For Immediate Release:
IWW Starbucks Workers Union
November 15, 2007
Contact: starbucksunion@yahoo.com
Statement of Starbucks Workers Union Followed by Legal Threat Letter from HMSHost:
"Starbucks should be ashamed that HMSHost, the
operator of 150 Starbucks stores, is threatening
frivolous litigation against the Industrial Workers of
the World to stifle First Amendment activity. This
type of anti-worker conduct is among the factors
contributing to the decline of the Starbucks brand and
attendant earnings woes. The IWW Starbucks Workers
Union will not be deterred by a baseless lawsuit and
we look forward to carrying out our communications
initiative at Pennsylvania's HMS-operated Starbucks
stores this Black Friday. We call on Chairman Howard
Schultz and Starbucks to insist that HMSHost immediately
rescind its anti-speech legal threat."
Starbucks-Licensee Legal Threat Letter
November 13, 2007
Via Regular Mail and E-Mail
Kenneth Miller
7125 Thomas Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
RE: Starbucks on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and IWW’s
intention to picket and Request that Customers Boycott
Starbucks products
Dear Mr. Miller:
This is a follow up letter to one that had
previously been sent to you by Christopher Townsend
from HMSHost Corporation. Your communications to the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and your letter to
HMSHost clearly set for the union’s dispute with
Starbucks Corporation and your organizational campaign
drive against Starbucks. As stated in Mr. Townsend’s
letter, and as you have also been informed by the
Turnpike Commission, Host is a tenant at the Turnpike
that has a franchise agreement with Starbucks to
operate stores on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Your contemplated picketing and boycott activity
of Host’s Starbucks stores on the Turnpike constitutes
illegal secondary activity and a violation of Section
8 (b) (4) (ii) (B) of the National Labor Relations
Act. The Commission has also advised the union that
its conduct and continued communications with it
asking it to boycott Starbucks products and business
from the Turnpike could support a claim for tortuous
contractual interference.
Please be advised that Host will take all
necessary action to protect its business interests and
should any picketing and boycott activity occur as
contemplated that Host will seek legal recourse to
protect its rights, including seeking the recover of
damages that will occur because of the union’s
unlawful conduct. Historically, Hosts’ stores on the
Turnpike do very well over the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Therefore, Host will seek all lost revenues and costs
associated with bringing such action from the union
because of its unlawful secondary activity.
Should you have any further questions, please
feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Mary Helen Medina
Cc: Chuck Powers
Christopher Townsend
Brian Gallant
Stephen Stokwitz
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