A fired Starbucks barista and member of Grand Rapids’ Starbucks Workers Union will be speaking in Lansing about the campaign to organize Starbucks and its relevancy to the larger labor movement:
Worker Organizing at Starbucks
Saturday Feb. 21st, 4pm , Northstar Center, Lansing
Erik Forman: Starbucks Worker Union Member – Minnesota
Cole Dorsey: Starbucks Worker Union Member – Grand Rapids, MI
Forman. After working at the Mall of America 1 Starbucks in Bloomington, MN for over two years, Erik Forman was illegally fired for union activity in July 2008. His coworkers subsequently declared their membership in the Starbucks Workers Union, a campaign of the Industrial Workers of the World, making their store the first union shop in the Mall of America, and the first union Starbucks in Minnesota. Due to a campaign of direct action, media advocacy, and a legal filing, Forman was reinstated to his position over Labor Day Weekend. The IWW campaign at Starbucks continues to gain momentum, as workers unite to build power at the corporate chains in Minneapolis and across the world. Forman is also a member of the Workers Solidarity Alliance.
Dorsey. Baristas at the Wealthy St. Starbucks in East Grand Rapids, Michigan announced their membership in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union on the union’s third anniversary in March 2007. Starbucks waged a relentless union-busting campaign that culminated in the illegal firing of IWW organizer Cole Dorsey on June 6, 2008. In response to union organizing Starbucks installed a 4-camera surveillance system to monitor barista’s every move, gave less in raises to union members, and interrogated baristas every time. The NRLB and the Michigan OSHA both concluded that Cole was wrongfully terminated and should be re-instated with back pay. Starbucks appealed both decisions. The MI-OSHA trial is set to begin March 23 in Lansing.
Come to a presentation and discussion of these workers campaigns!
Hosted by the Northstar Center and Solidarity & Defense
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