 2005; 3:00 PM

RSVP: Barbara Maynard or Dan Braun at (818) 843-3270

Please wear your organization's t-shirt and bring a sign if possible. Thank you.
By 99 Cents Only Store Workers

Yo! Montebello is not East Los. :-0 :-)

99 Cents Only has a shady track record too. Here's some background.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1507028,00.asp

A typical dollar store does around $1 million in business, but a 99 Cents Only does around $4.8 million. The goods are cheap, but the revenues are huge.

They spend a lot on automation to de-skill jobs. This is a lot like Wal-Mart and McDonalds. The goal is to make every worker replaceable, and then to create work conditions where there is no job security. Wal-Mart, for example, when possible, reduces the work-week, to avoid going over 40 hours a week and paying overtime. Wal-Mart also has a policy where, if you spend two weeks doing a job with a lesser title, you automatically get a pay cut. (Also, WM has its eye on the Montebello Golf Course as a site for a new store.) But that's Wal-Mart, not 99cents.

99 Cents Only sells 60% new merchandise, not close-outs. This is more like the mom and pop 99c stores sprouting everywhere. They get product from China that costs well under a dollar, various odds and ends from local businesses (like the recycled motor oil) and resell it. These are products made specifically for 99c stores, not just closeouts.

99 Cents Only has few lawsuits against them for not paying people fairly. Here's the info from the Security and Exchange Commission.

http://sec.edgar-online.com/2004/11/15/0001015402-04-004984/Section7.asp

"Melgoza vs. 99 Cents Only Stores (Los Angeles Superior Court); Ramirez vs.
99 Cents Only Stores (Los Angeles Superior Court). On May 7, 2003, Melgoza, a
former Store Manager, filed a putative class action on behalf of himself and
others similarly situated. The suit alleges that the Company improperly
classified Store Managers in the Company's California stores as exempt from
overtime requirements as well as meal/rest periods and other wage and hour
requirements imposed by California law. Each store typically has one Store
Manager and two or three Assistant Store Managers. Pursuant to the California
Labor Code, the suit seeks to recover unpaid overtime compensation, penalties
for failure to provide meal and rest periods, waiting time penalties for former
employees, interest, attorney fees, and costs. The suit also charges, pursuant
to California's Business and Professions Code section 17200, that the Company
engaged in unfair business practices by failing to make such payments, and seeks
payment of all such wages (in the form of restitution) for the four-year period
preceding the filing of the case through the present. On June 9, 2004, Ramirez,
a former Assistant Manager who is represented by the same counsel as Melgoza,
filed a putative class action complaint that makes the same allegations with
respect to current and former Assistant Managers at our stores that are named in
the Melgoza action with respect to our current and former Store Managers. The
Ramirez complaint also added claims for additional penalties on behalf of all
purported class members under California's new Labor Code Private Attorney
General Act of 2004. On October 8, 2004, the Court issued an Order providing
tentative approval of the settlement agreement previously executed in these
actions, and ordered a December 20, 2004 hearing date on an order of permanent
approval. The Company provided a reserve of $6.0 million for this matter in the
quarter ended March 31, 2004.

"Galvez and Zaidi v. 99 Cents Only Stores (Los Angeles Superior Court). On
August 9, 2004, Galvez and Zaidi filed a putative class action making
substantially the same allegations as were made in the Melgoza complaint, plus
an additional claim for unreimbursed mileage. The Company intends to demur to
this new action. This matter has been deemed related to the Melgoza and Ramirez
cases and has been stayed pending the conclusion of those cases.

"Ortiz and Perese vs. 99 Cents Only Stores (U.S. District Court, Southern
District of Texas). On July 23, 2004, the plaintiffs filed a putative
collective action under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act alleging that Store
Managers and Assistant Managers in the Company's Arizona, California, Nevada and
Texas stores were misclassified as exempt employees under federal law and
seeking to recover allegedly unpaid overtime wages for these employees."

great to see all those people!