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The Merrimack Valley Project (MVP), an organization of 32
congregations, unions, and community groups that works to improve
the quality of life in the Merrimack Valley region of
Massachusetts, held an assembly to report on its progress in
seeking improvements in job conditions for up to 1,000 immigrant
temporary workers employed at Gillette’s North American Pack
Center in Devens, Massachusetts.
One hundred fifty religious, labor, and community leaders
attended the gathering at SS Peter and Paul Evangelization Center,
125 Chestnut Street, Lawrence. MVP leaders were joined by Lawrence
Mayor Michael Sullivan, June Black from the office of Congressman
Marty Meehan, Jan Burkholder representing State Senator Susan
Tucker’s office, former Councilor At-Large Marcos Devers, and
other public officials.
“In response to their efforts, Gillette/P&G and its vendors have
taken steps to improve the work environment at the Pack Center,
and made a commitment to establish a program of English classes
and career counseling for temp workers,” said MVP President Annia
Lembert. “We are encouraged by our progress, while recognizing
that our work is not yet finished.”
According to MVP, the main issue that must still be addressed is
Gillette and its Devens vendors’ heavy reliance on temporary,
rather than permanent workers. “Two-thirds of the workforce at
these facilities is temporary,” said the Rev. Victor Jarvis, MVP
Vice President and the Pastor of Ebenezer Christian Church in
Lawrence. “One worker involved in our campaign has been employed
as a temp at Devens for over six years. When the community lacks
good, stable jobs, the family suffers, civic and church life
suffers—the whole community loses.”
At MVP’s request, Gillette/Procter & Gamble has initiated a study
of the Devens business operation that will explore opportunities
for creating more job stability at the facility, including
expansion of permanent jobs and other measures to improve job
stability and predictability for temps. Gillette expects to have
results from the study in June.
“This is a very important step and we will be following up with
the company in the coming weeks,” said Eric Kintner, a delegate to
MVP from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Westford.
Gillette is also working with one of its Devens vendors to
implement a more transparent and objective temp-to-perm hiring
process. Workers have complained that the current system is based
on favoritism rather than seniority and merit.
MVP leaders have been meeting with Gillette senior management,
including Vice Chairman Edward DeGraan, since June of last year to
press for changes at the Pack Center, including measures to ensure
dignity in the workplace for hundreds of immigrant temporary
workers employed there, and increased temp-to-perm opportunities.
“The work environment has improved considerably,” said Rev.
Jarvis. “A number of people in my church work as temps at the Pack
Center, and they say that both staffing agency and company
supervisors are more respectful, and problems with payment of
wages and other issues have been addressed.”
“We want to make sure that these improvements are lasting,” said
Jarvis. “The company has expressed confidence that the changes it
has made in its systems for overseeing its contractors will be
effective over the long-term. We do see improvement, and will be
continuing to monitor the work environment carefully.”
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