Starbucks Employees Struggle for Justice

[PPI Brian]

Follow the latest developments across Europe as baristas employed by Starbucks fight for dignity and living wages.
http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/1843

Check out the IWW documentary:
http://www.starbucksunion.org/documentary

[PPI Jason]

Wow Brian,

I really had no idea how rough these poor guys have it. No wonder Johnson seems so tired lately. I sure hope this union can get these guys some improvements in their quality of life. So many people have come to rely on Starbucks for their own quality of life (I know people you can't talk to in the morning until they've had their Starbucks lol). It only seems fair the employees should have some fair treatment.

Jason

[PPI Brian]

I doubt things will get better unless we can get the Employee Free Choice Act passed by congress and signed by the President. The labor laws in our country are some of the worst in the world. In Europe, if workers want a union, they sign a petition and give it to the government and the company must recognize them. In our country, the workers also sign a petition, but the company doesn't have to recognize them. The government will conduct an election within 42 days, and the company hires union busting lawyers to threaten and intimidate the workers until they get so scared they give up the fight. Workers really have no rights in our country, no matter what you hear to the contrary. Workers get fired every day for exercising their alleged rights under the law, and our government won't lift a finger to help them.

Sorry... don't mean to rant. I'll share some of the horror stories I've lived through over the last 20 years when you've got the time.

[PPI Jason]

Brian,

I love when you apologize for ranting. Your rants are pretty much the most polite, reasonable, and well thought-out "rants" I have ever heard  I always appreciate the topics you bring up because they are often times things I just had no clue about. Plus, I think this is a great forum in which to vent. Maybe we should just start a new thread and call it "Rant section: This is the area where you can cathartically vent your frustrations" 

Jason