Strange how somehow these events fall together: I have just been blogging about Starbucks trying to sabotage the funding of the community radio station Leith FM after a broadcast reporting the solidarity protest of Zapatista supporters and IWW members against Starbucks, and swoosh the day after the news of the employees winning their court case against this multinational company comes through.
What a telepathic coincidence!
Here is the full email received:
Union Scores Big Victory Against Starbucks at Labor Board
IWW Starbucks Workers Union
March 8, 2006
Union Scores Big Victory Against Starbucks at Labor Board
Coffee Giant Must Rehire Fired Baristas and Rescind National Anti-Union Policies
New York, NY- The IWW Starbucks Workers Union won a watershed victory yesterday in the first National Labor Relations Board conflict over unfair labor practices between the world’s largest coffee chain and the baristas who work there. Faced with the prospect of having its widespread union-busting campaign exposed in a public hearing, Starbucks agreed to remedy all of the myriad violations committed against workers who have organized a union.
“We hope Starbucks’ decision to settle reflects a strategic assessment to cease what has been a relentless anti-union campaign and accept the right of baristas to gain a voice on the job by joining together,” said Laura De Anda, one of the union members that prevailed in the proceedings. “The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is here to stay.”
Some highlights of the National Labor Relations Board settlement with Starbucks include:
- The reinstatement of IWW members, Sarah Bender and Anthony Polanco, who had been discharged for their union activity in order to discourage other workers from making a free and fair choice about whether to join the union.
- The invalidation of Starbucks’ national policy that prohibited the sharing of written union information and joining the union on company property.
- The invalidation of Starbucks’ national no-pin policy. Workers had been banned from wearing IWW pins and had been sent home from work without pay for refusing to take them off.
- An agreement by Starbucks to end threats, bribes, and surveillance of union members.
- What would have been a relatively hefty backpay award against Starbucks was reduced because the IWW assisted its discharged members in obtaining other employment which mitigates damages under the National Labor Relations Act. Still, the company will pay out almost $2,000.
- And much more.
To view the settlement agreement log on to http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/712.