United Workers March on Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Declare Human Rights Zone

Labeling Phillips Seafood as one of the worst employers at the Inner Harbor, 500 people from different organizations marched in Downtown Baltimore on April 18 demanding better working conditions and health benefits.
 
We are demanding that Phillips Seafood respect the economic human rights of workers, and made the specific demands to work with dignity, health care and education,said Tom Kertes, United Workers spokesman.
 
At least 50 other groups from across the nation joined United Workers in their march, a movement originating from a survey on the working conditions at the Inner Harbor.
 
When we surveyed 147 Inner Harbor workers to uncover economic human rights violations, we learned that Phillips Seafood was failing to live up to its responsibility. Workers reported violations that included poverty wages, harassment of workers and terrible working conditions,Mr. Kertes said.
 
United Workers is demanding that Phillips Seafood respect the economic human rights of workers by entering into a binding 15-year Economic Human Rights Agreement with them.
 
United Workers issued an online statement listing other demands, which include:
 
"Phillips and its contractors [should] pay all workers at least the state living wage, and treat all workers with dignity and respect.
 
Phillips [should] pay for a Health Care for All and Education for All program for workers and their families."
 
The demonstrators were prevented from marching directly at the Inner Harbor, but were at least able to speak across the street from the Inner Harbor.
 
We have asked Phillips Seafood to meet face to face with workers, and they have so far not returned our requests,Mr. Kertes said. We will announce next steps at the end of April.”
 
United Workers also addressed their allies and stood in solidarity with other human rights struggles; joining them were Sweatfree Baseball, UNITE HERE at City Center Sheraton, Algebra Project, BGE, and housing organizers in South Middle East Baltimore.
 
The network of groups and media makers that work together as the Media Mobilizing Project came out in support of the United Workers and this step toward seeing an end to poverty in our cities and beyond. Those present included the Philadelphia Student Union, the Unified Taxi Workers Alliance, Juntos,  SEIU 32BJ, Radio Tlacuache, Labor Justice Radio and On Blast Radio. 
 
Learn more about the United Workers at www.unitedworkers.org

Photo by Heidi Donnelly