We’re currently in a labor dispute with our employer, Greenpeace USA Inc. concerning the terms and conditions of our employment. Greenpeace USA established Frontline as an in-house fundraising program in 2005. You have probably seen us in front of grocery stores, in parks, and on city streets across the U.S. We speak passionately about the campaigns Greenpeace works on internationally, in order to sign up members that give Greenpeace money each month.
The issue that we’re having with management is that in order to maintain employment, each Frontline representative has to raise $150 a week in monthly donations. If you fail to meet this quota 2 weeks in a row (or 3-weeks after 3 months or longer of employment,) then you’re terminated. We don’t dispute the fact that we’re paid fundraisers. This system makes sense for newer employees. But it is our sincere opinion that once the costs of employment are covered, we deserve a stronger sense of job security. For example, canvassers who have worked for two years, who bring in thousands of dollars every single month, can still be fired this way. We have proposed an attrition-based Lifetime Quota System that focuses on the active value a canvasser brings in every month, instead of three weeks of performance. After nearly 2 months of not being taken seriously, 22 employees decided to stage a walk out. We love our jobs. We just believe that an organization that’s as environmentally progressive as Greenpeace, should have more a more progressive labor policy. We’re not asking for more money, just a legitimate sense of job security.
“By no means are we doing this to bash Greenpeace. We love Greenpeace, and we are Rainbow Warriors. That’s why we want to make Greenpeace better” said Kiku Adair, the fundraiser with the most seniority in San Diego. “I came [to work at Greenepace] because I lived in Fukushima in Japan a year after the nuclear power plant explosion and I had to watch my entire family get sick, some of which are dead now because of the high levels of radiation. I’ve put a lot of energy, passion and love into Greenpeace.”
“As a single mother, I work hard week in and week out not knowing if I’ll have a dependable paycheck to keep a roof over our heads. That is a very difficult reality to face. I love my job and the organization I work for, but myself and the all of the other canvassers deserve to see reform. The organization does too, this will benefit Greenpeace as a whole.” Tara Dawn of the Sacramento office. It’s been nearly a week.
We’ve had a very short and unproductive negotiation. After reaching out multiple times, it’s obvious that Greenpeace is currently unwilling to work with the activists that have poured heart and soul into raising funds for the organization they love. We’ve been on the streets every day raising money for our strike fund, but we thought it was time to reach out to the public and let folks know how this situation has unfolded.
We’re asking those who are in support to donate to the strike fund help out the families of the 22 Frontliners that have made a stand.