Submitted on Sat, 04/28/2007 - 1:08am
Workers at the BriarPatch food coop, located in Grass Valley, California, near Sacramento in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains have joined the IWW. Here is their official announcement:
As we step through the doors of our great new store, it is the goal of many employees to strengthen and improve the working conditions, policies, and benefits for current and future employees.
In an effort to enhance the cooperative spirit between management and staff, employees at the BriarPatch, supported by management, are uniting with the Industrial Workers of the World. The IWW is an alternative organization that supports employees and shops in their individual and creative paths to bettering the workplace.
Submitted on Wed, 03/21/2007 - 6:26pm
The weekend of March 16th was full of activity for the Bay Area IWW. On Friday there were two workplace intervention rallies, the first at 6:30 AM and the second twelve hours later.
It was still dark in the sky when FWs from the Bay Area GMB began gathering outside of the management office at Curbside Recycling. The reason for the visit was primarily to show visible support to the shop steward for repeated harassment (including unpaid suspension) on the part of management. Several of the shop workers were also there to show support, and the crowd was treated to invigorating speeches by several of the recyclers as well as other branch members.
The other reason for the rally was to demonstrate to management that the union can mobilize when it is needed to support the workers fighting for their interests. This is important because management is trying to drive out any workers who are accustomed to acting as a union, and because the workers may try to increase pressure for a good contract when the current one expires jointly with the the Buyback Recyclers, an IWW shop on the same lot. Management was clearly uncomfortable when around 20 wobblies entered the office to discuss the bullying of the shop steward...
Submitted on Wed, 03/21/2007 - 6:22pm
Sarah Bender, Starbucks barista and IWW member, traveled with a Justice from Bean to Cup! delegation to Ethiopia to meet coffee farmers growing the beans she brews at Starbucks. Sarah learns the disturbing truth behind a Starbucks Black Apron exlusive, the company's highest priced coffee label, in "Partners?":
Part I -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xTk_LLjxUkPart II -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9petRD_Zss8
Submitted on Mon, 03/19/2007 - 11:39pm
Article by Vincent Quan; Photo by Alex Chan, Daily Californian, Monday, March 19, 2007.
Singing songs of solidarity and workers’ rights, more than 80 Shattuck Cinemas employees, union members and residents rallied Friday evening to draw community support for the employees as they attempt to unionize and renegotiate their contract with Landmark Theatres.
The rally, which took place outside the Shattuck Cinemas in Downtown Berkeley, marks workers’ latest attempt to promote their eight-month effort to gain an expanded health care plan, seniority privileges and excused sick days.
The Berkeley City Council voted to support the workers in February.
Submitted on Thu, 03/08/2007 - 3:45pm
One year later, the Shattuckunion continues to organize and grow with each new experience. Workers are putting on another Rally on March 16, 2007 at 6pm in front of the theater.
Shattuck union workers began holding organizing meetings in March 2006 and filed an election petition with the NLRB on May 08, 2006. Six weeks later workers voted overwhelmingly for the union. A month later negotiations with Landmark Cinemas began. Bargaining is ongoing and no agreement for a contract has been reached.
Community support has played an important role in elevating the struggle of the Shattuck workers to a new level. Growing confidence among the workers has enabled us to continue to become better union organizers and to explain the union to new hires.
