October 17, 2006

Cambridge, MA- The City Council of Cambridge Massachusetts late yesterday became the first local government in the nation to condemn Starbucks' relentless anti-union campaign and support the Industrial Workers of the World organizing drive at Starbucks. Members of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union [http://www.StarbucksUnion.org] hope the resolution will serve as a model for other city councils, religious organizations, and labor unions around the world.

"I want to thank the Cambridge City Council for supporting our struggle for a decent wage and fair scheduling," said Isis Saenz, an IWW member and Starbucks barista in New York. "The resolution sends a strong message that Starbucks must end its illegal and immoral anti-worker policies."

The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is a group of employees at the world's largest coffee chain united for justice at work and in society. Despite Starbucks' fierce anti-union campaign of firings, threats, intimidation, and spying, the IWW baristas have won victories including significant wage increases and more secure scheduling.

The text of the resolution follows below. The resolution is also available on the Cambridge City Council website at www.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk/PolicyOrder.cfm.
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IN CITY COUNCIL
October 16, 2006

MAYOR REEVES

WHEREAS:

The City of Cambridge is committed to the right of all workers to have dignity in their lives, safe conditions at work, a living wage, and health benefits, and supports responsible employers who follow the law and treat their workers fairly; and

WHEREAS:

National attention has been increasing on the efforts of Starbucks workers to organize into a union in order to negotiate fair wages, benefits, and scheduling issues without harassment from the employer or their representatives; and

WHEREAS:

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a union with a long history in Massachusetts, going back to the 1912 Lawrence textile strike, have been asked by the workers at Starbucks to be their labor representative; and

WHEREAS:

The Industrial Workers of the World have agreed to work on behalf of the workers at Starbucks, the employer should allow for fair and just representation of the employees choice; and

WHEREAS:

This struggle has started in New York City, and the National Labor Relations Board has ordered the workers who were unlawfully fired by Starbucks, exercising their rights, to seek representation by a union, and to be reinstated and made whole in everyway, including all damages, and ordered Starbucks to cease and desist from interfering with workers rights to organize; and

WHEREAS:

Starbucks has continued to interfere with its workers rights, by firing four more workers in New York City for union activity; and

WHEREAS:

Starbucks is an international corporation with many assets, and millions and millions of dollars, they should refrain from interfering with the workers right to organize; now therefore be it


RESOLVED:

That the City Council go on record supporting the cause of the Starbuck’s workers; and be it further


RESOLVED:

That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Starbucks Corporation.