June

We have a new Pizza Hut Voting for Union representation on July 19th, 2007 This will be the first time we have fought for drivers rights in the Pizza Hut Chains. Come Back Then to hear the full storey.

 

 More Unfair Labor Charges have been filed against the Twomays Corporation DBA Dominos Pizza, and are currently being investigated by the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) Also Charges have been filed in New York against Dominos Pizza Inc And a York County PA Dominos Pizza Franchise.

 

We will post the NLRB Rulings when we have them on the web site.

 

York County Did A New Broadcast this week click here to see the Link…

 

Also in the News..

 

 

Takeout Steakout Link

 

 

May 1st 
 The Aupdd Email System was corrupted and a lot of emails were lost we would like to apologize to any driver that might have sent in an email in the last month or two. We have fixed this problem by switching to a commercial email system. The new Email is aupdd@mail.com  please use this email for all the information requests you might have.

 

 And on the war for better working conditions we have launched the first ever petition to a dominos pizza corporate store in NY city. The vote was scheduled for April 27 of this year but due to the fact that the union filled unfair labor practice charges on the corporate dominos for violations of section 7 of the NLRA the vote was canceled by the NLRB so that they can investigate the matter fully.

 

In York PA we have a drive currently going on for Union representation. If you or anyone else would like to get a Union Drive started in there Store Please Feel Free to Contact Jim Pohle @ aupdd@mail.com

 

There is a lot on the line here for the drivers if they fail to fight the changes the corporate stores and franchises are trying to implement across the country. Don’t wait till after they try and make you a SERVER earning the TIPED CREDIT WAGE!!! Stand up and Unite together we are the backbone of pizza the ones in the trenches and fighting on the front lines every night. I hope to hear from you Soon….

 

Jim Pohle National President AUPDD

For 19 years, Domino’s Pizza delivery driver Jim Pohle has been wearing a Santa cap in the month of December. “The kids love it,” says Jim, with an elfish grin. The bosses never seemed to mind either. “They didn’t have a problem with it until this year.”

 

Jim won’t be wearing his Santa cap this year. Nor will he be allowed to dress up as the jolly old elf on Christmas Eve. Domino’s has pulled the plug on Jim’s Christmas display.

 

So what changed since last year? Why would Domino’s suddenly change their minds?

 

Jim says the only difference is that he organized the first labor union for pizza drivers at the store where he works in Pensacola, FL. Jim is the president of upstart labor union AUPDD, the American Union of Pizza Delivery Drivers, based in Pensacola.

 

The Union plans to file an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) against his employer due to this blatant retaliation. It seems that Santa is collateral damage in this labor war.

 

“For the last 19 years, it not only gave me great joy but allowed me to make the extra money I needed to buy my Christmas gifts for friends and family,” Jim said. “On days when I would wear the cap I could make a lot more in tips.”

 

Pohle explains, “It is blatant retaliation against me for exercising my rights to assemble and organize, to speak out. It interferes in my ability to make a living. It’s un-American.”

 

Pohle’s employer, Twomays Inc., DBA Dominos Pizza, pays their drivers less than minimum wage, using a loophole exemption in the minimum wage law intended to give restaurant owners an incentive to collect taxes on tips. Using the Tip Tax Credit Provision, restaurants can pay as little as $2.13 per hour, according to federal law. In Florida, the state minimum wage is $6.40 per hour, and servers may be paid as little as $3.38. Pohle’s employer pays drivers $6.15, a measly quarter below minimum wage.

 

The issue of how pizza drivers are compensated is a complicated and sticky issue among employers and employees alike.

 

Like everyone else who punches a time clock, delivery drivers receive an hourly wage. Twomays pays their drivers not only below the minimum wage, but below industry standards as well. “The Papa John’s across the street pays the extra quarter and hasn’t had to close up shop,” according to Pohle.

 

Drivers also receive a small amount for reimbursement for their vehicular expenses. The rest of their income comes from tips.

 

Twomays pays their drivers one dollar per run and charges their customers $1.50.

 

Jim says this practice is deceptive to the customer, and unfair to employees who make their living from tips. “Customers are often confused as to an appropriate tip, after already been up-charged for the service.”

 

The days of fast, free delivery are over. Charging extra for this luxury service is a trend that has been growing in the industry over the last decade.

 

When asked by an analyst whether the company’s delivery charge would go away with gasoline prices falling, Dominos CEO David Brandon said that he doubted it. “Most pizza companies are doing it and will continue to do it.”

 

Brandon also stated that they can use the revenue to beef up promotional efforts. “It’s baked into the P&L; I don’t see it going away. My personal prediction is that it’s unlikely. It’s hard for me to imagine a world where the delivery charge goes away.”

 

According to Jim Pohle, there was something missing in Brandon’s statement. “Notice not a single mention of drivers needing to receive fair compensation for supplying Domino’s with the world’s finest rapid delivery system. Not even an afterthought.”

 

“Next year the Union is going to ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Domino’s Pizza’s safety and security policies,” claims an angry Pohle. “It amazes me that in less than 24 hours Domino’s can change a policy and kill Christmas, but they can’t answer the Union’s demands over safety issues in more than nine months.”

 

“I personally filled a complaint with the company over safety and security in a certain area and was told by Jim Smith, a Domino’s Pizza Head of Security, that he was looking into it and that was months ago,” Pohle explains.

 

“In the mean time, the area in question has an average of three police incidents per day. No other delivery company in the city will deliver there. Recently a police officer was attacked while trying to serve a warrant. When asked if they could suspend delivery to the area temporarily, supervisor Tim Wentworth said, ‘A police man is more likely to be robbed or attacked than a pizza man. You must go into the area before you can deem it unsafe or you will be fired!’”

 

The Union president believes that it this type of attitude toward safety that is irresponsible on the part of the company’s bosses. “This is a form of extortion. It’s intimidation. People say you can just quit and go work someplace else. It is because people will not make a stand against unjust acts that allows companies to get away with endangering people’s lives.”

 

The union has already stood its ground on many issues. They have fought Domino’s over issues ranging from child labor laws, to using churches on Sunday to hold anti-union rallies without the church’s permission, unlawful firings, attempting to bribe union officials, threatening and intimidating employees, conducting surveillance on employees, and numerous other charges. The list is long.

 

Merry Christmas From

Jim Pohle

National President

American Union of Pizza Delivery Drivers

“I am what I am a Pizza Man”  Jimbo...

WWW.AUPDD.org