PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Starbucks Charged With Multiple Labor Violations
by Starbucks Workers Union - NYC Saturday, Jan. 08, 2005 at 11:44 AM

The NLRB has issued a complaint against Starbucks for multiple violations of the National Labor Relations Act.

For Immediate Release:

IWW Starbucks Workers Union

January 7, 2005

Contact: Daniel Gross
(917)577-1110


Labor Board Charges Starbucks with Multiple Violations
Coffee Giant Discriminates Against Union Employees

New York, NY- The National Labor Relations Board has
issued a complaint against Starbucks alleging that the
company has been, "interfering with, restraining, and
coercing employees in the exercise of the rights
guaranteed [by federal labor law]." The NLRB further
alleges that Starbucks has been unlawfully
discriminating against pro-union employees to
discourage unionization. The complaint comes as a
result of a well-documented unfair labor practice
charge filed by the Starbucks Workers Union (IWW I.U.
660).

"The Board correctly concluded that Starbucks'
vigorous anti-union bias includes widespread unlawful
activity," said the Union's attorney, Stuart Lichten
of Kennedy, Schwartz, and Cure.

"Chairman Howard Schultz tells the world that
Starbucks respects its employees but in fact the
company systematically violates workers' rights,"
added Daniel Gross, a Starbucks worker and IWW member.

According to the government complaint, seven Starbucks
officials have broken the law in the course of the
union-busting campaign. In a clear sign that
Starbucks has a corporate-wide anti-union policy, the
complaints names Starbucks Senior Vice President
Martin Annesse, the executive in charge of the
company's vast Northeast operations, as one of those
who engaged in anti-union intimidation. Also named
are: Alex Perez, Regional Director of Operations; Vito
Bozzi, District Manager; Candace Nunnally, District
Manager; Fabian Vera, Store Manager; Samuel Jones,
Assistant Store Manager; and Julian Warner, Assistant
Store Manager.

"This is obviously not a case of a few bad apples,"
stated Anthony Polanco, a Union employee at Starbucks.
"Starbucks Coffee Company is rotten to its core."

The NLRB complaint includes the following allegations.
Starbucks:

-Created an impression of surveillance among employees
to deter them from supporting the Union.

-Threatened employees with loss of wages and benefits
if they supported the Union.

-Interrogated employees about their support for the
Union.

-Promised to promote pro-Union employees if they
agreed to withdraw their support for the Union.

-Discriminatorily refused to allow employees to wear
pro-Union buttons.

-Provided baseball tickets and gym passes among other
things in order to convince employees to withdraw
support for the Union.

The IWW Starbucks Workers Union calls on the company
to cease its fierce anti-union activities and enter
into a neutrality agreement. Starbucks should
implement a zero-tolerance policy for violating the
rights of cafe workers, roasting plant employees, or
coffee farmers. In that light, the Union demands that
Starbucks terminate the wrongdoers including Senior
Vice President Martin Annesse.

Industrial Workers of the World I.U. 660 is the union
for retail workers.

www.starbucksunion.org

add your comments