Fired IWW Baristas Conduct Delegation to Starbucks Regional HQ to Demand Jobs, Right to Organize
Submitted on Sat, 11/25/2006 - 3:58am
November 22, 2006Five unjustly fired IWW baristas entered the Starbucks regional headquarters today to demand their jobs back and demand that Starbucks cease its scorched earth union-busting policy. As SWU members and community supporters picketed outside, the fired baristas delegation addressed their demands to Starbucks "Partner and Asset Protection Investigator" Marc Stella inside the company's posh office across from the Empire State Building. Marc Stella is the company's internal Pinkerton who conducted the sham investigation against Daniel Gross and is likely complicit in all the baristas' terminations. Regional Director Jim McDermott was conveniently out of the office enjoying the Thanksgiving Weekend and his fat cat salary as baristas work extra-hard meeting holiday demand on a poverty wage.
Baristas deserve better than insecure work hours, arbitrary discipline, and a poverty wage from this $23 billion coffee giant. To continue growing and improving life at work, the SWU is calling on individuals and groups around the world to take autonomous direct action against the company. Real economic, social, and political costs leveled against the company are required to rein in the rampant firings of union members.