Coordinated Actions Across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America Could Be Largest Ever Against Coffee Chain

For Immediate Release:

IWW Starbucks Workers Union, StarbucksUnion.org

Grand Rapids , MI ( 06-30-2008 )- Union members and social activists are gearing up for what may be the largest, global coordinated action against Starbucks ever. Protesters will decry what they see as an epidemic of anti-union terminations by the world’s largest coffee chain. Starbucks and its CEO Howard Schultz have exhibited a pattern of firing outspoken union baristas ever since the advent of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union in 2004 and are demonstrating the same practice against the CNT union in Spain.

"On July 5th people around the world will show Starbucks that we, baristas along with our supporters, will have a voice and Starbucks discrimination and repression of our efforts will not go unchecked", said Cole Dorsey.

Grand Rapids firing comes in the midst of Unfair Labor Practice charges being investigated by the NLRB against Starbucks.

Grand Rapids, MI (06/06/2008)- Starbucks terminated a barista active in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union today as part of its ongoing effort to combat a growing movement of employees pushing for a living wage and secure work hours. The barista, Cole Dorsey, was fired after two years of service while he was coordinating a union recruitment drive at Starbucks stores in Grand Rapids. Starbucks' pretext for the illegal anti-union firing was that Dorsey was guilty of some months-old attendance infractions.

"Today I joined the growing number of baristas that Starbucks has fired in its relentless union-busting campaign," said Cole Dorsey. "Starbucks' disrespect for the right to join a union is appalling and absolutely will not stop our efforts to have a voice at work."

In March 2008 the Grand Rapids GMB of the IWW and the Grand Rapids Starbucks Workers Union announced the beginning of a 'Spring Offensive against Starbucks (SOS)' to increase local pressure on the coffee giant on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the Starbucks Union founding, and in support of the new Unfair Labor Practice charges filed against Starbucks in Grand Rapids. Wobblies described S.O.S. as a 'multi-pronged' offensive where union members: would increase engagement with costumers about Starbucks' union-busting and 'fair tade' policies, increase contact with local baristas about the demands of the SWU as well as invitations to social gatherings, and an increase in publicity and community exposure.

IWW baristas honored MayDay 2008 with a press conference and celebration. At 4:00pm GMB members Jackie Wood and Chuck Neller posted in front of the Starbucks store in East Grand Rapids, with the branch banner, in preparation of the press conference. Union baristas then addressed the media with statements expressing solidarity with others struggling on the job, and announced a renewed commitment to fight Starbucks repression.

For Immediate Release
IWW Starbucks Workers Union, StarbucksUnion.org

Contact: starbucksunion (at) yahoo.com

Union Alleges that the Embattled Coffee Giant is Violating a Settlement Agreement

Grand Rapids, MI (04/15/2008)- As Starbucks awaits the decision in a trial over 30-plus unfair labor practices in New York City, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union has filed labor charges against the company in Michigan. These new charges come less than a year since Starbucks signed a settlement agreement with the National Labor Relations Board pledging to refrain from unlawful anti-union intimidation in Grand Rapids. Baristas say Starbucks anti-union activity has continued unabated since the agreement. The new charges included alleged violations of the settlement agreement.

Originally published at Media Mouse

On Friday, the Starbucks Workers Union--a union affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and formed in response to Starbucks' mistreatment of its baristas--held a press conference outside of Starbucks' Wealthy Street store in East Grand Rapids to respond to charges filed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the company. The charges included allegations that store employees were denied access to a store bulletin board that was previously open after an employee posted union materials, that a store manager threatened employees with "discharge and unspecified reprisals" if they engaged in union activities, and that they failed to change employee handbooks to indicate that employees could wear union buttons and have union literature based on a 2006 settlement in New York City.

By Chris Knape - Friday, September 28, 2007, The Grand Rapids Press

EAST GRAND RAPIDS -- The National Labor Relations Board is expected to decide by today if it will file charges against a Starbucks in Gaslight Village over allegations it violated employee rights to organize a union.

The NLRB is waiting to see if the coffee giant is willing to settle the charges, which included allegedly restricting the distribution of organizing materials and threatening to fire employees involved in unionizing efforts.

"Unless the matter is settled in the next day or two, we'll take further action," said Stephen Glasser, director of the NLRB's Region 7.

By Micheal Johnston - Grand Valley Labor News, June 2007 

They’re twenty-somethings, idealistic, motivated and creative. In Grand Rapids they’ve been raised in anti-union, narrowly conservative and hyper-religious West Michigan. Until recently they viewed unions with hostility or as dinosaurs awaiting extinction. Most were indifferent to unions until now.

Across the globe, across the U.S., and in West Michigan they are shaking up the moribund labor movement and the Starbucks world of overpriced coffee, underpaid workers and hypocritical marketing.

Baristas at the Wealthy Street Starbucks, in East Grand Rapids, announced May 17 their membership in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union (www.starbucksunion.org), becoming the first store in Michigan to declare union membership at the world’s largest coffee chain.

Contact:
Grand Rapids: Cole Dorsey, Barista and Union Member - 616-881-5263
Chicago: Joe Tessone, Barista and Union Member - 815-545-5273
New York: Daniel Gross, Organizer IWW Starbucks Workers Union - 917-577-1110

Grand Rapids, MI 5/17/07- Baristas at Wealthy St. Starbucks in East Grand Rapids announced last night their membership in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union ( http://www.starbucksunion.org ), becoming the first store in Michigan to declare union membership at the world's largest coffee chain.

Workers served Starbucks management at the café, located on 2172 Wealthy St. SE, with a declaration of union membership and a set of demands including a living wage, guaranteed work hours, reinstatement of IWW baristas fired for organizing activity, and respect for an independent voice on the job through union membership.

“For a company as profitable as Starbucks my fellow baristas and I should be better compensated for our work,” said Cole Dorsey, an IWW barista at the Wealthy St. store. “We hope to build off the achievements already won by the IWW Starbucks Workers Union in New York and Chicago and improve our working conditions here in Grand Rapids.”

After management got wind of the 'union talk' at Starbucks cafes in Grand Rapids all baristas citywide were forced to sign Starbucks corporate statement on unions.

One victory already won at the Wealthy St. store is more consistent scheduling, which came about directly after workers began discussing the union.

In stark contrast to its employee-friendly image, Starbucks workers in Grand Rapids and around the world face low wages and barriers to health care and other benefits. After years of promoting itself as a leader in employee health care, Starbucks was forced to admit that only 42% of its employees (including management) are covered by company health care- that figure is lower than Wal-Mart's 47%, a company often condemned for its poor health care package.

In Grand Rapids, baristas start at only $7.25 per hour and, like all café workers at the company,are not guaranteed any number of work hours per week.  Employees who expect to work full-time are often not given the necessary number of hours to qualify for health care benefits.

Founded in 2004, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union has won three wage increases, more consistent scheduling, and safety improvements at Starbucks stores across the country. The union uses direct pressure against the company on the job and in the community to win demands and remedy member grievances with management. The union's organizing approach is known as solidarity unionism whereby workers themselves control their own organization; power is exerted without interference from the government or union bureaucrats; and organizing takes place regardless of certification status.  Like many labor organizations, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union does not get involved in government certification elections because of the fatal flaws in that system.  Starbucks does not recognize the union and is waging a relentless campaign to crush the organization, which resulted in a large complaint leveled against the company by the National Labor Relations Board.  The government settlement agreement of those charges is available on the web at

http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/712.