Submitted on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 2:37pm
Statement of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union followed by threat letter
received yesterday
December 17, 2008
The IWW Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) and our dear friends in the global
movement for worker justice have been campaigning against Starbucks for
punitively denying two weeks of work to an SWU member who went home ill from a
shift one day. In these terrible economic times, barista Anna Hurst absolutely
must receive the compensation she is owed to pay rent and put food on the table
for her two children.
Instead of paying the money owed, a lawyer for Starbucks store manager
Gwendolyn Krueger has now threatened a frivolous lawsuit and even a criminal
complaint against the Industrial Workers of the World. To call the truthful
expression of our collective voice harassment and libel is both offensive and
wrong as a matter of law.
Let us be clear: the IWW Starbucks Workers Union takes our right to defend
baristas' interests and our right to free speech very seriously. We do not back
down in any respect in response to baseless threats of litigation --- the
struggle for secure work hours and respect on the job at Starbucks is too
important.
Submitted on Thu, 12/11/2008 - 6:30pm
UPDATE and Further Call to Action!!!
First, we would like to extend thanks to all of you that have been calling
and texting store manager Gwen Krueger this past week and demanding she pay Anna
what is owed.
Yesterday, Anna was called into a meeting with Krueger and her District
Manager, Mark Ormsbee. Krueger used this meeting as an opportunity to lie about
the facts in order to cover her hide. Ormsbee, expectantly, sided with Krueger
and made the mistake of refusing to pay Anna her money.
We need to let Mark Ormsbee to know that this is not over until Anna
receives every penny that Starbucks owes her so she can care for her family in
the holiday season.
Call and/or Text District Manager, Mark Ormsbee, at 1-917-841-4198 and
continue to call and text Store Manager, Gwen Krueger, at 1-551-497-0127. This
action for justice will take place from December 11th - December
19th.
BACKGROUND
Submitted on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 5:10pm
Grand Rapids, MI (12/08/2008)- The Michigan Occupational Safety and
Health Administration has found after trial that Starbucks unlawfully
terminated a barista here in retaliation for filing a safety complaint.
The barista, a member of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union, was
retaliated against after complaining about the effects of a perennially
leaking roof. The MIOSHA determination comes less than a month before
embattled Starbucks faces a trial in Grand Rapids at the National Labor
Relations Board over anti-union retaliation.
"Two federal agencies are holding Starbucks accountable in Grand Rapids
for wantonly trampling employee rights. Without the IWW Starbucks
Workers Union they may have gotten away with it," said Cole Dorsey, the
fired barista and union member.
Submitted on Sat, 12/06/2008 - 1:30am
Friday, November 28, 2008:
The "Black Friday" rallies in support of the Starbucks Workers union were a
tremendous success today. Many fellow workers took the light rail train from
Minneapolis to the Megamall in Bloomington. Unlike the last time, there were no
riot police to intercept the train. We held a rally on public property, across
from the north entrance to the mall. Speakers from The Starbucks Workers Union,
The IWW, Students for a Democratic Society, and several local progressive trade
unions; all voiced their support to the Starbucks workers and to the right of
those workers to organize.
After the Megamall rally, supporters took the train back to Minneapolis for
a rally at the newest unionized Starbucks store at Nicollet and Franklin. We
presented a "Welcome to the Union" cake to the workers in that store. Even
though the district manager was in the store at the time, events went off
without incident.
After presenting the cake, we went across the street from Starbucks, where
we gave away fair trade coffee which had been donated by a local fair trade
shop. We had several discussions with passers-by concerning our demands that
Starbucks recognize the right of their workers to organize a union, and that
Starbucks pledge to use fair trade coffee in their shops. The idea was to show
that there is a trail of worker exploitation which begins on coffee plantations
where "Third World" workers are paid as little as a dollar a day for their hard
work...and continues with the abuse of Starbuck baristas in the shops where that
coffee is sold.
Congratulations to the courageous workers at the newest organized
Starbucks, and thanks to everyone who participated in today's events.
Submitted on Fri, 12/05/2008 - 9:27pm
Fellow Union Members and Friends:
Anna Hurst is a New York City barista, Starbucks Union member, and a single
mother of two.
One day in August, Anna went home ill from work at Starbucks. In
retaliation, her store manager - abruptly and without notice - denied her any
work hours for two full weeks.
Anna needs the money she's owed to put food on the table, pay her bills,
and buy Christmas presents for her children.
Call and/or text message store manager Gwendolyn Krueger today at
551-497-0127 and demand that Starbucks pay Anna what she is owed!
This action for dignity will last seven days, Dec. 5-Dec. 12
Thank you for your solidarity and please share this e-mail with friends and
co-workers.
