Join with workers standing against wage theft!

Shut down the auction of Colibri manufacturing's assets , Thursday March 19th, East Providence Rhode Island , USA

On January 15th the owners of the Colibri jewelery and lighter factory locked out its workers and shut down,violating the federal WARN act law, and leaving workers who gave in many cases decades of their lives to the company out in the cold with nothing.

**Rise together with Colibri Workers !**

Thursday, March 19th
10am -12pm
Rally Protest , Disrupt, Shut Down the auction of Colibri Assets
Colibri Corporate Headquarters , 25 Fairmount ave E Providence Rhode Island

On January 15th the owners of the Colibri jewelery and lighter factory locked out its workers and shut down,violating the federal WARN act law, and leaving workers who gave in many cases decades of their lives to the company out in the cold with nothing.

The workers have not taken this lying down, they have organized themselves as; Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice with the help of the workers center Fuerza Laboral and RI Jobs with Justice.

Their demands are simple, pay 60 days pay give 60 days health care, and a week of severance for every year worked.

After asking the new owners of the Colibri company's assets ; Founders Equity nicely to come to the table and negotiate, after holing demonstrations at Founders lawyers office, at the superior court , Founders offices in NYC and the owners house on Long Island, there has been no response but the deadening silence of disrespect.

Join Colibri workers in saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, PAY WHAT IS OWED!

SHUT DOWN THE AUCTION OF COLIBRI'S ASSETS, COME TO 25 FAIRMOUNT AVE, E PROVIDENCE RI on THURSDAY MORNING!!

Solidarity is like steel, together we are unbeatable !!

*please remember this action is about the workers and allies presence is one of solidarity , please do not do anything that would endanger the safety of vunerable people present, ie: older, without papers ect.

Jobs with Justice alert follows:

*Thursday, March 19
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
RALLY
Protest the Auction of Colibri Assets
25 Fairmount Ave., East Providence
The Colibri Group Headquarters*

Spread the word. Please forward widely!

Friends,

You’ve heard from Colibri Workers and allies calling for justice in this economy, saying over and over again that no one should go through what happened to them, when they arrived to work on January 15 to find the jewelry manufacturers doors locked and their jobs gone.

Now the courts are auctioning off Colibri’s assets- equipment, goods, and licenses- to pay back the banks, HSBC and Sovereign while Colibri workers have been promised nothing.

*It’s the same story everywhere today. The banks get bailed out and paid off, while the people who made the products that built the Colibri Group’s internationally known name, people who dedicated decades of their lives in service to Colibri, are left with nothing.
*
*This week Colibri Workers for Rights & Justice are asking for your support.
As they do so, they’re inviting us all to Rise Together.*

We all want the same thing: security for our families, respect at work and in our communities. To achieve this, to rise together out of this economic crisis, and to ensure that corporations respect the law and principles of basic human fairness, we have to turn towards each other.

The Colibri Workers are fighting their fight for us all. You’ve already shown your support by attending rallies and sending a message to the private equity firm responsible for this situation. Now please join us on Thursday to Protest the Auction of Colibri’s Assets, demanding that the Colibri Workers receive their 60 days pay, benefits and severance. Together we’ve been to banks, the investment companies and the courts, we've sought support from our allies and elected officials. Now join us as we hit the streets!

In Solidarity,
RI Jobs with Justice

Read on for more information about the Colibri Workers Fight.

*“I want people to know that if this happens to them, there’s something they can do,”*
--Valeria de Leon, Colibri Worker for 19 Years

*“In this world and in this country there is a belief by those in power that workers are a resource that can be done away with- a disposable and dispensable part of the global economy. And the fact that you are standing up and saying that we are not, that workers are the ones who make the wealth and cannot be tossed away like a used up resource: Thank you. I am in awe of you and impressed by your willingness to fight for the justice you deserve.”
* --- Providence Councilman Luis Aponte to Colibri Workers at City Hall on 3/5

On February 20, 70 Colibri workers and their allies boarded a charter bus and van to visit the Fifth Ave. offices of private equity company, Founders Equity in New York City, to hold them accountable for shutting Colibri’s doors with no notice to the 280 Rhode Island workers. Here’s a picture of the lobby after we arrived!

Although Founders did not meet with us that day, we are sure they heard the message: Founders Equity, as the principal owner of Colibri, must be held responsible for violating the Federal WARN Act and as such, need to pay the workers 60 days pay and benefits, plus severance for failing to give notification.

In this economic crisis, working people seem to be the last priority in the minds of state government, the bank and corporations, but Colibri workers are standing up fighting back, and by doing so are gaining statewide support:

- Through the National Jobs with Justice network, 2500 people from around the country sent a fax to Founders Equity demand justice and accountability in this economy.If you haven’t already, please take action now.
- After returning home from New York, Colibri workers attended Superior Court Hearings to address Colibri’s lenders, Soverign Bank and HSBC. Read about it here.
- Colibri visited Providence City Council to thank them for passing a City resolution in their support.
- Together with hundreds of Rhode Islanders, Colibri participated in the March for Jobs and Dignity.
- *And Thursday, 3/12, thanks to the leadership of Rep. DaSilva from East Providence, Colibri workers received welcome and a resounding vote of support by the Rhode Island General Assembly*. Read more at RI Future.

The Colibri fight is all of ours! Investments firms, employers and banks are shirking their responsibility to the people who built their wealth. With your solidarity and support Colibri workers te greed for us all.

Please BE THERE on Thursday to protest the auction and to show your support on Tuesday at the press conference.

Call or e-mail RI Jobs with Justice (RIJobswithJustice@gmail.com) for more information or visit:
www.fuerza-laboral.orgThank
you!