IWW Member Laid Off By Starbucks After Confronting CEO and Blogging About It - IWW Immediately Hits Starbucks with Legal Action
Submitted on Fri, 03/20/2009 - 4:35pm

"When I heard Howard Schultz was in town, I knew had to get to the store
and make my voice heard as a barista and union member," said Tessone, a 4-year
veteran of the company with an excellent performance record. "He said he'd speak
to me after his interview with the Wall Street Journal only to scurry through
the emergency exit the first chance he got. I told Schultz that it was time to
dialogue with union baristas and that too many of us we're living in poverty but
he showed nothing but cowardice."
Shortly after his exchange with Schultz, Tessone was ordered into a
one-on-one meeting with a Starbucks Regional Director rather than the store
manager who would normally administer discipline. The director warned Tessone
that he was out of compliance with Starbucks' new "Optimal Scheduling" policy
which pries open baristas' availability to work without guaranteeing any work
hours. The problem with the director's rationale: Tessone's availability was
indeed in complete compliance with Optimal Scheduling requirements which are
laid out in a written policy. The same rationale was erroneously deployed by
Tessone's store manager yesterday when he was laid off.
"Starbucks' claim that I was out of compliance with the policy is a
fantasy; I actually exceeded its requirements," explained Tessone. "I come to
work on time and work hard everyday. It?s clear that my attempt to speak with
Starbucks' anti-union CEO and the escalation of union activity at the company is
what caused my termination."
This isn't the first time that Howard Schultz lacked the fortitude to
discuss Starbucks' animosity toward labor unions and its refusal to provide
stable work hours to employees. In a remarkably similar situation in 2004,
Schultz hurried out of a New York City Starbucks after union barista Daniel
Gross challenged him to sit down at a table and talk face-to-face.
In addition to Tessone's firing, the Industrial Workers of the World is
currently challenging several unlawful responses by Starbucks to the increase in
action by the union in Chicago. These charges include allegations that
Starbucks increased surveillance against baristas at a Chicago store to which
the union recently expanded and illegally laid off barista Tracey Dietrich. The
IWW Starbucks Workers Union has thus far defeated the coffee giant in six labor
cases across three cities.
"We will continue to ensure our members are protected," says Chrissy
Cogswell, a Starbucks barista in Chicago and a union organizer. "Every time the
company violates workers' rights, we will seek justice."
The IWW Starbucks Workers Union (StarbucksUnion.org) is an organization of
almost 300 current and former Starbucks employees united for a living wage,
secure work hours, and respect on the job. Founded in 2004, the union uses
direct action, litigation, and advocacy to both make systemic improvements at
Starbucks and take on the company over unfair treatment of individual
baristas.
Open to all working people, the Industrial Workers of the World (iww.org)
is a member-operated labor union dedicated to democracy in the workplace and
global solidarity.
###
Daniel Gross
Organizer
IWW Starbucks Workers Union
Ph:(917) 577-1110
Fx:(917) 591-6128