Starbucks settles unionizing dispute in Michigan

[Omaha Steve]

Source: By Melissa Allison

By Melissa Allison

Seattle Times business reporter

Starbucks and the Industrial Workers of the World reached a settlement agreement this week over unionizing efforts by employees at a Starbucks store in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The IWW had accused Starbucks managers of coercively interrogating employees about their union activities and implying that union organizing activities could lead to adverse personnel action, among other things.

The National Labor Relations Board approved the settlement today, said Stephen Glasser, regional director for the NLRB in Detroit.

No money changed hands in the settlement, but Starbucks agreed to post notices in that store for two months advising employees of their unionizing rights. Starbucks admitted to no wrongdoing.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003922342_webstarbucks04.html

[salib]

1. YES!!!

And the IWW, no less. They are not only willing to, but driven to, go after the "sacred cows" like Starbucks. Good to see they have some integrity in this issue.

[noonwitch]

2. Grand Rapids is a non-union kind of town, though

Meijer is unionized, Steelecase and Amway (or Alticor) are not. Steelecase, when they were owned locally, was a good place to work-pay was good, benefits were excellent, and employees had profit-sharing. I think those who worked at Amway's factory had similare working conditions-my problem with Amway is in the pyramid schemes on the sales end of things.

[Odin2005]

3. Yay Wobblies!!!

:woohoo:

[gtar100]

4. Hmmm, even blue Starbucks

I'd love it if there were a law *requiring* unions if a company hires more than a certain number of employees. Good on the IWW, way to go!

[two gun sid]

5. Workers Of The World Unite!

I am proud of the IWW and their efforts to unionize workers that seem to be ignored by the bigger unions. And hurray for the workers! The only thing they have to lose are their chains.

yours for the OBU,

twogunsid