‘Hertz hurts!’

The bosses at the Hertz rental car location at the Charlotte Airport have been harassing workers ever since they joined with Teamsters Local 71 to organize a union. Matt Emmick, who is with the Teamsters, said, “Hertz workers have faced a series of problems including arbitrary policy enforcement, favoritism and unfair discipline based on unfounded customer complaints and reports from ‘mystery shoppers.’”

Hertz Management has been trying to intimidate workers by having private meetings with them. Bosses inquire about union activity and threaten the workers with the loss of their already inadequate 401(k) retirement plan if they join a union.

In a union-busting move reminiscent of the city of Charlotte’s recent firing of labor activist Cedric Williams, Hertz has illegally fired three workers who actively support a union.

Courtesy Bus driver John Roberts was the first. Roberts had been employed at Hertz for three years and had been an outspoken supporter of a union there. He was fired shortly after the union campaign came to the attention of the bosses on charges made by a “mystery shopper.”

The company that provides Hertz with mystery shoppers, DSG Associates, refused to give Roberts any type of due process or a grievance procedure.

Emmick states that Roberts “implied that losing a day’s pay based on reports by nameless, faceless people and being denied the right to face his accuser reminded him of racist activities he saw as a Black man growing up in the South.”

Hertz also fired two other employees, Walter Mumford and Bill Cuthbertson.

Walter Mumford was fired Jan. 9 for supposedly “bumping” into a supervisor. The incident was said to have taken place Dec. 23, yet no action was taken at that time.

Emmick said, “Walter was accused of “bumping” the supervisor only after he told a customer, in the supervisor’s presence, that he had signed a union card and that he believed John Roberts’ firing was unjust. Although Walter was accused of a grave infraction, no disciplinary action was taken at the time of the alleged incident, and he continued working. In the two weeks between the alleged incident and his firing, Walter enjoyed cordial relations with the supervisor and was awarded a $50 gift card as a safety bonus.”

Cuthbertson had been with the company 10 years and had a near-perfect work record. On Jan. 20, he was fired based on two “negative mystery shopper evaluations.” He was told by the Hertz operations manager that the company had adopted a new policy stating that two negative mystery shopper evaluations would result in termination.

The workers at Hertz need the support of the community. A coalition been formed to help these workers fight for their rights. The coalition is planning a Jan. 27 rally at the Charlotte airport and has launched a “Hertz Hurts” campaign.

For more information contact Matt Emmick at [email protected] or call Teamsters Local 71 at (704) 596-2475.