MayDay IWW Press Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan (in Spanish and English)

[Omaha Steve]

http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20080506163332967

Saturday, May 10 2008 @ 06:40 PM CDT

Mentioned in the press conference is our fellow worker, Monica, who was unlawfully fired by Starbucks on April 24th in Seville, Spain. She was a member of the CNT union.

Friends and Supporters,

Mediamouse.org has posted the MayDay Press Conference in front of Starbucks in East Grand Rapids. It can be seen here:

http://www.mediamouse.org/features/050608iww_h.php

Mentioned in the press conference is our fellow worker, Monica, who was unlawfully fired by Starbucks on April 24th in Seville, Spain. She was a member of the CNT union. That story as well as mention of Grand Rapids organizing can be viewed here (in spanish):

http://www.cnt.es/sevilla/
http://www.cnt.es/

The paragraphs related to the IWW (in spanish and english):

No es la primera vez que Starbucks reprime a los trabajadores que se sindican. En Estados Unidos, país de origen de esta multinacional, tiene una largo historial de despido y represión a trabajadores del sindicato revolucionario IWW (Trabajadores Industriales del Mundo). En la actualidad en Grand Rapids, Michigan, los compañeros del Sindicato de Trabajadores de Starbucks están luchando contra la discriminación por motivos de afiliación sindical.

CNT SEVILLA LUCHA POR SU READMISIÓN
Desde el Sindicato de Comercio de la CNT de Sevilla no vamos a
permitir la represión sindical a nuestra compañera, y vamos a
luchar por su readmisión. Aunque por ahora valoramos positivamente el talante dialogante de la empresa, no descartamos comenzar en breve una campaña internacional que ya estamos planificando. Para ello, contamos con la solidaridad de las secciones que la Asociación Internacional de Trabajadores tiene un varias decenas de países, y de otros sindicatos de base como los IWW.

This is not the first time that Starbucks has tried to prevent workers from starting a union. In the US, where the multinational corporation is based, there is a long history of repression against the revolutionary worker group the IWW. In the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan the union of Starbucks workers is fighting against the discriminating practices of Starbucks targeting those attempting to organize workers."

CNT Seville fights for your reinstatement

Since the Commercial Workers of the CNT in Seville will not allow the repression against our fellow union member, we are going to fight for her reinstatement. While we certainly value the positive dialogue that is occurring with the company, we are not going to discontinue the brief international campaign that we have organized. In support of our fellow worker, we will continue with the solidarity efforts through sections of the International Workers Association that has branches in a variety of countries and other unions such as the IWW.

The National Labor Relations Board continues to investigate Starbucks in Grand Rapids. Stay tuned for developments.

For an Organized Fair-Trade Future,
Grand Rapids Starbucks Workers Union
616-881-5263
PO Box 6629
Grand Rapids, MI 49516