For Immediate Release:
Starbucks Workers Union/Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

Contact: Tyler Swain, 402-320-2002

August 5, 2010

Squeezed Baristas Shut Down 15th and Douglas Starbucks to Protest Cutbacks

Workers Demand Reversal of Recession Labor Cuts as Starbucks Returns to Profitability

Press Conference: 4:30 August 5, 15th and Douglas, W. Entrance to Omaha Public Library

Omaha, NE- Baristas and community supporters shut down the 15th and Douglas Starbucks (SBUX) this morning demanding that management reverse all cuts to healthcare, staffing, and benefits that have been imposed during the recession. The baristas claim that executives have no justification to squeeze working families with Starbucks raking in profits of $977.2 million in the past four fiscal quarters.

“We are being squeezed, and we can't take it any more. Since the recession began, Starbucks executives have ruthlessly gutted our standard of living. They doubled the cost of our health insurance, reduced staffing levels, cut our hours, all while demanding more work from us. Starbucks is now more than profitable again. It's time for management to give back what they took from us,” said Sasha McCoy, a shift supervisor at the store.

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Dear Friends and Fellow
Workers,




On May 17, 2004, Baristas at one Starbucks in New York City announced
that they had formed a union affiliated with the Industrial Workers of
the World in order to fight for decent wages, consistent scheduling,
sufficient hours, and an end to understaffing in the stores.
Immediately, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sought to undermine the
workers' solidarity through a campaign of intimidation, threats,
retaliation, spying, and at times, outright bribery. The union took
some hits: over the years, Starbucks fired over a dozen outspoken union
supporters in New York, seeking to destroy the union. But against all
odds, six years later our union is strong and growing. Our unique
Solidarity Unionism approach, developed through the tenacity, courage,
and sacrifice of dozens of union baristas, has enabled us to succeed
where much larger unions have failed. We have established a foothold in
the industry with the lowest union density in the United States. We now
have members across North America, and have established ties with
Starbucks workers across the world.

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Dear Friends and Fellow Workers,

On May 17, 2004, Baristas at one Starbucks in New York City announced that they had formed a union affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World in order to fight for decent wages, consistent scheduling, sufficient hours, and an end to understaffing in the stores. Immediately, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sought to undermine the workers' solidarity through a campaign of intimidation, threats, retaliation, spying, and at times, outright bribery. The union took some hits: over the years, Starbucks fired over a dozen outspoken union supporters in New York, seeking to destroy the union. But against all odds, six years later our union is strong and growing. Our unique Solidarity Unionism approach, developed through the tenacity, courage, and sacrifice of dozens of union baristas, has enabled us to succeed where much larger unions have failed. We have established a foothold in the industry with the lowest union density in the United States. We now have members across North America, and have established ties with Starbucks workers across the world. -->

The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is proud to celebrate the sixth anniversary of our campaign for fair wages, consistent scheduling, a healthier and safer workplace, and a voice on the job at the world's largest coffee chain. As we enter our sixth year of struggle, we leave behind us a year marked by the continued rapid deterioration of working conditions at Starbucks: the doubling of our health insurance costs, massive layoffs, reduced staffing, and the continued disregard of greedy company executives for the well-being of hard-working Baristas and their families– even as Starbucks achieves record profits of $760.3 million in the last 12 months. This represents a profit of roughly $5354 from each of Starbucks 142,000 workers. Rather than return the wealth of our labor to hard-working Baristas who are living in poverty, Starbucks executives issued the first-ever dividend to shareholders, further enriching the financial class that has driven our world to ruin in the worst economic crisis since 1929. However, even as conditions continue to worsen in corporate management's greed-fueled race to the bottom, our movement for justice at work continues to gather strength. We now take a moment to celebrate our victories as we prepare for the battles to come.

In the past year, we gained members and took action to win our demands and build power on the job on shopfloors across the world. The Starbucks Workers Union expanded to Canada as Baristas in Quebec City joined the IWW in response to Starbucks new Optimal Scheduling system, which forces students to choose between keeping their jobs and staying in school, and pressures working parents to choose between their children and their careers. In the United States, we have continued to gain ground in our fight to defend our right to organize, with Starbucks cornered into signing its sixth settlement agreement with the National Labor Relations Board pledging to end its anti-union misconduct. We gained valuable public support thanks to our new allies at Brave New Films, who launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of Starbucks' repeated and intentional violation for our right to organize. A YouTube video about the Starbucks Workers Union filmed by Brave New Films was viewed over 80,000 times, forcing a response from Starbucks. In New York, Starbucks was hit by yet another NLRB legal complaint, increasing pressure on company bosses to respect our right to association.

Despite continued illegal interference from management, we have forged ahead with organizing efforts, welcoming scores of new members to the campaign and taking numerous direct actions to win gains on the job. In St. Paul, MN, the Starbucks Workers Union sprang to the defense of wrongfully-fired Barista Azmera Mebrahtu as she was unjustly targeted by Partner & Asset Protection. In Fort Worth, TX, union Baristas took direct action to demand the right to call in sick when they were forced to work with H1N1 symptoms, as well as to highlight Starbucks' decision to line executives pockets by doubling our healthcare costs. In New York City, baristas called on Starbucks executives to end their hypocrisy and honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by offering holiday pay on MLK Day. We stood up for the right of all workers to a workplace free to sexual harassment by standing with barista Kati Moore in her battle with the company over their support for a supervisor who repeatedly coerced her into sex. Unfortunately, we found that tolerance of sexual harassment has its roots high in the corporate hierarchy at Starbucks. Our public stance in support of Kati Moore inspired high-level managers to expose the pattern of sexual harassment and abuse engaged in by Starbucks Regional Vice President Andrew Alfano.

Looking back, we are horrified by the intensifying cycle of exploitation and abuse that corporate management is unleashing on workers at Starbucks. But looking ahead, we are confident that our movement will continue to gain strength. Our struggle for an independent voice on the job will end in triumph for Starbucks workers.

Until the final victory!

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ANNUAL CHURCH BENEFIT
This is our yearly attempt to raise some money for our work, we know its a tough year but we are working hard every day and can't do it without you. Please consider making a gift! If you can't come send a friend. This year we sail around Manhattan on the Half Moon party boat.

The boat is docked at the skyport marina
fdr and east 23rd st

boarding at 3:30
sailing at 4:00

75$ and up, Click Here For Tickets!

questions and more at stopshoppingchoir@earthlink.net
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR WORK if you can't come but want to send a check
The Immediate Life Inc.
po box 1556 ny ny 10013

Sun, Nov 9, 2008, 3:45 PM - 6:00 PM
Half Moon Boat, e.23rd and FDR, New York, NY, United States

WITH:
Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir
Approaching Storm Marching Band
Labor Leaders
Historian Joshua Freeman
Walking Tours with Kevin Baker and Center for Acoustic Ecology
and a Historic Draw-a-thon where YOU imagine the future of the pavilion!
Drawing from 4pm-7pm
Walking Tours 5pm-6pm
Speakers and Music 6pm-7pm

10 years ago Union Square Park was designated a National Historic Landmark for its a role as a center of free speech and assembly!

This event is endorsed by many groups including: NYC Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, NY State AFL-CIO, United Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, Professor Joshua Freeman, historian, Workers Defense League, Rev. Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping, 250+ Friends of NYC Parks, NYC Park Advocates, Historic Districts Council, Union Square Community Coalition, The “OUR” Labyrinth Project and Chelsea Midtown Democrats.
FREE

Thu, Oct 23, 2008, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Union Square, New York, NY, United States

$12.00 regular ticket or $25.00 benefit ticket price including our new CD!

4pm-6pm: Circling The Island! Boat Ride Benefit for The Church of Stop Shopping
Join us on a two hour cruise around Manhattan on the Half Moon party boat
Limited tickets, 75.00 up. Ticket outlets and more information coming soon.

Once a year we ask for YOUR contributions so we can continue our work on the streets and in the airwaves. If you don't live in NYC please consider buying a ticket for a friend who does.

Sun, Nov 9, 2008, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Highline Ballroom, New York, NY, United States

Reverend Billy performing with Mike V, directed by Savitri D.

Family Friendly!
$10 or pay what you can

Wed, Oct 1, 2008, 8:00 PM
, 1021 Sanchez at 24th, Parking Available, San Francisco, CA, United States

Show broadcasts 10am - 11:59am PST

Find out where you can listen over the air or online here:
http://www.wcl.org/

Doors open at 9:30am for the live studio audience.

TICKETS: for your 2 hours of slow-food organic radio with only the freshest conversation, music and play: call 415-664-9500. The walk-up price at the door the day of the show is $18. Children up to 12 $5.

Sat, Oct 4, 2008,
Live at the San Francisco Ferry Building, Site of CUESA's San Francisco Farmers' Market, San Francisco, CA, United States

Just off Hwy 1 near Morrisey Blvd on the East Side of Santa Cruz
$10 at the door

Tue, Sep 30, 2008, 8:00 PM
The Quaker Meeting House, 225 Rooney St, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

CITIZEN CHEFS COOKING UP CHANGE!
to Keep Parks for People NOT for Profit

Thurs Sept 18, 6 pm
Union Square Park, NYC
meet near George Washington statue at south end of the park

We’ll provide chefs hats -
Bring your own pot & something to bang with!
come in costume - black pants, white shirts, bow ties...
Bring a bike if you'd like to join the ChefBlock Bike Brigade

KEEP UNION SQUARE PARK PUBLIC !
more info: www.unionsquarenotforsale.org


The Union Square Partnership is selling out one of our most important
public spaces, the pavilion on the north side of Union Square, site of
seminal speeches from Emma Goldman, Paul Robeson, Cesar Chavez, Dorothy
Day and many many more AND one of the last remaining public assembly
areas in the city. Next week they hold their yearly harvest gala in the
people's park and we will be there to tell them what we think. "While
they feast at their PRIVATE, big-ticket, dinner in our PUBLIC park
(harvestinthesquare.org ) we'll be
surrounding the pricey party tent..."

We say NO the Union Square Pavilion can not be an upscale restautant
We say NO our precious public resources cannot be auctioned off to the
highest bidder
We say NO to conditional anonymous donations and for-profit enterprisein
our public parks
We say NO to Danny Meyer, Jennifer Falk and the Union Square Partnership

We say YES to transparency and full disclosure
We say YES to public spaces in public spaces
We say YES to community use in public parks
Yes to public space, community, and democracy. Without community space,
there can be no democracy.

Thu, Sep 18, 2008, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Union Square, New York, NY, United States

WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY? screening at the Java Lounge in Sacramento, sharing a double feature Saint Morgan Spurlock's SUPERSIZE ME!

The Rev and the Church will appear at the Java Lounge on October 2nd, more details on the way.
FREE

Wed, Sep 17, 2008, 7:00 PM
The Java Lounge, 2416 16th Street, Sacramento, CA, United States

Part Of Creative Time's Democracy In America Series

Sun, Sep 21, 2008, 9:00 PM
Park Avenue Armory, 643 PARK AVENUE BETWEEN 66TH AND 67TH STREETS, New York, NY, United States

Parking Lot Next to R5 Records, 2500 16th Street
The Reverend appears with Missouri piano legend, Mike V, who teamed up with the church at the Jazz Cafe at Burning Man.

Thu, Oct 2, 2008, 7:00 PM
, Sacramento, CA, United States

Hot and Holy Worship giving thanks to a special Saint in our Church, Art Goldberg -- Founder of the Working People's Law Center -- for his tireless work giving people access to justice and legal counsel regardless of their income.
Sliding scale: $10-$100, paid at the door.

Wed, Sep 24, 2008, 7:00 PM
Echo Park United Methodist Church, 1226 N. Alvarado St., Los Angeles, CA, United States

WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY? screening with an appearance by Reverend Billy and Savitri D!
$5.00 paid at the door

Wed, Sep 24, 2008, 10:00 PM
Echo Park Film Center, 1200 N. Alvarado Street (@ Sunset Blvd), Echo Park, CA, United States

Come pray with Reverend Billy in the poetry room at City Lights! Shout strange-a-lujah along with sermons and readings from the Shopocalypse, and get sanctified!
FREE

Sun, Oct 5, 2008, 5:00 PM
City Lights Books, 261 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, CA, United States

Showtime 8 pm!

Tue, Sep 16, 2008, 8:00 PM
Gage Memorial Student Union, 1220 First Avenue, Cedar Rapids, IA, United States

Stay tuned for further details!

Sun, Sep 14, 2008, 12:00 PM
Destiny NY Mall, Syracuse, NY, United States

Ellis Island Burn
Rev will preach a bit an the installation about immigration
Black Rock City, Burningman.com
Friday Aug 29, Midnight

Note from Amy Shapiro:
We have an amazing Burning Man community in New York City, but we don't have a single event on the playa where we all gather together in one place. Please join us on Friday night at midnight (Saturday 12:00 am schedulewise) to burn the artwork. There will be fire performances, pyrotechnic (fireworks!), and music about the Big Apple.
http://www.amyshapiro.com

Fri, Aug 29, 2008,
, Black Rock City, NV, United States