Submitted on Fri, 02/03/2006 - 2:54am
By Tomer Malchi - Industrial Worker, February 2006
On Friday Nov. 18, Starbucks workers at Union Square publicly declared their membership in the Starbucks Workers Union. Throughout the weekend workers showed their strength by refusing to take off union pins in the face of management attempting to enforce a no-pin policy. Our key demands were for guaranteed hours, a group meeting with management, and an end to anti-union discrimination.
District manager Kim Vetrano informed us three days after we went public that we could not wear our pins; although pins have been worn in the past, the policy was suddenly being enforced. Vetrano also insisted there would be no group meeting. We could have one-on-one meetings with managers, but not as a group.
Submitted on Thu, 01/19/2006 - 4:35am
Coffee Giant Has Lower Percentage of Insured Workers Than Wal-Mart
New York, NY- The myth of a socially responsible Starbucks is steadily unraveling with an admission by the coffe chain that less than half of its employees are covered by company health care. The revelation is all the more remarkable since the company has long promoted itself as a leader in employee health care while the actual percentage of Starbucks workers covered is less than that of Wal-Mart, a corporation notorious for the burden it places on taxpayers via uninsured workers.
"The Starbucks socially responsible image is all smoke and mirrors. Customers always ask, 'you get company health care, right?'" said Pete Montalbano, an IWW barista. "Starbucks employees, many of whom are uninsured or on Medicaid, knew the answer to that all along. Only now, so does everyone else."
Submitted on Thu, 01/05/2006 - 3:02am
By DANIELA GERSON - Staff Reporter of the New York Sun, January 4, 2006
The Wobblies are back. Organizers with the 101-year-old Industrial Workers of the World - a radical union that once included "Big Bill" Haywood, Helen Keller, and "Mother" Mary Harris Jones - recently launched efforts in New York to organize Starbucks, illegal immigrant workers, and the online grocer FreshDirect.
"Abolition of the wage system" is their banner.
Membership, albeit still small, has roughly doubled in the past five years to nearly 2,000 in North America, the union said. In New York City, where it has about 50 or 60 members, there has been a similar rate of growth. Even more significant than an increase in membership, arguably, is the expansion of public actions.
Submitted on Thu, 12/22/2005 - 2:33pm
From starbucksunion.org:
As a recipient of support from TWU Local 100 members on our picket lines, it is with great honor that we express our total solidarity with striking transit workers in New York City. We know you are striking not only for your families but also for every working New Yorker.
Corporations, public or private, are concerned with two things: money and power. Since the MTA's last-minute bargaining demand would have saved less money than two day's worth of overtime for cops to patrol struck stations, it follows that power was the element at issue. The two-tier pension scheme the MTA tried to impose had the singular intent of weakening the union. By dividing senior workers from newer workers, two-tier schemes undermine solidarity within a union. They also provide an incentive for the bosses to concoct pretexts to get rid of more senior workers to save money. The supermarket bosses imposed such a two-tier contract on 70,000 striking and locked out grocery workers in 2004. But in 2005, TWU Local 100 and affiliated unions said, "No."
Submitted on Tue, 12/13/2005 - 4:46am
URGENT ALERT - SOLIDARITY URGENTLY NEEDED!
Today, December 12, Joe Agins Jr. was fired by store manager Julian Warner at starbucks on 2nd and 9th in NYC. Julian made reference to an alleged verbal argument that had occurred inside a starbucks outside of Joe's work time. Joe has been a member of the union since July and one of the hardest working and most committed organizers.
Whenever a wobbly needs support JOE has always been there, today JOE needs your help!
Call store manager Julian Warner at 2nd and 9th - 212-780-0027
Ask for an explanation for Starbuck's union discrimination and Demand that Joe Agins be rehired immediately.
Also, call Regional Vice President, James McDermet at 212-613-1280 ext. 2201 to express your disgust at the constant illegal anti-union activity of this company.