Rallies Held Worldwide to Protest Firing of Pro-Union Starbucks Workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/8922

Rallies were held at Starbucks locations around the world this weekend in response to the alleged firing of two employees for union activity. One employee was fired in Spain and the other in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Protests were held on Saturday in nearly 12 countries and more than 10 U.S. cities. In 2004, the first Starbucks was organized in New York City by the Industrial Workers of the World. Starbucks has long contested that while it supports the right to organize, the company believes that with the pro-worker environment it provides unionization is unnecessary. The employee in Seville, Spain was fired on April 24 after she refused to attend work meetings off the clock and inquired about why a co-worker had been fired. The Michigan employee had more than two years of experience with the company and was fired on June 6. Last week, the chain announced it would be closing 600 stores across the country. The Starbucks Union has been demanding that the company immediately disclose the locations that will be closed and make public any severance plan it intends to provide employees who lose their jobs as result of the closures. The National Labor Relations Board is currently investigating charges made against the coffee chain alleging labor law violations.