Bull Moose firings underscore why we need to protect workers' rights
On May 20, the employees of the Bull Moose store in Salem, New Hampshire, received the following voicemail: “I’m just calling to let you know that the location has been closed until further notice. I just wanted to alert anybody who was scheduled for tomorrow morning. You are all set on not coming in tomorrow.”
The following day, the employees each received an email telling them they were terminated from their positions at the entertainment store. This came without warning and, as of the writing of this article, without any explanation, though there is plenty of speculation about it. It also comes at the same time that the Maine Legislature is considering LD 553, “An Act to End At-Will Employment,” sponsored by Rep. Mike Sylvester of Portland. LD 553 would make it a requirement that employers provide “just cause” for firing an employee, so companies like Bull Moose (who also did this with their Bangor store in 2004) can’t suddenly put an entire store out of work without a substantial reason.
On May 22, a Facebook post from Bull Moose began circulating online. The post reads, “We are not able to share the reasons behind our decisions regarding the Salem store as it is important to us to protect the confidentiality of our former employees. We can, however, say we are confident this decision was in the best interest of our customers, employees and business as a whole.”
The post goes on to say, “We can also say emphatically this decision had absolutely nothing to do with masks or face coverings for employees or customers.”
Read more: https://mainebeacon.com/bull-moose-firings-underscore-why-we-need-to-protect-workers-rights/