Submitted on Wed, 11/23/2005 - 6:08am
(As reported by Labourstart)- FIRST STARBUCKS STRIKE IN THE WORLD
It was bound to happen eventually -- and it happened today in New Zealand. Low-paid Starbucks workers walked off the job and formed a picket line. They were joined by workers from other low paid, fast-food restaurants such as KFC and Pizza Hut.
Starbucks, which tries to project an image as a caring, progressive, company, has some 80,000 employees worldwide. It pays those workers minimum wage or only slightly above, and generally does not welcome unions.
As you'd expect, LabourStart is covering the New Zealand Starbucks strike (see here: http://www.labourstart.tv).
If you've never seen a picket line at a Starbucks (and chances are, you haven't), have a look!
For more information about union efforts to organize Starbucks worldwide, check out http://www.supersizemypay.com/ and http://www.starbucksunion.org/
Submitted on Wed, 10/26/2005 - 12:33am
The following letter is by IWW Member "x337969". They are directly involved in the struggle described below and they have direct experience working with the International Socialist Organization members and chapter described in this letter.
Many party groups on the left in the US are seen at political allies, and often they have something interesting to say about global and domestic US policy. It is unfortunate that some of them do not organize as well as they speak.
The Socialist Worker, the weekly lefty tabloid heartily distributed by members of the International Socialist Organization (US) published an article about the contract negotiations at Madison Market Coop in Seattle, with UFCW local 21. Based upon their track record for the past 10 years in activist circles, it is not surprising that the ISO would go out of their way to take credit for the work of others, but in this case, they are talking about things that didn't happen at all. The reason this issue is of concern to us is because the IWW has a shop with the same employer.
Submitted on Tue, 09/27/2005 - 7:15pm
The South Street Workers Union asks for your support to stop the deportation of Omar Lezama de la Rosa
September 19, 2005
Dear friends:
Omar Lezama de la Rosa, a friend to many restaurant workers on South Street, is facing deportation after being wrongly arrested in July. Below is a resolution from the Philadelphia Bar Association explaining the facts of his case.
We are organizing to show the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement office that our brother Omar has strong support. The Immigration office has discretion in which cases it chooses to pursue, so we are trying to stop the proceedings against Omar before they get to court.
Omar has a year-and-a-half-old son and wants to keep living in Philadelphia with his family and friends.
Please sign our petition. If you are in a position to collect more signatures, please call the IWW union office at 215-222-2432.
Yours in solidarity, Nakiya Heigler and Steve Renzi for the South Street Workers Union
PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION OPPOSING ATTEMPTS TO DEPORT OMAR LEZAMA de la ROSA
Submitted on Wed, 09/14/2005 - 11:12pm
It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to another courageous Colombian union leader and worker, Luciano Enrique Romero Molina. Starbucks workers have always felt a kinship with the food and beverage workers of SINALTRAINAL which was solidified in a 2004 meeting between SINALTRAINAL leader Juan Carlos Galvis and Starbucks Union member Daniel Gross where the two exchanged mutual pledges of solidarity. The assassination of Mr. Romero is a time for mourning yes, but even more so, it's a time to act and to organize. Please read SINALTRAINAL's statement on the killing which follows below and write the letters they suggest:
SINALTRAINAL LEADER LUCIANO ENRIQUE ROMERO MOLINA ASSASSINATED
It is with deep pain that we inform you of the death of comrade LUCIANO ENRIQUE ROMERO MOLINA, a leader of SINALTRANAL who was assassinated in the city of Valledupar, Cesar. Luciano was seen alive at approximately 9pm on 10 September, then on the morning of 11 September his dead body was found tied up, tortured and with 40 knife wounds. He was living under the PROTECTIVE MEASURES scheme of the Inter-American Human Rights Commission of the Organisation of American States.
Submitted on Fri, 08/19/2005 - 12:47am
The first line of Starbucks Coffee Company's mission statement says "to provide a great work environment & treat each other with respect & dignity." Recently Starbucks barista Sarah Bender was fired for attempting to improve the work environment that the company claims to already be providing.
She was fired for union organizing. And when Sarah Bender, numerous IWW co-workers & supporters picketed the Starbucks at Cooper Union recently, they had to confront numerous hecklers, members of Billionaires for Bush, who could not sip their lattes idly but instead, recognized Starbucks for its outstanding performance in union-busting and its continuing commitment to pay its baristas unlivable wages.
Read More: http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/369