Submitted on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 2:37am
By Inni Chowdhury - NYC Indymedia
A
dozen protesters gathered in front of the Starbucks on 17th and
Broadway on Saturday July 5 to protest the termination of two union
organizing baristas. Liberte Locke, ( a current barista who works in
Manhattan, wrote a letter to Chairman Howard Schultz, asking to
re-instate two terminated employees: Monica (who has declined to reveal
her last name for fear of being blacklisted by other potential
empolyers) and Cole Dorsey, of Grand Rapids Michigan.
According
to the official Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) website, “Monica
was fired on the 24th of April without notice. She had resisted
management when they made people work public holidays without extra
pay. The store manager had told her on several occasions that she must
have nothing to do with unions.”
Cole Dorsey was fired on June 6. He had been an active member of IWW Starbucks Workers Union.
Submitted on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 2:24am
Disclaimer - The opinions of the author do not necessarily match those of the IWW. This article is reposted in accordance to Fair Use guidelines.
Originally published at woodtv.com
Kentwood, Mich. (WOOD)
- Western Michigan is in the center of a series of global
demonstrations against Starbucks after a local employee was fired for
union activity.
Workers picketed a Kentwood Starbucks store
Saturday afternoon in response to two union related firings by the
coffee giant, one in Spain, and one right here in West Michigan.
Cole
Dorsey, an East Grand Rapids barista, worked for the company for two
years, and was considered a stellar employee, until he was fired the
day Starbucks discovered he was in a union.
Starbucks would not reveal any specifics about why Dorsey was fired.
Leaders
of the protest say Starbucks has been firing outspoken union baristas
ever since the start of the (Industrial) Workers of the World
Starbucks Workers Union in 2004.
Submitted on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 2:17am
By John Kalwaic - originally posted to indymedia.org (view the video at this link)
On July 5th , some members of the
Philadelphia branch of the Industrial Workers of the World and I
organized a small demonstration in front the Starbucks on 9th and South
Street at 1:00pm. This action was to protest the firing of Starbucks
baristas who had been trying to unionize with the IWW Starbucks Workers
Union in the United States. This event was coordinated with the
Anarchist CNT Union in Spain where baristas have also been fired for
organizing. Friends and family of IWW members also came by to show
support for the demonstration. Protestors came with IWW flags and songs
condemning the actions of Starbucks against union members in New York
City, Grand Rapids Michigan and Seville Spain. We also handed out
flyers so people could contact Starbucks in order to voice disapproval
to the company for its union busting polices. The pickets sang songs
such as Solidarity Forever and chanted “What’s Disgusting!?-Union
Busting! What’s Outrages?!-Starbucks Wages!”
When we first set up
the manger came to yell at us because she thought for sure we were
doing something illegal. We told her that this is a public sidewalk and
we could have a demonstration if we wanted. The manager said she was
going to call the authorities and tell them what we were doing, However
no policeman ever came to bother us since we were not blocking the
sidewalk or the entrance to Starbucks. The manager posted an orange
sing on the door that said, “We love our jobs.” Despite this typical
act of managerial propaganda most people were receptive and took the
flyers we were handing out. The Philadelphia IWW is not currently
organizing any Starbucks workers; rather we are organizing a solidarity
rally with Starbucks workers in other US cities in other parts of the
world. The demonstration was successful and we got our message across.
starbucksunion.org
Submitted on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 1:59am
Originally published at indymedia.org.uk.
On Thursday 24th April, Monica, a barista in the central Seville branch
of Starbucks, was fired without notice for creating problems with her
workmates. She had worked there for a year and a half. She had been
active in organising with the CNT and defending her rights. The store
manager told her on several occasions that she must have nothing to do
with unions. She is a member of the Commerce Union of the CNT, in
Spain. The CNT is demanding her reinstatement.
Barely
a month later, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, Starbucks fired barista
Cole Dorsey on June 6th. Cole had over 2 years of service and was
active in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. The National Labor Relations
Board in the US has already made the firm rehire two sacked workers in
2006, and are looking at Starbucks latest violation.
Submitted on Sat, 07/05/2008 - 2:04pm
As part of the Global Day of Action against Starbucks called by the
AIT/IWA and IWW Organise! and the WSM picketed Starbucks in Belfast
today (5th July) to demand the reinstatement of Monica, a member of the
anarcho-syndicalist member working in their central Seville outlet, and
Cole Dorsey, an IWW member who was fired by Starbucks for organising in
their Grand Rapids, Michican, shop.
Organise! and the WSM picketed Starbucks in Belfast city centre today
from 12 to 1 pm. Despite the miserable weather around 12 people joined
the picket and leafleted passers by and potential customers outside the
coffee shop. At the start of the picket 3 people had gone inside to
leaflet customers and staff. There was a very positive response to the
picket however one person was falsely accused of assaulting a
Starbuck's member of staff after leafleting staff and customers inside.
While Starbucks present themselves as a trendy, ethical corporation
when it comes to their own workers they are ruthless union-busters
determined to stop their employees organising. Monica was fired on the
24th of April without notice. She had worked in the central Seville
branch of Starbucks for a year and a half when her manager suddenly
claimed she "created problems with her workmates". She had resistged
management when they made people work public holidays without extra
pay. She refused to attend work meetings outside working hours where no
pay or time in lieu was offered. Her sacking came after she asked about
another worker who had ben fired. The store manager had told her on
several occasions that she must have nothing to do with unions.
Barely a month later, in Grand Rapids, Michican, USA, Starbucks fired
Cole Dorsey on June 6th. Cole had over two years of service and was
active in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union.
Originally posted here
