Santarchy LA 2010

NO CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR!

ELVES GO ON STRIKE CITING UNFAIR WAGES AND SQUALID WORKING CONDITIONS

GREEDY SANTA RETALIATES – DEMANDS $20 FOR ANNUAL SANTACON

LOS ANGELES, Calif., November 26, 2010 — Santa’s helpers at the North Pole walked off the job this morning to showcase their outrage over the unfair labor practices of their employer in the red suit.

Elves have been fighting for better workplace conditions for years and have been met with management retaliation and intimidation. The tiny toy builders earn as little as three candy canes per hour and lack access to affordable health insurance. Santa posted more than $20 billion in profits in 2009. Despite Santa’s lavish earnings, he continues to charge more and more for the annual Santa Convention (SantaCon), raising tickets prices to $20 this year, at a time when elves and humans alike are struggling to put reindeer meat on the table.

“I’ve worked at Santa’s Workshop for more than 300 years,” said one of the little toy builders. “I’m striking today because I have a daughter and several grandelves who work here too and I want a better life for them.”

Santa’s little helpers are facing a bleak future as U.S. and foreign companies drive wages down and elves out of middle class jobs, cutting pensions and benefits. Toy building jobs like those Santa provides will account for 98 percent of all job growth at the North Pole between now and 2038.

The North Pole strike is part of a strategic national campaign to hold Santa accountable for his unfair labor practices—strikes have been authorized or have occurred at the North Pole and at satellite toy sweatshops across the globe. The National Labor Relations Board has issued a formal complaint against Santa’s management for “interfering with, restraining and coercing” elves trying to form a union.

“Santa keeps saying that he respects the elves’ right to form a union, but after years of trying, they’ve seen nothing but intimidation and retribution from the fat man,” said Green Beans, President of Santa’s Workers Local 42. “Today, these elves are risking their livelihoods to stand up and demand fair wages, affordable healthcare and respect from their employer.”

Elves across the world are joining with sympathetic Santas for a FREE rally in Los Angeles on December 11 during the annual SantaCon event. The leader of the Santa-Elf rebellion will address the convention crowd in support of the elf workers.

For more information on the FREE SantaCon event/elf rally in Los Angeles on December 11, visit SantarchyUSA.org. Supporters can also e-mail their cell phone numbers to santarchyUSA@gmail.com to sign up for up-to-the-minute text updates from Santa the day before and throughout FREE SantaCon.