URGENT SOLIDARITY APPEAL - Starbucks worker Joe Agins Jr. fired in NYC

Update from Union Square

Since joe’s (worker at 2nd and 9th) firing managment has been harrassing the most militant workers at union square. In the past few days management has been harassing workers around our dress code. Tomer has constantly be told to button up his shirt because he had a white shirt underneath. Meanwhile other workers are told nothing when they do the same thing. Tina has been forced to buy new shoes cause the old one did not meet dress code. .

On 12/14 in solidarity with Joe 4 union members put on their union pins and spoke to manager mike about our discontent with the anti-union campaign and that Joe should get his job back. The manager told us he does not care about Joe and he is here to simply run the store. .

The finally straw came when they started harrasing Suley, a mother of 4. Suley was told to take off her pentagram because religious symbols are not allowed at starbucks and because her chain is to big and that violates starbucks policy. If jewelry creates a distraction than it must be taken off, a policy that if fully discriminatory at its root. If a manager finds a necklace distracting than it must be taken off. meanwhile we are forced to wear santa hats and listen to non stop christmas music.

Suley addressed the bullshit around the necklace with managment and has since refused to remove the pentagram. In solidarity with Suley union members have been wearing necklaces and refusing to tuck them in.

Today, November 15th 2005 we were bullied by managers. Attempts were made to send Tomer home over insubordination and violation of dress code (the necklace). the insubordination was around tasting of a croussant to see if it was stale during the morning open. Also i the morning shift claims Tomer was working slow and not listen to her. This while Tomer is working on the bar at a rate of over a latte a minute. After a final threat to be sent home Tomer tucked his necklace. He put up a fight and several attempts were made. The choice was to either be sent home or tuck in the necklace.

Suley started work at 10:45. An argument with managamne over the necklace resulted in Suley talking to human resources. Human Resources sticks to the policy and said it was the manager's discration. They told her she couldn't wear the necklace that she had been working for the past 3 years. No one ever said anything to her about it. betweem 5 - 6 Suley was talked to by Ass Man Krisitna and given the decision to either be sent home or take off the necklace. Suley was sent home for refusing to take off her pentagram. Clear religious and anti-union discrimination to try and break us. There is strong anger from union members and action will be taken!

What an outrage! Starbucks disciplines people who break the rules?!? What will they come up with next, a guillotine in the back room?

Give me a break. If any of your points were valid you might be onto something, but you're not. Quit acting like whiny babies and do your jobs.

Brandon's got a point. This kind of knitpicking is hurting your efforts and giving unions a bad name. If you want to bring about change, find something a stick to it. You may have something with religious expression or even threats of being sent home before the end of your shift, which may even be illegal depending on circumstance. But don't put up a fight for someone who "tested" a crossiant for breakfast; people are going to think you're the ones bullying starbucks