Protest in Dublin against Starbucks: 2pm Dame St. this Saturday, July 5th

ireland / britain | workplace struggles | anarchist communist event Tuesday July 01, 2008 18:10 by Ois - WSM

Protest in Dublin against Starbucks: 2pm Dame St. this Saturday, July 5th

The Workers Solidarity Movement is helping to organise a picket of the Starbucks on Dame street in Dublin, at 2pm on Saturday 5th July in solidarity with the Global Day of Action called by Starbucks union organisers in Spain and the USA. This picket will be preceeded by leafleting workers in Starbucks stores around Dublin. People will be meeting up to go leafleting at noon outside the front arch at Trinity College.

Earlier on saturday in Belfast two simultaneous protests will be held at the Starbucks at 90 Botanic Avenue and Cornmarket. In England, Europe, Canada, the USA and Latin America simultaneous protests will be held. This is gearing up to be the largest, global coordinated action against Starbucks ever.

The Union of Commercial and Hotel workers CNT-AIT in Sevilla, Spain along with the Grand Rapids Starbucks Workers Union (IWW) have announced a Global Day of Action scheduled for July 5th. The two groups are asking social organizations, unions, and individuals from around the world to promote and participate in this day of action.

On April 24th, 2008 a barista named Monica was fired for her union activity from a Starbucks in Sevilla, Spain. She was a member of the Union of Commercial and Hotel Workers of the Confederacion Nacional de Trabajadores (CNT). Now with the support of all CNT affiliates, the International Workers Association, and the Starbucks Workers Union (IWW) they are demanding justice for Monica.

The treatment of Monica in Spain by Starbucks is similar to the charges of anti-union discrimination being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This new Grand Rapids investigation comes less than a year since Starbucks signed a settlement agreement with the NLRB claiming they would end intimidation against baristas interested in joining the Starbucks Union.

The Grand Rapids Starbucks Workers Union (IWW) is calling on everyone interested in social justice and worker's rights to confront global coffee giant Starbucks on July 5th with international solidarity. For Monica in Spain, for baristas in Grand Rapids, and for coffee farmers around the globe.

http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/2017

The CNT of Sevilla have produced a weblog for the Day of Action (in spanish):
http://seccionstarbuckscnt.wordpress.com/