Submitted on Tue, 08/16/2005 - 9:13pm
a new zine for the shopworn retail worker
Seeking submissions! Share your stories about customers and bosses, labor editorials, comix and images that reflect the world that is low wage.
Submission guidelines online at dogrrrl.com
Submitted on Wed, 08/10/2005 - 6:30pm
Original article and photos available at: NYC Indymedia
http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2005/08/55275.html
Manhattan Billionaires could not sip their lattes idly while StarBucks Corporation faced attacks by pro-union protesters on Saturday, August 6. Instead, a bevy of Billionaires recognized our #1 specialty coffee retailer for its outstanding performance in union-busting and its continuing commitment to pay its baristas unlivable wages.
To touch off our defiant 'sip-in’, the Billionaires proffered a toast to “record-breaking profits”, while Diva Denz phoned her stock broker, demanding 1,000 more shares of Starbucks stock. But this celebration was cut short by the arrival of, alas, StarBucks Union picketers! Dr. DeBooks, in a fury not often exhausted by a Billionaire, snatched one of the Union’s flyers and brought it inside the store. Reading out loud in unutterable indignation, he sounded off the Union Workers’ grievances, including absurd things like livable wages, a decent number of hours, bathroom breaks, and similar claptrap that you might often hear the indentured class complain about.
Submitted on Wed, 07/20/2005 - 3:11am
IWW Starbucks Workers Union Update and Call-In Day Aug. 1, 2005
Posted July 18, 2005
May 24, 2005- Starbucks terminates IWW member Sarah Bender, a worker at the 17th St. and 1st Ave. store in Manhattan, for her union activity. Fellow Worker Bender's termination marks the first time since the founding of the Starbucks Workers Union over a year ago that the company has fired a worker purely for union organizing. Starbucks learned that Sarah was associated with the Starbucks Workers Union after she hosted a party attended by Union members. Since then, the company has arbitrarily disciplined her to build a phony case for firing her. The pretext for her termination was that she allegedly came out six dollars short on her cash register. On the day in question FW Bender counted the money in her till, determined she had the correct amount, and placed the money in a sealed plastic bag. She then deposited the bag into the store safe. Sarah's store manager, Noura Glenn, subsequently unsealed the bag and falsely claimed there was a shortage. Please lend a hand in the national Call-In Day Against Starbucks on Monday August 1 to demand Sarah Bender's reinstatement. The details are at the end of this update.
Submitted on Wed, 07/20/2005 - 3:04am
Montpelier, July 18 - Dozens of Montpelier workers, formerly members of the MDWU (UE Local 221) are reorganizing their union into an Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Local. Our union will now be organizing workers not only in the downtown, but also throughout the capital region. To reflect this expansion of our organizing scope, our union will now be known as the "Montpelier Workers Union." This union is no longer affiliated with the United Electrical Workers or the Vermont Workers' Center.
Our decision to merge with the IWW is based in part by the fact that this union has been organizing similar geographic unions throughout the continent for the past three years. In Philadelphia, the South Street Workers Union claims hundreds of supporters, and dues paying members in a many different city shops. In Wisconsin the Madison Downtown Workers Union is currently organizing across the city much like in Montpelier. We look forward to being in the same international labor union as these like-minded organizations. We intend on learning from each other, and therefore emerging as a strong and united voice of working people throughout Vermont, the U.S. and beyond.
Submitted on Mon, 07/18/2005 - 9:40pm
By James Haslam - The Barre - Montpelier Times Argus, July 15, 2005
Disclaimer - The following article is reposted here out of solidarity for the rank & file workers described herein. Their views, the views of the author, and the views of the publisher do not necessarily agree with those of the IWW and vice versa.
For several years, there was a steady flow of calls to the Workers' Center'sWorkers Rights Hotline from workers in downtown Montpelier. All kinds ofworkers in all kinds of workplaces had complaints and questions about beingtreated unfairly at work. Unfortunately, as many people know from firsthandexperience, it's often difficult or impossible for one individual worker tosolve problems on the job. Workers have very few individual rights, under ourlabor laws.
In June of 2003 the Vermont Workers' Center - Jobs With Justice began partneringwith United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE) to pioneer aninnovative response. Jointly we committed ourselves to help workers inMontpelier learn about collective action and organize a citywide union.Immediately there was a lot of interest amongst workers, people working inshops, markets, theaters, restaurants, and bars. And now -- after almost twoyears of struggle -- this month the UE and Workers' Center decided to end theDowntown Union campaign.