Contact the media nad picket the Union office, get some glare on em.
Mondo Condo Isdu Internet Convention
Hi guys! Well the staff of the infamous Mondo Condo Travelodge on Keele St. in Toronto needs your help. The International Shit Disturbers Union which co-represents the workers at this hotel (along with the UFCW) is hosting a week long convention here at MFD.
The goal is... IDEAS. Great shit disturbing ideas.
As you already know, employees have been given 8 weeks notice of termination. Their employment won't actually go past the end of February as the hotel will be winding things down and just run with a skeleton crew. The 1000A meeting on the 17th and the Police Forensics conference from the 21st-25th are the only remaining functions that anyone cares about.
The big issue at the moment with the staff deals with their severance pay. No one is satisfied because the calculations used mean that most will get fuck all.
Greg Royer, President, Jackass and CEO of Royal Host is taking alot of heat for outright lies to the staff. He had asked staff to work with him as the hotel gets bled into closure. Many people stuck around because of the implied severance packages that no one ended up receiving. For some reason Greg Royer has been absent from the hotel and is not returning emails. We are also waiting on his comments regarding the whole Joe Ieradi Westmount fiasco which he kindly promised (caught on tape) to relay to us last summer.
Then there is the issue of the UFCW which has a huge conflict of interest in this hotel. Their pension fund partly owns the hotel while one of their locals claims to 'represent' the employees. Some employees take issue with this second part, since the union representative for this hotel is a useless incompetent. PLATON VOULGARIS is a guy that has been given a free ride for quite some time, because the employees at this hotel have bigger balls and usually don't need his 'help'.
But after today's debacle (staff decided to get together and discuss a course of action- union reps were invited no-shows), well this is now a war. Staff was hoping to find out why there was no closure clause included in the negotiated 2002 contract when the UFCW obviously knew about Joe Ieradi and his plans. With 2-1/2 years still left on the contract (signed in a world record 2 days), the employees will never get to see the higher year 4 and 5 raises.
Continuing with the issue of the UFCW not 'knowing' about Joe, there is the union representative who stupidly lied to an employees face claiming not to know him. BILL GILLET fucked up this claim by being spotted in the hotel lobby sucking Joe's cock... or whatever... it was disgusting to watch.
Needless to say, Bill was not invited to today's meeting. But another rep from the local, JEFF who the fuck knows his last name was invited. Apparently he had too much on his schedule to speak to people who's union dues would be stopping very soon.
All these guys can be reached at the office
416-222-2433
All staff and internet readers that want to speak to Platon personally (even at midnight), his cell phone number is...
416-885-1721
Now getting back to the IDEAS, Royal Host and UFCW need to suffer as much or more than the employees. They need to see that not taking care of the staff properly IS A FUCKING RETARDED WAY OF DOING BUSINESS. Sending people close to retirement away with a couple hundred bucks and a non-existant pension to look forward to is not right. Especially after they put up with the rotten flagship Travelodge hotel.
Someone better make things right. While we wait, any ideas that readers have are appreciated.
edit: There's no need to yell.
The property has a sordid past. You are all suffering from the "Curse of Keele Street."
Volpe eats there and winds up in the trunk of his car. Castor's money guy stuffs a shitload of money in a sack and disappears and the workers suffer the loss of their jobs. A pedophile priest buys the place with UFCW pension money and hundreds line up for substandard wages and benefits under a UFCW contract. The former union, that had a much better contract, kicks the UFCW's ass for raiding its cert. After winning, the other union gives the employees back to the UFCW. After the MFD tells the world that the UFCW pension plan pays for hotels with the understanding that the employees will join the UFCW and be covered by a cheapo contract, the UFCW miraculously bargains better rates at Keele Street right about the time, Joe and Co. are puttin' together the "hotel residences" scheme.
Now the workers are being shown the door with nothing but a metaphorical "so long suckers" and a flip of the finger from one of Canada's largest unions, its stinky pension plan and one of Canada's largest REITs.
Surely there must be some single moms and others facing destitution. You have the makings of a great human interest story.
Check your TV outlets and print outlets. They have journalists who specialize in human interest stuff.
Throw pickets around the property.
Let's hope that no one pisses in the coffee or soup. Y'know, I sure the heck wouldn't eat or drink anything in that place with so many pissed off employees.
OCAP could overrun the place and the homeless could take up residence in all the rooms. Gee, wouldn't it be great if they could find a use for the place. It could become the Westmount home for the homeless. Employees could move into the rooms now that they are jobless, they will need a place with compassionate rental rates.
quote:
posted by weiser:
Let's hope that no one pisses in the coffee or soup. Y'know, I sure the heck wouldn't eat or drink anything in that place with so many pissed off employees.
Well, is this guy showing up on Thursday? If so his face will be noted in the hotel. Not sure if he'll be eating on property, or parking remotely close to Satan's Parking Garage. Anyone got his make/model? Just curious.
Hey Kev, you'll be on some really hostile turf. For Travelodge employees who don't know this guy... it's Kevin Corporon, president of UFCW 1000A. He screwed over his employees on their contract just like our guys did. If you see him... 
Another warning to Royal Host and the UFCW boys (who seem to think this severance thing isn't serious).
First... fuck you all.
Second... it's serious. Really bad PR move. The Potentate tells it like it is (can't lie like you slimeballs). Start fixing the mess.
I like the idea of picketing the union hall. I also would look at getting help to put a legal attachment (lien) on the UFCW pension plan.
quote:
posted by Freedom of Expression:
I like the idea of picketing the union hall. I also would look at getting help to put a legal attachment (lien) on the UFCW pension plan.
That legal attachment sounds cool, but I don't exactly know what you mean. ???
There are a few employees currently seeking legal advice. Royal Host is going to get hit with a class action soon (unrelated to the unionized employees). I've also been hooked up with a labour lawyer and will run ALL this by him.
And I loved that OCAP idea! I'm sure the union guys would love them over-running their offices. YES UFCW, THEY'VE BEEN CONTACTED! Maybe they'll let the Metropolitan workers in on any 'plans'.
Fix the mess. It's easy.
In British Columbia we have a law called the Personal Property Security Act. I believe this legislation can be used to form an attachment to a pension plan (trust). Likely, Ontario has similar legislation.
I am not a lawyer. However, I believe a person who has been wrongfully deprived of property, is entitled to an equitable lien against the proceeds of that property.
If you have access to a lawyer please run this by him/her.
I'm posting thoughts here for the benefit of MFD readers and of hotel employees who receive photocopied versions. It's easier than remembering it all for conversation later.
A thought occured to me and I'd appreciate some input on this one...
Today we discussed the possibility of doing outrageous things that could possibly lead to suspension or termination. It got me thinking tonight... in the past, any employee that was fired (most of the time for just cause) was advised to file a grievance for wrongful dismissal. The reason being that the hotel would give up some money to settle it before it went to arbitration (which would cost much more). The fired employee always received an amount in the thousands (I'm guessing 3 to 5).
The reason I'm thinking about this is because that amount is more than what most will be getting in terms of severance! If the employees really think about it, any blatant 'wrong' that they do cannot end in termination. Because just by yelling ARBITRATION, you'd be making on the deal, and the hotel would be losing an employee.
This is so twisted, yet I really like it. Poor management. Hey Platon, get those grievance papers ready!!
Any suggestions on pool sabotage? Something funny, like blood red dye would be interesting. Or dozens of black socks each with a stone inside.
Carting the piano from the lobby into the pool might be difficult, but this is the type of brainstorming the ISDU is looking for.
Hall of broken mirrors?
Bleach on carpeting?
Damn, this stuff could get fun. If you're reading this Royal Host/Westmount... we're joking around, but anyone that takes it seriously really must hate your guts, so maybe you do deserve it!
As i was reading about UFCW local 7 in Denver rejecting the mediators proposed settlement, i was thinking about the amazing differences in these two locals. While your union has rolled over and done nothing, Ernie Duran and the members in Colorado have said "fuck it" and decided to fight them rather than give in...inspite of what the international wants.
This is only pertinent in that it made me think, how do you win these kinds of fights...the kind when the powers that be turn their back.
You've seen some good ideas; and you've seen some laced with nothing more than vengence. You have to decide what you want...which is more important.
I know time is short, but the suggestions given have merit. Here's what i would do, if in fact you want to get the boys to suddenly take note and change their tune.
Get as many of the workers as you can on board and working together. Turn it into a group thing were each person has assigned tasks. Those jobs will come out of a planning/strategy session.
I would have an open agenda but with some very specific goals. The thing that makes this a human interest story is putting faces on the people/workers getting screwed. That means people have to be willing to be put in the spotlight; names, faces pictures of the kids and the impact on all of them.
The exposure is critical. Create a website, develope a newspaper (4 page 11 by 14 folded in half is homemade and simple and cheap), get folks with digital cameras to participate. You can use it as a handbill. The pictures can be used on both website and the paper.
Contact the media outlets once these things are in place. The media loves human interest stories and they especially want the stories that are unique. That's why it's so much better if you have a plan and are creating news.
Develope a list of talking points and a list of "demands." Make all it available to the members who are involved. Some folks are better at stuff than others, so find their comfort zone.
I would lay out a month long agenda with a plan to escalate my actions on a weekly basis. I would use the homemade newspaper to report on actions and to expose the players (union and employer) on an expanding basis.
I know for some this sounds like a lot of work, but it is easier than it sounds. We ran neighborhood campaigns and they were remarkably successful. We targeted individuals and we hounded them were they worked and lived. They hate it. Imagine if you were handbilling the church where the boys went with their families on Sunday.
Creativity is the key. Have fun with it....energy comes from both. Make your group a union in the truest sense of the term (before biz unionism). Support one another and you will find a remarkable strength that comes from it.
This gets better, because there is clearly a conflict of interest in that the pension plan was helping fund this mess. I would explore the legal side of this, but i expect with the right exposure, you will have attorneys willing to help as this thing gets coverage.
The history of the hotel is rich with copy, but i would go for the impact on the workers first, and then start piling on the dirt as the month went on. That's why you need to articulate what it is you want. These bastards hate the media circus this could become so you should leverage that as much as possible to get what you need from the closure.
If it's vengence it's one thing, if it's a severence that allows you to survive for a while it's another.
Thanks Bill, caught your post as I was on the phone with someone at work.
You gotta admit that vengeance is good fuel though! I'm sure off-hand remarks like the 'the piano would look good in the pool' will have a manager or two calculating the odds of that possibility.
Honestly the severence won't allow many people to survive. It works like this...
Only those with 5 years of service qualify (max is 12 years that the hotel was open).
The average hours worked per week over the 12 weeks before the Feb 8th termination apply. There is still some 'unless' feature that was included in the letter. I don't think this can change the end date for the 12 weeks calculation (date that notice was given), but it is still a curious inclusion.
The letter stated...
quote:
This letter will confirm that you are being permanently laid off/terminated effective April 5, 2005, unless the sale of the hotel property does not close on or before April 5, 2005. This letter constitues written notice of your permanent lay off/employment termination.
Between now and April 5, 2005, you will continue to receive your regular wages and benefits. Work will be scheduled in accordance with applicable provisions of the collective agreement subject to business requirements.
(the ending line is best)... We thank you for your past service on behalf of the Travelodge Hotel Toronto Yorkdale and we wish you every success in your future endeavours.
For the last 3 years with Joe, Joe, Joe, the hotel has been cutting, cutting, cutting (except for management positions), where employees that were used to 40 hour a week are now lucky to be getting 15. Many would get layed off for stretches, called in at the manager's convenience. Many have left. Most departments have one full time employee getting the max hours where the 5 shifts given don't even total 40 hours. There are 108 unionized employees splitting the meager hours and about 30 salaried employees.
Going back to the severance... the low end waiter/banquet server making lets say $8 per hour and being there a full 12 years will need to average over 20h/week to make $2000 (before taxes). The 6 year employee will need to average those hours to get close to $1000. 4 years and less can go play with themselves.
It is definitely not the 'market' that is closing this hotel. When they first began lying about a hotel/condo hybrid, etc. the employees were averaging many more hours. When discussing this issue and the Employment Standards Act with someone at the Ministry of Labour, they commented that THE UNION WOULD NORMALLY NEGOTIATE anything over and above the minimums that are set out... especially since our cyclical and seasonal type work is open to this type of employer shafting.
When we speak about fairness, that why I brought up the getting fired and making money thought. Is it right that blatant theft and such results in a better payment than employees with 12 years of dedicated service? Arbitration scares the union locals and employers just because of the legal fees. I think it's an avenue to explore. Throw a few dozen greivances into the pot and don't give the union guy room to weasel out of it. Like that idea Platon? Then start negotiating.
Publicity is your weapon of choice. Your employer and your union leaders fear publicity. Neither want to be perceived by the parts of "the public" that matter to them as unfair or uncaring or ineffective or...worse.
The Royal Host leaders don't want their shareholders and potential investors asking what the hell kind of a place is that that you were running?
UFCW leaders (who are trying really hard right now to manipulate the media and paint themselves as crusaders for the little guy) don't want to look like uncaring slobs who can't even negotiate decent severance packages.
The history of this hotel provides a lot of "media magnets" and additional reasons why its current owners would rather fly under the radar:
Its previous ownership by the notorious Castor Holdings. Its sale to the notorious pedophile Father Kelly. The multiple millions loaned to him by the UFCW even as the place was being run into the ground. A hangout for mobsters. A place where secrets are buried. A place where people are being hung out to dry.
You can push all the buttons that get camera crews screeching down the 401.
Get the workers together. Tell those that are interested in fighting to each contact one media outlet - local and national and say:
"There's something really wierd going on at the hotel where I work."
Over a hundred of us are being thrown out of work under very strange circumstances..
The hotel where we work is owned by a big real estate company and our union's pension fund. Our union's pension fund took it over after the pedophile who owned it jacked them out of a few million dollars and headed to Panama.
A guy who's making like Big Pussy Bonpensiero is trying to turn the place into a condo even though the City says he can't.
It's just like what happened the last time our hotel closed down. Some shady characters (from "Canada's Enron" - Castor Holdings) bankrupted it and headed off to a place without an extradition treaty (Germany).
Our union's not doing anything to help us. Maybe that's because they're part owners of the place?
We're getting really angry. There's talk about a demonstration/sit-in/rally/burning in effigy/pool party for activists/squatters' open house/magical mystery tour/whatever you're planning. This is going to get really hot. You want to be there. "
Consider holding events at the hotel, your local union office, the UFCW national office, the Minster of Labour's office, the OFL, anywhere where your presence will make people squirm.
Sorry ISDU, i should have been more clear. Fuck the negotiated severence package, set a list of demands that works in your favor, not theirs. You need to be able to articulate why you are doing that, but it seems fairly obvious you are getting screwed by what the powers that be put together.
Wmp is right on, they don't want bad publicity right now, and this thing is a nightmare waiting to happen for them.
I hate to be crass, but it isn't the fact you are getting tosed on your ear...that happens every day. What is newsworthy is the fact you (the workers) are working and acting more like a union than your union is. That's why i structured it in the way i did. That's what will bring the reporters in droves.
If you get a chance, pick up a copy of Saul Alinsky's Rules For Radicals. What you will find is the tools to be creative and able to open your mind to taking on the establishment. Saul was a master of creating news and front page spectacles.
I hate to describe what i am suggesting as blackmail, but this thing is so potentially ugly i see them willing to talk rather than being exposed for the limp dicks they are/have.
Just a "didja' know" for you folks, the Travelodge company has been buying hotels---union hotels---in the states and re-opening non-union. There is one in San Francisco in, fact, that we had an action against right before all the S.F. hotels experienced ULP's.
Kill off whatever scum has risen to the top of this hotel thing---I'm certain it would make a great screenplay---but keep your eye on Travelodge.
*Oh. Frozen pellets of shaving cream in all the desk drawers is good. So is Tabasco spilled on dark fabric chairs. These things don't manifest themselves until way, way later. Oh, and cans of cheap tuna---with small punctures, stuck with double-sided adhesive under tables, desks, chairs, backs of closets, and other dark places. They'll think someone died in every room!
A little feng shui might have helped...
* Ideas stolen from the "Little Bastard's Mischief Kit"---not sold in stores. And as always---don't try this at home!
Does this mean the blow_ted floatees in the visible_from_the_street pool are out?
Ok then how about some nica' elevator music --> "Thank you for being a fri-end"
quote:
posted by Bill Pearson:
Fuck the negotiated severence package, set a list of demands that works in your favor, not theirs.
...I hate to describe what i am suggesting as blackmail, but this thing is so potentially ugly i see them willing to talk rather than being exposed for the limp dicks they are/have.
I kept the first part because it just flows nicely. The second part... well don't aplogize! Sure we want to blackmail the fuckers. We got screwed, so now you bastards are gonna get screwed... in every orifice you got, plus we'll rip open a few more for even more pleasure.
First demand is to actually have the union reps face us and answer our questions. Still working on that one.
I've been passing off all this commentary to the General Manager of the hotel (keep them worrying about what might be coming). Some stuff has even ended up in the hands of a guy named George Armoyan. He's a big time shareholder of that crock-of-shit company called Royal Host. Supposedly he's been cleaning house and hold Greg Royer's micro-balls in his hands. A hostile takeover is expected. Maybe Greg will join the Travelodge staff on the unemployment line soon! It's fun Greg!
Let's see what happens at the 1000A meetings tomorrow. If needed, frozen apple pies are available for chucking. Ask an employee.
quote:
posted by catbear955:
I'm certain it would make a great screenplay
Thanks for all the tips cat. We'll pass them on. I singled out this quote, because well... it will. The story as told on MfD already makes for a great script. Now imagine the stuff that has only been hinted at. There are certain things that can be common knowledge, but take time to flush out for print. But with a screenplay, you have license to run with it. And run with it we will... eventually. All good stories must come to some end. This one is soon to lose its employees, but the drama will continue for a bit. I think I can say that there is a pretty good Mondo Condo part 7 in the oven.
From my experience with this whole thing, I can honestly say that I wouldn't be the least bit suprised if Hoffa was found under this hotel (my little tour rumour). Or at least a buddy of his.
And if it doesn't happen, there's always the screenplay!
Hey Bill... tonight's 'creative fun' is dedicated to you.
When the new MfD readers show up, be proud!
Where there are frozen pies, the well-dressed UFCW fat-ass wears:
And pantie liners....
Feb 17/05: Mondo Condo Travelodge- report from the front line
A good day. Soldier morale was up a bit. Recon was a success. Missions carried out. A sort of test-run training day. Reports are still coming in and full analysis will begin at daylight.
Mid-afternoon, one of the soldiers was escorted by military police to the office of the General. It seems that the General, on orders from the Commander-in-Chief Royer, was told to stop the tidal wave of propaganda flowing throughout the unit. The General chose to obey orders and single out the soldier he deemed most likely to be able to… 'stop setting all these fires- I can't keep up with all the soldiers coming at me with this shit'. The soldier tried to point out that ‘the shit' was at least being fed to him before the soldiers made it an issue, and on this point the General was content. It's nice to know what's coming at you. The General, in his heart, knows that although the shit tastes bad… it's good for him and everyone. Unfortunately during the session, military police brought in newly released propaganda… which just wasn't cool- timing wise.
Anyway, word spread quickly of one soldiers banishment to scrubbing the urinals (at least until the General goes to bed, and then his military police go back to not caring). Other soldiers took up the task of creative propaganda dispersal. Washrooms were deemed easiest and most inconspicuous. As civilians attending the 1000A meeting went to the washroom, propaganda leaflets awaited. Soldiers were set in sniper positions around washrooms to track enemy UFCW personnel entering and exiting. After they cleared the offensive ‘shit' and went to make their cell-phone calls to whoever, soldiers moved in to replenish the paper.
As the meeting began, Phase 2 of propaganda dispersal went into action. A soldier, having left his last will and testament, entered Satan's Parking Garage. There began the leafleting of cars. Although leaflets ran out after about 50% of the cars were tagged, Phase 2 was considered a huge success… a tactic that will be used again surely.
Reports came in tonight that some soldiers made a lot of phone calls early today to enemy offices. After speaking on the front lines with UFCW 1000A enemy personnel (who fully support the soldiers position for fear of their lives), gave out the number to the national head office. Dictator Mike 'Joe Ieradi don't know me' Fraser was the target, but instead only Paul Magee, his cock-fluffer, had a comment…
MONDAY PEOPLE. IT ALL HAPPENS MONDAY!!
Apparently, after Mike Fraser and his fluffing personnel have time to ‘look into things', then reps from the local level will arrive with some answers for the soldiers. On a side note, one soldier was told at the local level that things ‘are being worked on' (after some legal questions were asked) as if the soldier shouldn't question. The soldier's reply made sense to other soldiers… 'well why the fuck don't you tell us that you're working on something and then tell us what that something is'.
The low point of the night for soldiers was the lack of any UFCW 1000A enemy personnel entering the restaurant, bar, or lobby area. Possibly these long time drink-and-gorge on the union tab people, mistakenly believed an ambush awaited. Instead they entered by side doors and left by side doors. Oh well, the soldiers will just have to figure out a way to get the civilian Police Forensics people to be our friends.
Maybe the soldiers will create a nice ‘who-dunnit' game for these crime-fighters.
ISDU Potentate: You are so good at being bad 
!
quote:
posted by Susan Roth:
ISDU Potentate: You are so good at being bad
Thanks Susan. The trick is to always let them know it could and will get worse. And mean it.
Now who the hell changed the title of this thread to Isdu from ISDU?
Just wondering. Was I yelling too much?
They didn't stick around 'cause the were afraid of pee in their drinks. As well, they, no doubt, wanted to hike in peace back to the swish chilli parking lot to pick up their fancy rolling stock.
The word was out, "Don't eat or drink anything at the hotel, and don't park your wheels in "Satan's Garage".
One guy said that they got double whacked yesterday--bad things were said in the paper and bad notices were everywhere at the meeting.
I told him that the hotel must have bad mojo.
Hey! Mojo and HoJo--that ryhmes.
I've got a big question rolling around in my head: Why would anyone buy that pile of rubble when it's sure to be part of a major investigation?
I think that the ISDU convention is just one of many problems that have plagued and will plague that place for some time yet.
I'm sure that the deal is being watched very closely. Who needs the heat?
It's interesting what type of bonding happens when employees are united in 'being screwed' and 'not giving a fuck anymore'. Some management/salaried people become great co-conspirators.
It's also interesting that the 'Royal Host is an awful company' view is nearly unanimous. I've yet to hear of someone taking a position at one of their other locations.
There are some very evil thoughts being discussed. Catbear had some really, really good ones. Let's leave it at that, because the evil ones need to just happen.
I enjoyed the 'forward all calls to strip joints' suggestion.
The tell every customer to phone the simplest complaint to head office (results in a $100 'fine' to the hotel for wasting head office time) was an ok one. Any suggestion is a good suggestion.
Story on Joe's red pickup truck... first a few months ago, Joe's pickup truck was towed from the property. The caller used Joe's own name to report it. Apparently Joe cried that it was his daddy's truck. So then the son towed the father. There's some sort of weird meaning in that.
A couple weeks back, Joe's truck was tagged for a $300 ticket because he seems to not know what a fire hydrant is.
The way Joe keeps going, he might really need that auction money... if there's anything left fit for auction.
