| Statement of the Starbucks Workers Union on its Fifth Anniversary
By Starbucks Workers Union 
May 18, 2009
May 17, 2009 marks five years since baristas at a Starbucks in New York City announced their membership in the Industrial Workers of the World and launched a campaign open to employees throughout the company. A worker-led organizing effort with the legendary IWW at the world's largest coffee chain could have been a flash in the pan– brilliant and inspiring, but brief. But a fire was lit and a movement began. The idea that Starbucks workers could organize themselves and speak in their own voice, independent of company executives and union bureaucrats, could not be restrained.
The bosses did their best to defeat us, to bury any indication of our existence under a heap of lies and retaliatory firings. They tried to stamp us out, even as the campaign for secure jobs and a living wage burst from New York into Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and beyond.
While Starbucks used the economic crisis as a pretext for an all-out assault on our already meager standard of living, our struggle gained momentum this year amidst a stark decline of the company's brand and widespread store closures. Baristas around the country and around the world made the decision to organize and fight back against severe cuts in work hours, chronic under staffing, and a new "Optimal Scheduling" program which forces many workers to be available to Starbucks for over 80 hours a week without being guaranteed a single work hour.
This journey has been full of set-backs and tests of will. Progress has been made yet much remains to be done. But one thing is certain: our voice for dignity is firmly planted and our union’s future is bright.
The biggest battles remain ahead, but every day our ranks deepen. We are confident in our solidarity and could not be more proud to be associated with our fellow workers across the IWW and like-minded unionists around the world. This year, courageous baristas in Chile became the first Starbucks workers in Latin America to raise a union banner.
The corporate-controlled economic, social, and political model has been exposed everywhere as a failure for working families. And everyday workers are bolder and more assertive in the fight against injustice and exploitation. The notion that democracy has no place at work has been exposed as a lie.
To every worker who loves liberty: this is our time!
Together we organize. Together we struggle. Together we win!
www.StarbucksUnion.org
www.iww.org
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NYC Workers Fight Bosses, Rain on May Day
By Diane Krauthamer 
May 09, 2009
Despite the torrential late spring rain, thousands of workers spent their May Day marching and rallying through the streets of Manhattan, displaying solidarity with workers at home and abroad. New Yorkers celebrated this international workers’ holiday with actions, events, marches and rallies, coordinated by a number of labor unions, community associations, political parties and non-profit organizations. In the spirit of celebration, the New York City IWW marched on Starbucks to demand that the coffee giant treat its workers with respect.
Beginning with a 2:00 pm a rally in the heart of Chinatown, the IWW joined hundreds of individuals from community and labor organizations to demand “Equal Rights for All Workers.” IWW members Stephanie Basile and Vance Hinton delivered powerful speeches on top of the soapbox.
“May 1st is the real Labor Day. They want us to forget that, but we’ll never forget. It was through collective action that those before us made the gains we currently enjoy today,” Basile said.
“It was through collective action that we won the 8-hour workday, the right to form a labor union, and wage and hour laws,” she added.
Hinton spoke about the necessity of workers organizing at retail stores and warehouses, specifically at Starbucks, where he currently works.
“The next time you walk into a Starbucks, I want you to congratulate the baristas for all the hard work they put into making your drinks,” said Hinton, a union barista.
The rally was organized by the Break the Chains Alliance, and featured speakers from the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops (NMASS), the Chinese Staff and Workers Association, and a few local progressive politicians. Additionally, the members of the Socialist Party-USA and the Workers Solidarity Alliance (WSA) attended.
After the Chinatown rally, the crowd of approximately 700 people marched uptown to join thousands of workers in Union Square for an annual May Day rally, organized by the May 1st Coalition for Worker and Immigrant Rights. As the marchers approached the park, a few dozen IWW members and supporters broke away from the main group and headed to the Union Square East Starbucks—the second Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) shop to go public, and one of the many SWU shops in the U.S. that harbors union baristas. Most recently a barista from this shop, Anna Hurst, joined the SWU to fight for back wages after store manager Gwen Krueger denied her two weeks of work. Recently, former barista Sheanel Simon was fired, re-hired, and then fired again for participating in the union.
Armed with drums, leaflets, organic lollipops and signs reading such slogans as “No War But The Class War,” the Wobblies swarmed into the store to deliver gifts to the baristas, who were forced to work on an international holiday. Each barista was given a lollipop and a flier, and they were thanked for their hard work.
According to Union Square East SWU barista, Liberte Locke, the store’s management attempted to gather information on the actions prior to May Day.
“In the days leading up to the event, Krueger questioned several baristas about what the action would be. They certainly were not expecting lollipops,” said Locke.
During the action, Krueger and district manager Adler Ludvigsen helplessly watched as baristas thanked the IWW for their holiday gifts. Ludvigsen was overheard telling a customer that the union was "just a bunch of anarchists and communists."
The IWW then marched from Union Square East across the park to the 17th and Broadway Starbucks, where many union baristas have been mistreated and wrongfully reprimanded since going public with their union affiliation. Store manager “Little Mark” Vanneri fired former barista Sharon Bell for being a union organizer, and imposed disciplinary measures on current barista Henry Marin for his union involvement. The SWU organized a three day call-in action to Vanneri , from May 1 until May 3, to demand that he respect his workers and their right to organize
At the action, management stood aghast at the end of the bar, looking extremely nervous as the IWW swarmed into the store. The managers grew confused when the Wobblies started handing out harmless organic lollipops and leaflets to baristas and customers.
Before leaving, the IWW banged on drums while chanting “What’s disgusting? Union busting! What’s outrageous? Starbucks wages!” for a number of minutes, and left without being kicked out. They stayed outside waving red and black flags before a torrential downpour hit. Locke said that baristas from both stores were happy that the union came in.
Despite being drenched, half the group maintained their fighting spirit and joined the rally in Union Square. The rally included a number of speakers and musicians from congressional leaders to indigenous artists. Thousands of workers marched in the pouring rain from Union Square downtown to City Hall. Some of the groups in attendance were Make the Road New York, YKASEC: Empowering the Korean-American Community, Jornaleros Unidos De Woodside, National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), the New York Immigration Coalition, the Retail Action Project (RAP), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the African Services Committee, the International Socialist Organization (ISO) and the IWW.
The rain did not keep the IWW’s fighting spirit down. In fact, the spirit of May Day lasted throughout the night, as dozens of workers joined together at the NYC IWW office in Long Island City, Queens for a rooftop party. Miraculously, the rain cleared right in time for the Wobblies to finish off the holiday with union-made beer and a perfect view of the Manhattan skyline.
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Workers Form First Union at Starbucks in Latin America!
By Starbucks Workers Union 
May 05, 2009
The SWU Applauds the Efforts of Baristas in Chile and Pledges Close Cooperation
New York, NY (05/05/2009)- The IWW Starbucks Workers Union has enthusiastically welcomed the first union of Starbucks workers in Latin America and has pledged support for the new endeavor. Starbucks baristas and shift supervisors in Chile have organized for respect on the job, a dependable work schedule, and a living wage, among other issues. Supporters of the new union, Sindicato de Trabajadores de Starbucks Coffee Chile S.A., can learn more about the effort on their website http://sindicatosbux.blogspot.com/.
"Around the world, Starbucks jobs must work for hard-working baristas, not just senior executives," said Chrissy Cogswell, a Starbucks employee in Chicago and a member of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. "The Chilean baristas have created a voice at work to make sure their contribution to the company is respected."
Missteps by management at Starbucks including over expansion and lack of value on the menu have resulted in serious hardships for baristas. Starbucks workers are facing mass layoffs and employees who manage to avoid losing their jobs are seeing their hours drastically cut.
Founded in 2004, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union is an organization of over 300 current and former baristas, bussers, and shift supervisors united for a secure work schedule and an independent voice on the job. Through direct action, public education, and legal advocacy, the SWU organizes for a Starbucks which rewards the hard work of employees with respect and dignity. The union has made important systemic improvements at the company and has successfully defended baristas that have been treated unfairly.
The Industrial Workers of the World is a member-operated global labor union open to all working people.
www.StarbucksUnion.org
www.iww.org
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