Victory for Express Scripts Workers!

Great news from Jobs with Justice.  Solidarity across state and national borders is the only way to beat multi-national corporations.

Express Scripts, Inc. reverses decision to close plant; 400 family-supporting, union jobs saved

After a months-long struggle with Express Scripts, Inc., SEIU workers, Missouri Jobs with Justice, St. Louis Area Workers' Rights Board and other activists have forced Express Scripts Inc. (ESI) to reverse their decision to shutter all Bensalem, PA operations-- saving 400 family-supporting, union jobs and providing a substantial severance package to 500 workers facing layoffs at another plant in the city.

"This settlement will keep hundreds of good jobs here in Bensalem, and make sure anyone who gets laid off will be able to provide for their families in this harsh economy," said Linda Chan, a Pharmacy Tech at the Marshall Lane facility, and a member of the SEIU Healthcare bargaining committee.

SEIU members had been engaging in a national campaign to put pressure on ESI to maintain quality jobs in Bensalem when the company announced it would close both the Marshall Lane and Bensalem facilities. In August, 50 ESI workers from Bensalem, PA- facing severe pay and benefits cuts- drove to ESI headquarters in St. Louis to meet with CEO George Paz face-to-face and protestthe cuts, meeting with members of the St. Louis Workers' Rights Board while they were here.

In November, three ESI workers were suspended for reaching out to ESI clients, and SEIU workers contacted St. Louis Workers' Rights Board again. St. Louis WRB agreed to hold an Investigative Hearing on ESI's worker abuse. Instead of agreeing to come to the hearing, Paz reopened negotiations- and a settlement was reached in the late hours the day before the Investigative Hearing was to take place. Paz also agreed to reinstate the suspended workers.

"This has been a very difficult challenge...by sticking together we saved 400 good jobs for this community and won an excellent severance package for laid off workers that most non-union workers could only dream about," said Rickie Stemley, a Pharmacy Tech at the Marshall Lane facility.

Read more at the Missouri Jobs with Justice website or SEIU'swebsite.