IWW Starbucks Union Organizers Daniel Gross, Joe Agins Prevail at Labor Board & More
Submitted on Tue, 04/03/2007 - 5:48pm
New Labor Board Complaint Exposes Deep, Lengthy Anti-Union Effort by Starbucks
LABOR BOARD COMPLAINT ATTACHED
New York, NY- Just over a year after settling extensive labor charges against it, the Starbucks Coffee Co. is the target of a new National Labor Relations Board complaint over the termination of IWW Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) organizers Daniel Gross and Joe Agins, Jr., and a host of other unlawful anti-union tactics. The government complaint is the result of an independent Labor Board investigation triggered by charges from the SWU [StarbucksUnion.org].
"This Labor Board complaint reveals that repeat-offender Starbucks is an unrepentant violator of workers' rights," said Daniel Gross, the outspoken former barista whose termination after a false allegation by Starbucks was deemed unlawful by the Labor Board. "Starbucks left the rule of law behind when the union campaign started in 2004 and according to this complaint has yet to return. It's remarkable that our union is growing stronger everyday despite an almost three year campaign of illegal dirty tricks to defeat us."
Highlights of the Labor Board complaint against Starbucks include allegations that the coffee giant:
-Unlawfully fired two IWW baristas in retaliation for union activity -Illegally disciplined workers for discussing the union during and after work -Threatened, issued negative performance reviews, and suspended workers for supporting the union -And much more
The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is an organization of employees at the world's largest coffee chain united for a living wage, secure work hours, and affordable health care. The SWU does not seek to represent Starbucks stores through the flawed union certification system; instead, employees use direct pressure to win workplace demands together. Pressure from the union has resulted in multiple wage increases and improved working conditions at Starbucks. The SWU has a public organized presence at nine Starbucks stores spanning four states and Starbucks baristas who have not yet made their union membership public are organizing in several other states.
Despite its socially responsible image, Starbucks pays workers a starting wage in the $6, $7, or $8 per hour range and refuses to guarantee work hours from week-to-week. Many Starbucks baristas therefore live at or below the federal poverty line. The majority of Starbucks employees do not have company health insurance. In fact, Starbucks insures a lower percentage of its workforce than Wal-Mart.
A trial against Starbucks on the new charges is currently set for June 12, 2007 at the Labor Board in Manhattan. The wide-ranging complaint cites violations spanning over four Starbucks cafes and implicates more than ten company officials.