Starbucks Union - Starbucks Union

EMERGENCY: Starbucks Union Supporter in Grave Danger in Oaxaca Tonight

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:42:14 -0500

Friends:

Eric Larson, an IWW member and long-time supporter of
the SWU, is in grave danger along with many indigenous
workers in a home in Oaxaca. Eric and his companeros
could be seriously wounded or worse tonight and
they're asking for help immediately. Eric is a
thoughtful, kind, and generous unionist and his
comrades are remarkable activists as well. I know you
receive many e-mail pleas but I implore you to take
the time to respond to this one immediately. The
ruling party could lay siege to their home any minute
now. We don't need anymore martyrs ripped from their
families and friends in Oaxaca. The call for help
from Oaxaca follows.

In Solidarity,

Daniel Gross

Please forward widely

Priistas are planning to remove CIPO [grassroots
indigenous organization] out of the neighborhood by
force!

This part of Santa Lucia is enemy territory. It is
near Barricade Three, the Príista attack of last
Friday, and the site of Brad Will's murder. It's also

E-Mail Action: Fortune Magazine, Stop Lying About Starbucks Being a 'Best Company to Work For'

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:02:35 -0500

Dear SWU Activists,

Please take just a moment to participate in the e-mail action included below by going to http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1948. Starbucks deceives people around the world through the Fortune Magazine '100 Best Companies to Work For' list and this has to stop. Thank you for your commitment to speaking truth for working families.

Andrew Serwer
Managing Editor
Fortune Magazine
1 Time Warner Center
New York, NY 10019

January 28, 2008

Dear Mr. Serwer,

I take serious issue with the erroneous information regarding Starbucks in Fortune Magazine's 2008 '100 Best Companies to Work For'. I am especially concerned about the reliability of Fortune given that the IWW Starbucks Workers Union wrote you an open letter before the 2007 '100 Best Companies to Work For' feature that pointed out the very same misinformation which you proceeded to include once again in the 2008 list.

The 2008 'Best Companies to Work For' list claims that the most common hourly job at Starbucks is a mysterious position called "Coordinator III" which takes in $37,390 per year. Once again, the most common hourly job at Starbucks, by far, is a position called "Barista" which likely takes in approximately $12,000 per year on average. The precise average pay for baristas is not known since Starbucks refuses to make that information public.

E-Mail Action: Starbucks Must Honor MLK Day in 2008

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:47:08 -0500

Dear Starbucks Union Activists,

Please join the IWW Starbucks Workers Union call for the coffee giant to honor Martin Luther King Day in 2008 by paying the same holiday premium that it pays for several other federal holidays to baristas who work.

While Starbucks claims a commitment to racial diversity and pays a holiday premium on federal holidays including the Fourth of July and New Year's Day, baristas receive no added compensation for working through the MLK Day holiday.

-Urge Starbucks to pay the holiday premium on January 21st by participating in the SWU E-Mail Action at http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1919

-For more action ideas and to learn more about the SWU's MLK Day Initiative log on to http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1914

Thank you for all of your hard work. Together we win.

In Solidarity,

SWU, Organizing Committee

E-Mail Action: Starbucks Must Honor MLK Day in 2008

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:47:08 -0500

Dear Starbucks Union Activists,

-Urge Starbucks to pay the holiday premium on January 21st by participating in the SWU E-Mail Action at node/1919

-For more action ideas and to learn more about the SWU's MLK Day Initiative log on to node/1914 Thank you for all of your hard work. Together we win.

In Solidarity,

SWU, Organizing Committee

E-Mail Action: Starbucks Must Honor MLK Day in 2008

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:47:08 -0500

Dear Starbucks Union Activists,

-Urge Starbucks to pay the holiday premium on January 21st by participating in the SWU E-Mail Action at http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1919

-For more action ideas and to learn more about the SWU's MLK Day Initiative log on to http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1914

Thank you for all of your hard work. Together we win.

In Solidarity,

SWU, Organizing Committee

E-Mail Action: Starbucks Must Honor MLK Day in 2008

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:47:08 -0500

Dear Starbucks Union Activists,

-Urge Starbucks to pay the holiday premium on January 21st by participating in the SWU E-Mail Action at http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1919

-For more action ideas and to learn more about the SWU's MLK Day Initiative log on to http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1914 Thank you for all of your hard work. Together we win.

In Solidarity,

SWU, Organizing Committee

Latest on IWW-Starbucks Trial and Barista Simone Gordon's Fight Against Discrimination

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:46:52 -0400

August 13, 2007

Dear Starbucks Union Activists,

With your continuing support, union baristas are standing up for a living wage, secure work hours, and a respectful work environment through the hot summer months. We are no longer silenced by the phony social responsibility of the world's largest coffee chain.

The NLRB trial against Starbucks over its illegal union-busting campaign is in full swing in New York City. While Starbucks disparaged and red-baited the IWW in its opening statement, the company's lawyers did admit that our campaign against union-busting has successfully imposed real costs on the chain.

The coffee giant is not happy about having to go to trial either. Starbucks whined about having to turn over some 100,000 documents in the proceedings and having to pay its high-priced lawyers. What management really hates is having the light of day shined upon their ugly effort to crush workers who commit the high crime of supporting a labor union. Testimony continues throughout the week. New York SWU activists should drop by 120 W. 45th St. 14th Fl. The trial usually goes from 9:30am-5:00pm but Tuesday August 14th we're finishing at 3pm.

Take Action: Starbucks Barista Homeless After Racist Demotion

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:40:20 -0400

June 26, 2007

Sisters and Brothers:

Simone Gordon and the IWW Starbucks Workers Union
[StarbucksUnion.org] need your solidarity now. Ms.
Gordon is homeless and on welfare after Starbucks
demoted her from shift supervisor to barista on New
Year’s Day and cut her schedule to a stunning five
hours per week. Simone’s store manager, Graham
Higgins, falsely accused Ms. Gordon, who is
African-American, of being racist against white people
and stated that she wasn’t fit to be a leader in the
store. The allegation that Ms. Gordon is racist is so
patently absurd that we won’t even dignify it with a
response. Suffice it to say, Simone Gordon, who has a
white grandparent, opposes all forms of
discrimination.

Starbucks’ discriminatory conduct has caused Ms.
Gordon to lose her home as she struggles to care for
her father who is suffering from a severe heart
ailment. To add insult to injury, store manager
Higgins has been spreading the falsehood that Ms.
Gordon is racist to customers and other employees at

Victory for IWW Barista Against Pregnancy Discrimination at Starbucks!

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:44:58 -0400

May 30, 2007

Friends of the Starbucks Workers Union:

Thank you! Bowing to grassroots pressure from the Industrial Workers of the World and its allies, Starbucks has notified barista Christina Rosevear that it has decided not to fire her. Christina faced imminent termination five days ago at a scheduled meeting with her store manager who warned that she had abandoned her job after she took doctor-ordered leave for a back ailment related to her pregnancy. The manager had also been cutting Christina's hours in retaliation for taking time off to deal with severe morning sickness.

Tired of distressed sleepless nights and the fear of being fired, Christina decided to join the IWW Starbucks Workers Union and fight back for herself, her nineteen-month old daughter, and her future child. You responded to her call for solidarity.

In just a few days, hundreds of you from across the United States and abroad contacted the company demanding that Christina not be fired. A Bay Area IWW team accompanied Christina to the meeting with her manager only to have it cancelled by a higher-up at Starbucks who admitted the company needed more time to make up its mind. Now the coffee giant has informed Christina that she's back on the work schedule and won't be fired!

Link for E-mail Action

Thu, 24 May 2007 02:11:16 -0400

Due to a bug, the previous e-mail may have had a bad link for the action alert. The correct link is http://starbucksunion.org/node/1641 or just access the e-mail action through the homepage at StarbucksUnion.org

Thank you for all of your support and please do take a moment to oppose pregnancy discrimination at Starbucks.

PLEASE HELP: Pregnant Barista Facing Discrimination and Imminent Termination

Thu, 24 May 2007 01:57:14 -0400

Sisters and Brothers:

Starbucks barista Christina Rosevear and her 19 month-old daughter need your help now. Christina recently learned that she was pregnant with her second child and she promptly informed the store manager at the Northern California Starbucks where she works. Instead of being considerate of Christina's pregnancy, Starbucks began to discriminate against her.

Christina developed severe morning sickness and needed to take the occasional day off. On several occasions after she took a day off, she'd find that her work hours would be cut the following week depriving her of much needed income. Sometimes she'd receive as little as four hours of work per week! As a single mom and a low-wage worker, Christina can't afford such a dramatic pay cut. Things only got worse and now Christina is facing the prospect of an unjust termination.

Christina's doctor ordered her to take time off work to deal with a pregnancy-related back ailment that may be connected to heavy lifting at Starbucks. When Christina was ready to come back to work, the store manager warned that he might fire her for being away from the job. Christina has a meeting coming up with the manager and it's critical that Starbucks hear from people of conscience now that discriminating against someone for a pregnancy or illness is wrong.

M17: SWU Commemorates 3rd Anniversary as Union Expands to Second Chicago Store

Thu, 17 May 2007 15:25:07 -0400

For Immediate Release:
IWW Starbucks Workers Union, StarbucksUnion.org
May 17, 2007

Contact: starbucksunion@yahoo.com

SWU Commemorates Third Anniversary as Union Expands to
Second Chicago Store

Workers Around the World Take Part in Day of Action
for Starbucks Workers and Farmers

Chicago, IL- A group of Starbucks baristas here
marched into their store today and served a
declaration of union membership on their store manager
as working people in countries around the globe
demonstrated in solidarity with Starbucks coffee
farmers and café workers.

"As members of the Industrial Workers of the World, we
won't allow Starbucks to play dice with the amount of
work hours we get each week," said Liz Clarkson, an
IWW barista at the Chicago store. "Taking this action
for secure work hours and a livable wage on the third
anniversary of the SWU's founding makes it all the
sweeter."

Workers in countries including Austria, England, Spain
and Australia as well as several U.S. states

NY Times on Union Victory Against Starbucks at Labor Board!

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 05:13:51 -0400

Dear Starbucks Union Activists,

Great news below on the campaign for a living wage, secure work hours, and respect at Starbucks. Thank you for your continuing support of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union [StarbucksUnion.org], which is part of the global justice movement putting people and communities before profits.

Mark your calendars for the May 17, 2007 Day of Action for Starbucks Workers to commemorate the founding of the SWU. Once again this year, working people across the globe will be reaching out to Starbucks employees or protesting company union-busting.

The article follows:

By Steven Greenhouse, New York Times
April 3, 2007

Linked at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/nyregion/03starbucks.html?ex=1333252800&en=63b62e852554f24e&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

The National Labor Relations Board has accused
Starbucks of breaking the law 30 times in fighting
union activity at four of its coffee shops in
Manhattan.

The labor board’s regional office in Manhattan issued

Video and Report Release on SBUX Barista Trip to Ethiopia

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:15:55 -0400

YouTube Video: NYC Starbucks Barista Visits an Ethiopian Coffee Farm in "Partners?"

Sarah Bender, Starbucks barista and IWW member, traveled with a Justice from Bean to Cup! delegation to Ethiopia to meet coffee farmers growing the beans she brews at Starbucks. Sarah learns the disturbing truth behind a Starbucks Black Apron exlusive, the company's highest priced coffee label, in "Partners?":

Part I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xTk_LLjxUk

Part II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9petRD_Zss8

Starbucks 2006 Corporate Irresponsibility Report Available Online

Coffee farmers receiving just 2.2% of the retail sales
of their beans at Starbucks?

Starbucks insuring a lower percentage of its workforce
than Wal-Mart?

Is Starbucks' Corporate Social Responsibility Report a flashy exercise in Venti-sized deception?

Learn the reality behind Starbucks' socially responsible rhetoric in this new report from Justice from Bean to Cup! and the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. Find out what we learned on our trip to meet Ethiopian coffee farmers and what it's like to work behind the green apron in a Starbucks cafe.

A Year in Review and a Look Ahead

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:06:11 -0500

IWW Starbucks Workers Union: A Year in Review and a Look Ahead

By Daniel Gross

Despite the ferocious union-busting campaign waged by Starbucks, 2006 was an incredible year for IWW baristas and their supporters. Building on multiple victories this past year, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) is poised to continue deploying innovative organizing strategies and exerting shop-floor power in what will be an exciting 2007.

The most gratifying aspect of 2006's accomplishments is the staggering number of Wobblies and supporters from around the world who were active participants in the campaign. For example, the May 17th Day of Action for Starbucks Workers- commemorating the founding of the SWU- saw IWW supporters at Starbucks stores in 20 cities and 4 countries reaching out to baristas and protesting for the right to join a union.

2006 Victories

This past Fall after protracted pressure from the IWW, Starbucks issued yet another nationwide wage increase. While the combination of precarious hours and a still-low wage leaves many baristas in poverty, it's gratifying that more money is ending up in workers' pockets because of the IWW campaign. Indeed, many New York City baristas have seen an unprecedented wage gain of almost 25% in just over two and a half years of Wobbly organizing.