July 5th Global Starbucks Day of Action in Philadelphia | Philadelphia Independent Media Center

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July 5th Global Starbucks Day of Action in Philadelphia

by John Kalwaic | 07.06.2008

On July 5th, some members of the Philadelphia branch of the Industrial Workers of the World and I organized a small demonstration in front the Starbucks on 9th and South Street at 1:00pm.

Outside Starbucks

July 5th Global Starbucks Day of Action in Philadelphia
By John Kalwaic

On July 5th , some members of the Philadelphia branch of the Industrial Workers of the World and I organized a small demonstration in front the Starbucks on 9th and South Street at 1:00pm. This action was to protest the firing of Starbucks baristas who had been trying to unionize with the IWW Starbucks Workers Union in the United States. This event was coordinated with the Anarchist CNT Union in Spain where baristas have also been fired for organizing. Friends and family of IWW members also came by to show support for the demonstration. Protestors came with IWW flags and songs condemning the actions of Starbucks against union members in New York City, Grand Rapids Michigan and Seville Spain. We also handed out flyers so people could contact Starbucks in order to voice disapproval to the company for its union busting polices. The pickets sang songs such as Solidarity Forever and chanted “What’s Disgusting!?-Union Busting! What’s Outrages?!-Starbucks Wages!”

When we first set up the manger came to yell at us because she thought for sure we were doing something illegal. We told her that this is a public sidewalk and we could have a demonstration if we wanted. The manager said she was going to call the authorities and tell them what we were doing, However no policeman ever came to bother us since we were not blocking the sidewalk or the entrance to Starbucks. The manager posted an orange sing on the door that said, “We love our jobs.” Despite this typical act of managerial propaganda most people were receptive and took the flyers we were handing out. The Philadelphia IWW is not currently organizing any Starbucks workers; rather we are organizing a solidarity rally with Starbucks workers in other US cities in other parts of the world. The demonstration was successful and we got our message across.

Comments

Starbucks employmet practices in CA

Submitted by Ardis Renell Eaglin Monterey CA (not verified) on Wed, 07/16/2008 - 12:33pm

To: John Kalwaic

Well I must add in my inside scoop on the Starbucks front in our community. You know what I dislike about their franchises is that they drastically change according to where you go, and that there doesn't seem to be any collaborating with nearby coffee makers who never put up any comparable coffee stores whenever located in a shared scene with another Starbucks coffee shop. There are five Starbucks in the two towns where (Watsonville, Capitola, Soquel 95073 & Santa Cruz California, 95060) I live and four are very crummy and one is really nice and the nicest one is not accessible to all people because its the turf for "Hells Angel Biker Gang Members". Its awful they just ran everybody away. Theres a Pete's and Seattle Coffee shop near the nicest franchise and those two competitor coffee shops don't make their stores nice at all.

I have talked to an employee at one of the other Starbucks stores who regularly sees me at another pub business and is still working at one of the Starbucks about her job and she has complained to me about problems focusing on the quality of the coffee and lost apathy from leisurely coffee lovers. Its like we were talking about coffee and she was telling me that everybody kind of abandoned the whole coffee scene now. So in her opinion the Starbucks appeal has worn off as she complained that the servers are sloppy and careless in there preparation of drinks.

Sincerely concerned in California US

Ardis Eaglin

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