(TURN IT UP TO VIEW - We apologize for some sound issues in the video, we're not professional videographers but just working people, and the store was very loud)
Sasha McCoy has worked for Starbucks for the past four years, in that time she's given birth to two lovely little girls and been attending school full time as a BS in Biology major. A year ago, Sasha and her coworkers at the 15th/Douglas store in Omaha, NE joined the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. Starbucks is now targeting Sasha for her union involvement by demanding more of her availability (what hours she can give to Starbucks during the week) than they've ever asked of her. We feel the reason they picked this issue is because Starbucks is grasping at straws. Baristas in the union know they must know company policy inside and out, know every drink - and make it correctly, and handle their registers carefully - this insures our employment while publicly pushing for a better life on the job through organizing with the union. Since Sasha is an excellent worker and does not violate any of these policies they have picked someone mundane and ridiculous to attempt to fire her.
More information will be coming soon on this struggle. Feel free to call the Starbucks customer complaint line at 1-800-Starbuc (800-782-7282) to express your support for this brave woman.
Please watch and forward widely. We expected a large number of negative comments to be posted below, as is the usual, and we'll do what we can to delete them out of respect for Sasha and her struggle to continue providing for her children with her employment.
Please understand that Starbucks does pay people to write these comments and talk down about the union effort.
The History:
The IWW Starbucks Workers Union started in 2004 with a handful of baristas (coffee makers) at the 36th/Madison store in New York City declaring their membership with the 100 year old, entirely volunteer-run by worker-members, labor union - The Industrial Workers of the World. Over the years, the campaign for justice at Starbucks has spread throughout the states and portions of Canada. The IWW Starbucks Workers Union has also made connections with various other unions throughout the globe that are seeking the same goals. A living wage, better working conditions, reliable scheduling, and basic dignity and respect on the job.
Since 2004, IWW Baristas have been able to affect immediate change on the job through working together, learning their rights, and reaching out to other Starbucks employees worldwide. We are workers that refuse to tolerate the abusive, racist, homophobic, sexist managers that Starbucks has often employs.
Without someone to make the coffee - there is no Starbucks. That knowledge is our power.
Starbucks refuses to acknowledge the union and yet has given in to many demands of the workers. Union Baristas were able to get 3 city-wide pay increases in Manhattan since 2004 and, our proudest victory - after a three year, country-wide battle, we were able to make Starbucks show Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the respect he deserves and honor him with adding him to the short list of holidays where if you work on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday you will receive time and a half pay. This win affected tens of thousands of employees in the U.S. and set the bar for other retailers and fast food chains to do the same.
Starbucks has spending literally millions of dollars trying to silence the union roar of it's workers - but broke baristas will still join together and fight for what is right. A lot of baristas don't know about the union but have benefited from it's existence. The reason you may never have heard of it is because the company does whatever they can, especially pressuring press outlets to not cover our struggles in the media and targeting our members for harassment, such is the case with Sasha here.
Just know that you do have a union. The union is run by baristas from Starbucks, not bigwigs in an office - not some third party, and union dues for the average barista getting paid around minimum wage is simply $5/month that goes directly into simply keeping the union afloat. We would never take money out of anyone's checks and the union is open to Baristas, Shift Supervisors, and Bussers of any age, race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, parents, and people with disabilities.
We are all workers and we deserve so much better from this multi-billion dollar corporation. CEO Howard Schultz owns an apartment worth $24.7 million and isn't expected to make hundreds of drinks a day for minimum wage - are you living with family because you can't afford your own place while Schultz can travel to visit any number of his mansions? Do you feel that's fair? Neither do we.
Join the fight: http://www.StarbucksUnion.org
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Starbucks Barista Tells The Real Starbucks Storyby StarbucksUnion42,056 views
Are you kidding me you are deleting negative posts? How disgusting! I have worked for this copany for 10 years. You people are freaking cry babies! We get treated wonderfully. There is no basis for calling starbucks "racist" They are one of the most tolerant companies ever. You don't like it quit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We dont need miserable people like you in our stores!
AliT3673 5 months ago
There IS an official IWW youtube channel! Its The Industrial Worker channel.
And I hope all fares well Sasha! Keep up the good fight! :)
Pennoid 5 months ago
Way to go Sasha - it takes courage to stand up for your rights! I wish you all the best. It's a shame, but no surprise, that the manager responded that way. So glad that you had support from your fellow workers! Solidarity!
EarthBus 6 months ago
Best of luck to you, Sasha! It is interesting how he reacted. Just shacking his head and walking away. Let us know if there are any updates. On another note, is there an official IWW youtube channel?
socialisteducation 6 months ago