Submitted on Sat, 11/26/2005 - 4:24pm
By ANTHONY RAMIREZ - New York Times, Published: November 26, 2005
The conflict between the Starbucks coffee chain and workers wanting to form a citywide union played out on two fronts yesterday: organizers formed a picket line in front of a local Starbucks, and a hearing was announced for next year before the National Labor Relations Board.
Chanting, "No latte, no peace," as a union organizer dressed as a giant latte rocked back and forth, about 20 demonstrators picketed a Starbucks at Union Square.
They urged a guarantee of a 30-hour work week, to ensure that workers would qualify for health benefits, and they demanded an end to what they called union busting by Starbucks.
So far, the union, the Industrial Workers of the World, has organized three Starbucks coffee shops in New York City. Starbucks has more than 200 outlets within 10 miles of downtown Manhattan, and nearly 6,900 in the United States.
The labor relations board, the agency that oversees workers' right to bargain collectively, said a hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 7 in Manhattan. At that session, union organizers and Starbucks officials will appear before an administrative law judge for a review of the union's allegations about the chain's practices.
Submitted on Sat, 11/26/2005 - 4:21pm
BY
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - November 26, 2005, 11:39 AM EST
Labor organizers formed a picket line in front of a Starbucks at Union Square on Friday in an ongoing bid to push the ubiquitous coffee chain to recognize a citywide union of its workers.
About 20 picketers sang, used air horns and chanted "No latte, no peace," while urging passers-by to boycott the shop. One demonstrator dressed as a giant latte.
Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board said it will hold a hearing on Feb. 7 in Manhattan to review allegations leveled against the Seattle-based company by the union, the Industrial Workers of the World.
The union, which has organized three of New York's Starbucks coffee shops, wants the company to guarantee 30-hour work weeks to its employees so they can get health benefits and says Starbucks has illegally resisted its workers'attempts to organize, the New York Times reported in its Saturday editions.
Submitted on Sat, 11/26/2005 - 4:12pm
Reposted from New York Newsday - November 26, 2005
NEW YORK -- Labor organizers formed a picket line in front of a Starbucks at Union Square on Friday in an ongoing bid to push the ubiquitous coffee chain to recognize a citywide union of its workers.
About 20 picketers sang, used air horns and chanted "No latte, no peace," while urging passers-by to boycott the shop. One demonstrator dressed as a giant latte.
Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board said it will hold a hearing on Feb. 7 in Manhattan to review allegations leveled against the Seattle-based company by the union, the Industrial Workers of the World.
The union, which has organized three of New York's Starbucks coffee shops, wants the company to guarantee 30-hour work weeks to its employees so they can get health benefits and says Starbucks has illegally resisted its workers'attempts to organize, the New York Times reported in its Saturday editions.
Submitted on Sat, 11/26/2005 - 1:46am
Massive Labor Board Complaint Implicates Top Managers - November 25, 2005.
New York, NY- The National Labor Relations Board has charged 15 Starbucks officials with an extensive array of anti-union acts including the discharge of two baristas for organizing activity. The multi-count complaint, detailing unlawful activity at three Starbucks stores, comes after an independent investigation of the world's largest coffee chain triggered by charges from the IWW Starbucks Workers Union.
The NLRB complaint alleges that Starbucks fired union member Sarah Bender to discourage employees from engaging in protected union activity. The complaint further alleges that the company surveilled, interrogated, and discriminated against union member Charles "Anthony" Polanco. Then Starbucks, contrary to past practice and policy, refused to allow Mr. Polanco to revoke his stress-induced resignation before it became effective.
"Yes, the 'happiest company on Earth' dismisses people for exercising their right to form a union," remarked Sarah Bender. "I'm now just looking forward to getting my job back to continue the organizing drive."
Submitted on Wed, 11/23/2005 - 3:45pm
Baristas Demand Guaranteed Work Hours
November 18, 2005
New York, NY - 25 Starbucks baristas and supporters wearing union pins and hats surrounded the store manager at the Union Square location in Manhattan tonight to announce their membership in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union (www.starbucksunion.org). The workers, joined by union baristas from two other New York Starbucks stores, demanded a guaranteed minimum of 30 hours of work per week and an end to Starbucks' unlawful anti-union campaign. The Union will assail Starbucks with a wide array of actions until the demands are met.
One of the workers, 23 year-old Tomer Malchi, served the store manager with a document detailing the demands and several other workers directed comments at the boss to be relayed to more senior management. Suley Ayala, a mother of four who has worked at Starbucks for three years, was one of the workers who spoke. She explained after the event: "it should go without saying that we can't live on ten, eleven, or twelve hours of work some weeks. The 30 hour guarantee is absolutely necessary to make ends meet and Starbucks knows it."