Starbucks Organizing Hits Europe Along w/ Union-Busting

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070719041626780

Starbucks Organizing Hits Europe Along w/ Union-Busting

Thursday, July 19 2007 @ 04:16 AM PDT
Contributed by: WorkerFreedom

Fire Your Boss Throughout the summer, we have been touring Europe with presentations of film and discussion to draw attention to the efforts of Starbucks workers organizing with the IWW, and to bring to light the vicious union-busting campaign that has been waged by Starbucks Coffee Company. Comrades throughout the continent are expressing immense support with the six fired baristas in New York City and workers struggling in such retail jobs throughout the world. We have reached out to many baristas and have had nothing but positive reactions from fellow workers the IWW, the Confédération Nationale du Travail (CNT-F) in Paris and in Die Freie Arbeiterinnen- und Arbeiter Union (FAU-IAA) in Berlin.

Report from Starbucks organizing in Europe

by Diane Krauthamer and Adam Lincoln

Throughout the summer, we have been touring Europe with presentations of film and discussion to draw attention to the efforts of Starbucks workers organizing with the IWW, and to bring to light the vicious union-busting campaign that has been waged by Starbucks Coffee Company. Comrades throughout the continent are expressing immense support with the six fired baristas in New York City and workers struggling in such retail jobs throughout the world. We have reached out to many baristas and have had nothing but positive reactions from fellow workers the IWW, the Confédération Nationale du Travail (CNT-F) in Paris and in Die Freie Arbeiterinnen- und Arbeiter Union (FAU-IAA) in Berlin. But what's important now is the reaction of Schultz & Co., in light of such events, as their reaction consists of worker intimidation and vicious PR manuevers that had not previously developed on this side of the Atlantic.

PARIS, FRANCE

On June 30, 2007 the CNT-F organized leafletting protests in five different Starbucks locations in Paris, in which comrades leafletted with informational fliers for customers and workers and while chanting "Non non non, a la repression, a Starbucks." At each shop we approached, store managers were waiting at the door for us to show and immediately tried to force us out, tearing up some of the flyers. It was apparent that regional management had warned the store managers that we would be protesting, as there were managers and even some baristas and one or two precarious people in business attire telling us to leave. Other baristas were very supportive but could not openly show this, although they did show interest in our campaign.

At one store, a manager who may have been tipped off that we would be protesting as soon as we marched in, immediately launched at our video camera with physical force; she attempted to take the camera and pushed us against the display of coffee mugs and beans. When the CNT-F comrades came to our defense, the manager tried punching them as well. What followed was more arguing, and ultimately the fight scene did not do well with Starbucks' PR, as many customers and potential customers looked disgusted and left. This incident was astonishing as in front of all the customers the manager was pushing us and screaming, while her brother who does not even work there was demanding we leave. All the CNT-F comrades and us remained calm in front of the customers and it was Starbucks that made a bad image for their customers.

That evening the CNT-F hosted a film night with many interested comrades attending.

FULL story at link.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. I'm a daily customer of Starbucks

Anything I can do to help? E-mail them? Anything?

[Omaha Steve]

2. Get Involved from the union site

http://www.starbucksunion.org/action

Participate in the e-mail action campaign

Help save Starbucks Union organizers jobs at http://starbucksunion.org/node/1005 and encourage others to participate as well

Spread the Word to Starbucks Workers

Take some time to reach out to the workers at your local Starbucks. Let them know they have a right to form a union to increase their wage and working conditions. Make sure to let them know Starbucks workers in New York City are doing it right now! Here's a flyer you can modify to hand-out to Baristas.

Hold a Rally Outside your Store

Gather some folks to stand outside your local Starbucks to raise awareness on what it's like to work at Starbucks. The "Fact Sheet for Guests" is a useful flyer to hand-out to customers as they're coming into the store.

Contact Starbucks Directly

Write an e-mail to Chairman Howard Schultz at [e-mail] and call Starbucks at 800.235.2883 demanding he respect the right of workers to form a Union to get out of poverty.

Solidarity Message

Propose that your community group, labor union, or house of worship author a solidarity message to the Starbucks Baristas Union expressing support for the cause.

Donation

The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is a grassroots effort funded entirely by membership dues and solidarity contributions from working people. Every contribution goes a long way towards building a movement for the dignity of Starbucks workers. Donate online:

Or by mail:

Please make checks out to the IWW Starbucks Workers Union and send them to:

IWW Starbucks Workers Union
347 Maujer St. Apt. #C
Brooklyn, NY 11206

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. Ok! nt