By Diane Krauthamer and Thomas Good
January 23, 2010
NEW YORK — “To show solidarity with our fellow workers and send a clear message to the bosses that we stand united against all forms of slavery,” the New York City branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) held its third annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day rally at the Union Square East Starbucks on January 18.
The union, joined by dozens of workers, community members and labor allies, called on the multibillion dollar company to commemorate Dr. King on this federal holiday by paying a holiday premium of time-and-a-half pay to baristas, just as the Seattle-based chain does for its baristas on five other federal holidays.
To press their demands for recognition of MLK Day, the “Wobblies” and their supporters gathered outside the Union Square East Starbucks at Noon as the sun began to break through the cloud cover.
A tall man with a booming voice stepped up and addressed his sisters and brothers.
“My name is Vance Hinton. I am an organizer,” he said.
“I’m glad to see all of you here today…I want to tell you that if you’re not in the IWW, then you’re missing something very important. I joined about a year and a half ago and I can’t tell you the friends and colleagues that I’ve made as a result of being in this union,” he added.
“If you’re here and you’ve never been to any of our functions before you’re going to have a great time today,” Hinton said with a grin.
Announcing that it was time to chant, Hinton issued lyrics sheets to the crowd, now 50 in number. As they chanted, the crowd formed a walking picket, under the watchful eye of an NYPD detective.
During the picket a Department of Sanitation garbage truck pulled up and two workers got out. The men were about to enter the coffee shop when they realized that they were crossing a picket line. They abruptly turned around and walked back to their truck — as the Wobblies cheered. The DSNY workers gave the Wobs a thumbs up and drove off.
As the Wobs picketed, the Rude Mechanical Orchestra arrived and began to play. Wobblies chanted, “No union — No latte!” as the RMO provided a marching backbeat. Snare and bass drums, accompanied by a horn section, added a festive feel to the rally.
After the chanting, organizer Daniel Gross addressed the crowd.
“Starbucks is a poverty wage employer,” Gross said.
He went on to describe the insurmountable obstacle Starbucks workers face when trying to budget their money — the company does not provide consistent hours from week to week. With no set schedule, workers have no way to anticipate how much income they will take in. Because of the company’s labor practices the union has had considerable success in its organizing drive, begun in 2004, and Gross reported that Wobblies are actively organizing the coffee chain’s stores in New York, the Twin Cities, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Fort Worth, Texas.
“Over 500 workers at this company now march under the IWW banner,” Gross said.
Barista Liberte Locke also spoke — in front of the very store she works in.
“Happy Martin Luther King Junior Day,” Locke said, telling the crowd that it was her favorite holiday. “I’ve never to this day, worked on Martin Luther King Day but if I get time and a half next year — I will,” she added.
Locke described the goals of the campaign she is a part of: “For better wages, more consistent scheduling, better working conditions and especially more respect on the job.”
The Rude Mechanical Orchestra performed a spirited rendition of “We Shall Overcome” — playing the civil rights anthem with trombone and trumpet solos set to a marching beat — as the Wobblies prepared to march to the second rally of the day.
Leaving Starbucks to digest their message, the Wobblies and their supporters marched down Broadway to the Kmart in Astor Place, where the union is demanding that the Sears Holding owned company drop Media Planning Group (MPG) as their media planning and buying agency and instead chose a socially responsible ad agency.
In April 2009, MPG cut 11 percent of its staff, or 50 workers, from its offices in New York, Boston and Chicago. The multimillion-dollar advertising giant only gave these workers a four-week severance package. In order to receive their severance pay, MPG required that the laid-off workers sign an “Agreement of Separation and Release,” which included the stipulation that the former employees would not “in any way denigrate any aspect of the company,” yet the company made no commitment not to denigrate its former employees.
The sacked employees are now demanding the severance pay they feel they are owed, and the IWW is asking Kmart to stop advertising with MPG until the ad agency negotiates a severance agreement that is acceptable to both sides.
As the winter sun warmed hearts and hands, the rally ended — and the Wobblies returned to their families, to their jobs, and to their organizing.
For more information on the IWW and its various organizing drives, please visit: http://www.wobblycity.org and www.iww.org.
View Photos/Videos From The Event…
http://www.nextleftnotes.org/NLN/photo-gallery-1/2010_01_18_mlk/
http://www.wobblycity.org/current/news_letter.cgi