>X-UIDL: 848596143.013
>Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 08:48:38 -0800 (PST)
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>From: "James R. Dunn" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: No Borders Here! (fwd)
>
>A tidbit from Michael Moore on labour activism...
>
>
>>Banned by Borders
>>        -- By Michael Moore
>>
>>On November 9, as I write this, I was supposed to have been at the Borders
>>bookstore in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, speaking and signing copies of my
>>book Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American. It was to have
>>been the final stop of my forty-seven-city tour. But on October 30 I was
>>told that the book-signing had been canceled. The Fort Lauderdale Borders
>>had received a memo from its corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
>>banning me from speaking or signing at any Borders store in the country.
>>
>>When I was growing up in Michigan, the original Borders was a store that
>>actively championed free expression. In fact, when I was publishing the
>>Michigan Voice, Borders would carry my paper when other establishments would
>>not. Now, Borders is a huge nationwide chain, and its "liberal" views have
>>earned it the reputation as the "Ben & Jerry's of the book chains."
>>
>>So why was I banned from Borders? My book was doing well. It has been on
>>the New York Times best-seller list for a month and was the number two
>>best-selling Random House book for the entire Borders chain. I've been
>>banned, I found out, because I made the mistake of uttering a five-letter
>>word, the dirtiest word in all of corporate America -- "union."
>>
>>Back in September, on the second day of my tour, when I arrived at the
>>Borders store in downtown Philadelphia, I found nearly 100 people picketing
>>the place because Borders had fired a woman named Miriam Fried.  She had
>>led a drive to organize workers at the store into a union.  The effort
>>failed, and, a few weeks later, Miriam was given the boot.
>>
>>When I found this out I told the Borders people that I have never crossed
>>a picket line and would not cross this one. I asked the demonstrators if
>>they wanted to take the protest inside. They thought it was a good idea.
>>I had no desire to cause a ruckus, so I asked Borders management if it was
>>O.K. to allow the protesters in.  They said yes. So we all came into the
>>store, I gave my talk, I gave Miriam the microphone so she could talk,
>>everyone behaved themselves and it was a good day all around -- including
>>for Borders, which ended up selling a lot of books, breaking the record for
>>a noontime author at that location. (The record had been held by George
>>Foreman, and I now like to tell people only Ali and I have beaten Foreman.)
>>I also announced that I would donate all my royalties for the day to help
>>Miriam out.
>>
>>Although Anne Kubek, Borders' corporate V.P. in charge of labor relations,
>>had approved my bringing the protesters inside, upper management decided
>>that she had made a mistake -- and they were going to take it out on me.
>>On the following Tuesday I was scheduled to speak at the new Borders store
>>in New York's World Trade Center. When I arrived, I was met by two Borders
>>executives.  They had flown in from Michigan just to stop me from speaking.
>>The executives, flanked by two security guards, explained that I could come
>>into the store and sign books, but I would not be allowed to talk to the
>>people who had come to hear me. They said that the "commotion" I had caused
>>in Philly raised "security concerns." I couldn't believe I was being
>>censored in a bookstore.
>>
>>The Borders manager told the assembled crowd that I would not be speaking
>>because "Port Authority police and fire marshals have banned all daytime
>>gatherings at Borders." When I heard this, I stepped forward and told the
>>people this was a lie, that I was forbidden to speak because of my support
>>for the workers in Philly.  Under protest, I signed the books of those who
>>stayed -- beneath a big banner celebrating "Banned Books Week."
>>
>>On October 13, I spoke to a large crowd in a Des Moines auditorium.  After
>>the speech I went out front and started signing books. "What store are these
>>from?" I innocently asked.  "Oh, these are from the local Borders," I was
>>told. Well, I thought, they don't mind if I make them some money -- as long
>>as it's not on their premises!  Then someone slipped me an anonymous note.
>>It read: "We are employees of the Des Moines Borders. We were told that we
>>could not work the book table tonight, that only management was working the
>>table, because they said they wanted to 'protect us' from you."
>>
>>An hour later, I went out to the parking lot and saw some people standing
>>there in the dark -- the employees from the Des Moines Borders! They said
>>they were hiding out there because they had spotted Borders' regional
>>director with another man inside. "He flew in to spy on you, or us, or
>>both," they told me. "He saw us so we may not have jobs on Monday."
>>(Bookstore employees afraid they might be fired for attending a public
>>speech at the Herbert Hoover High School auditorium!)  The executive had
>>not introduced himself to me -- or his colleague, who employees believe is
>>a unionbusting "consultant" hired by Borders.
>>
>>I wished the workers well, and the next night they held their first union
>>meeting. The previous week, the Borders store in the Lincoln Park section
>>of Chicago had become the first Borders in the country to vote in a union
>>(United Food and Commercial Workers). Recently, workers in Des Moines signed
>>enough cards to hold a union election.  It is a victory that should inspire
>>not only Borders workers but underpaid employees everywhere.  That's why I
>>am not in Fort Lauderdale as I write this. Borders is "protecting" its
>>workers from me.
>>
>>Well, they're really going to need protection now. First, I am donating my
>>royalties from the next 1,000 sales of Downsize This!  to the organizing
>>drive at Borders. Second, I am asking each of you to support the Borders
>>workers in your city. Bring up the union when you're in the store and thank
>>that kid with the nose ring and green hair for helping to revive the labor
>>movement in America.
>>
>>Note to Borders Executives: If, after this column is published, you
>>retaliate by removing my book from your shelves, or hiding it in the "humor"
>>section or underreporting its sales to the New York Times list, I will come
>>at you with everything I've got.  You sandbagged me in Philly, and the only
>>decent way for you to resolve this is to give Miriam Fried her job back and
>>let the workers form their union without intimidation or harassment.
>>
>>Copyright (c) 1996, The Nation Company, L.P. All rights reserved.
>>Electronic redistribution for nonprofit purposes is permitted, provided this
>>notice is attached in its entirety.  Unauthorized, for-profit redistribution
>>is prohibited. For further information regarding reprinting and syndication,
>>please call The Nation at (212) 242-8400, ext. 226 or send e-mail to Max
>>Block.
>>
>>
>>===================END FORWARDED MESSAGE===================
>>
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>>
>************************************************************
>James R. Dunn                   Tel: (604) 737-7875 (home)
>Ph.D. Candidate                 Tel: (604) 291-3321 (dept)
>Department of Geography         Fax: (604) 291-5841
>Simon Fraser University         E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>Burnaby, B.C.  V5A 1S6
>************************************************************
>
>




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