what a mess

Thank you. I'm glad to see that some people out there appreciate the job they have, instead of bitching and moaning and paying someone else to try and fix stuff.

[quote=DontFormAUnion]Thank you. I'm glad to see that some people out there appreciate the job they have, instead of bitching and moaning and paying someone else to try and fix stuff.[/quote]

Paying someone to fix things. I guess your referring to Starbucks who pays lawyers to get rid of workers who want to organize a union. Organizing which by the way is doen with no exchange of money.

It seems like the only ones who make any money on this thing is the Lawyers (hired by Starbucks) as usual. Parasites. They go home to safe, comfortable lives at night, and then feed during the day on the misery of a less fortunate class.

You would never have an education if it was up to Starbucks and their layers. You’d be to busy working your fingers to the bone.

[quote=Organize][quote=DontFormAUnion]Thank you. I'm glad to see that some people out there appreciate the job they have, instead of bitching and moaning and paying someone else to try and fix stuff.[/quote]

Paying someone to fix things. I guess your referring to Starbucks who pays lawyers to get rid of workers who want to organize a union. Organizing which by the way is doen with no exchange of money.

It seems like the only ones who make any money on this thing is the Lawyers (hired by Starbucks) as usual. Parasites. They go home to safe, comfortable lives at night, and then feed during the day on the misery of a less fortunate class.

You would never have an education if it was up to Starbucks and their layers. You’d be to busy working your fingers to the bone.[/quote]

They have to pay a laywer to fire a partner? Maybe organizing a union costs no money, but if you try and tell me that there will be no monthly fees with a union, you're so far from reality it's not funny. If you dislike working at Starbucks so fucking much, find another job. No one is making you stay at Starbucks, there's a million other companies to work for. Some of them even have unions formed already so you should be set.

[quote=DontFormAUnion][quote=Organize][quote=DontFormAUnion]Thank you. I'm glad to see that some people out there appreciate the job they have, instead of bitching and moaning and paying someone else to try and fix stuff.[/quote]

Paying someone to fix things. I guess your referring to Starbucks who pays lawyers to get rid of workers who want to organize a union. Organizing which by the way is doen with no exchange of money.

It seems like the only ones who make any money on this thing is the Lawyers (hired by Starbucks) as usual. Parasites. They go home to safe, comfortable lives at night, and then feed during the day on the misery of a less fortunate class.

You would never have an education if it was up to Starbucks and their layers. You’d be to busy working your fingers to the bone.[/quote]

They have to pay a laywer to fire a partner? Maybe organizing a union costs no money, but if you try and tell me that there will be no monthly fees with a union, you're so far from reality it's not funny. If you dislike working at Starbucks so fucking much, find another job. No one is making you stay at Starbucks, there's a million other companies to work for. Some of them even have unions formed already so you should be set.[/quote]

The IWW is different in that it dose not force non-union workers to pay dues. Just as a church doesn’t force you to donate more than you can afford, so the IWW doesn’t’ ask for more dues than it’s workers can afford.

Further more, once a member of the Union my membership is not workplace specific. I can be a member even if I am unemployed.

Unionization is simply building community with like-minded individuals. If you don’t like the IWW and Unions, don’t join. But then don’t expect to share in our solidarity. Don’t expect to free lowed off of our struggles.

You are uninformed, which is no surprise. Considering the tone of your posts, I would guess you are something like an assistant manager, which in my experience is the most uninformed person on the face of the earth.

Here are the facts:

IWW Dues Structure (though there may be some reform of the dues in the future, but of course it will be democratically decided by the rank & file)

subminimum dues--economic hardship, unemployed, etc: $3/month
minimum dues--workers making up to $1000/month (after tax): $6/month
regular dues--workers making $1000-2000/month: $12/month
maximum dues--workers making more than $2000/month: $18/month

half of this dues money is kept by the local, and the use of the money is democratically determined by the membership, and includes mailing of local newsletters, funding organizing campaigns, and branch social activites. The other half is sent up to GHQ, and provides for the members monthly subscription to the Industrial Worker, printing and mailing of the General Organizing Bulletin, and for administrative costs including the modest national payroll and all payroll taxes.

In the case of economic hardship for the branch, for example the branch in Pensacola that has had difficulties due to the series of hurricanes that have hit florida the past few years, GHQ can and does authorize dues waivers so that members need pay no dues or what dues they pay are kept entirely in the local.

I pay, for example, the minimum dues of $6/month because I have stopped working and gone back to school for a MS, and have no real income. Six bucks a month is one less sixpack that I drink, or one less pint of microbrew, and I find that the meager cost is greatly outweighed by the benefits that I receive from it. Even when I was working and paying $12/month I considered that completely worth it and I regularly contributed the additional $8 out of the twenty as a voluntary assesment to help in the organizing campaigns.

Get your facts straight, and KEEP UP THE BITCHING!!!

[quote=DontFormAUnion]If you dislike working at Starbucks so fucking much, find another job. No one is making you stay at Starbucks, there's a million other companies to work for. [/quote]

Ah, the classic Bosses Anthem: "If you don't like it here, go work somewhere else." Does anybody besides "Dontformaunion" NOT think this is utter bullshit?

How many job applications did you fill out last time you were unemployed? How long did you spend job hunting, how many days and months of worrying about how you were going to pay your bills, before you finally found a job? Do you really want to do it again?

I would propose this slogan instead: "If you don't like it here, change it and make it a better place to work!"

[quote=labrat][quote=DontFormAUnion]If you dislike working at Starbucks so fucking much, find another job. No one is making you stay at Starbucks, there's a million other companies to work for. [/quote]

Ah, the classic Bosses Anthem: "If you don't like it here, go work somewhere else." Does anybody besides "Dontformaunion" NOT think this is utter bullshit?

How many job applications did you fill out last time you were unemployed? How long did you spend job hunting, how many days and months of worrying about how you were going to pay your bills, before you finally found a job? Do you really want to do it again?

I would propose this slogan instead: "If you don't like it here, change it and make it a better place to work!"[/quote]

I don't think there's anything wrong with Starbucks. I mean, it has it's flaws like any other large corporation, but from my experience it has A LOT less flaws than the other jobs I've had in the past. You guys seem to talk about a workplace utopia, which is pretty much fucking impossible.

[quote=DontFormAUnion][quote=labrat][quote=DontFormAUnion]If you dislike working at Starbucks so fucking much, find another job. No one is making you stay at Starbucks, there's a million other companies to work for. [/quote]

Ah, the classic Bosses Anthem: "If you don't like it here, go work somewhere else." Does anybody besides "Dontformaunion" NOT think this is utter bullshit?

How many job applications did you fill out last time you were unemployed? How long did you spend job hunting, how many days and months of worrying about how you were going to pay your bills, before you finally found a job? Do you really want to do it again?

I would propose this slogan instead: "If you don't like it here, change it and make it a better place to work!"[/quote]

I don't think there's anything wrong with Starbucks. I mean, it has it's flaws like any other large corporation, but from my experience it has A LOT less flaws than the other jobs I've had in the past. You guys seem to talk about a workplace utopia, which is pretty much fucking impossible. [/quote]

you must never have heard of Mondragon

http://www.sfworlds.com/linkworld/mondragon.html

!OF COURSE! these companies are growing like weeds; in leaps and bounds all due to the efforts of their under staffed, under paid, over worked employees. That one is a "no brainer" to figure out... Starbucks' base of employees is the companies hardest working employees, working for minimal money, constantly under high stress with poor working conditions and virtually a useless, biased Human Resource Department...there is no neutral party there to resolve employees complaints and rogue managers. With what is required from the baristas and shift supervisors versus what they get paid, it's as good as robbing them blind for their services. Companies widdle away from the employee base (called nickle and diming them) and invest this loot ($$) in monopolizing the globe with their product and logo; all the while knocking out other, smaller, start-up companies, keeping both the employees AND customers right where Starbucks wants them - UNDER THEIR THUMB. Growth is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you take care of your priorities first (including employees) - THEN invest your realistic, geniune profits into more growth. But that is not how Starbucks and some other companies are playing the game - instead they rob from the small to inflate themselves - I believe this can be referred to as GREED. Starbucks lost their edge as a leading employer when they began relying so heavily on investor's money and answering to their stock holders, leaving their employees behind, skating in the dust...When "it walks and quacks like a duck", it is what it is...You can try "candy coating" it, BUT it is still a DUCK. 'Just calling it like it is...FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SO AGAINST UNIONS, that can be resolved easily, you just don't have to join them, BUT you surrender all rights to what is gained through the union by the those who support and worked hard to get it. If you're wise, you already can see how good that has been working for you on your own and what you already get and have to show for it...

[quote=FromInsideTheMug]!OF COURSE! these companies are growing like weeds; in leaps and bounds all due to the efforts of their under staffed, under paid, over worked employees. That one is a "no brainer" to figure out... Starbucks' base of employees is the companies hardest working employees, working for minimal money, constantly under high stress with poor working conditions and virtually a useless, biased Human Resource Department...there is no neutral party there to resolve employees complaints and rogue managers. With what is required from the baristas and shift supervisors versus what they get paid, it's as good as robbing them blind for their services. Companies widdle away from the employee base (called nickle and diming them) and invest this loot ($$) in monopolizing the globe with their product and logo; all the while knocking out other, smaller, start-up companies, keeping both the employees AND customers right where Starbucks wants them - UNDER THEIR THUMB. Growth is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you take care of your priorities first (including employees) - THEN invest your realistic, geniune profits into more growth. But that is not how Starbucks and some other companies are playing the game - instead they rob from the small to inflate themselves - I believe this can be referred to as GREED. Starbucks lost their edge as a leading employer when they began relying so heavily on investor's money and answering to their stock holders, leaving their employees behind, skating in the dust...When "it walks and quacks like a duck", it is what it is...You can try "candy coating" it, BUT it is still a DUCK. 'Just calling it like it is...FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SO AGAINST UNIONS, that can be resolved easily, you just don't have to join them, BUT you surrender all rights to what is gained through the union by the those who support and worked hard to get it. If you're wise, you already can see how good that has been working for you on your own and what you already get and have to show for it...[/quote]
Bravo to you "MUG,"spoken like a true and tried champion for workers causes. I agree that Starbucks is profiting from the blood,sweat and tears of the low paid Baristas. Starbucks has its Union Busters and is engaging in unfair labor practices. The Baristas in New York City stood their ground,and challenged Starbucks, when Starbucks unjustly fired some pro Union Baristas. Consequencly Starbucks caved, when the IWW Union confronted Starbucks with the unfair labor practices. Starbucks settled 15 charges of unfair labor practices,and put two fired workers back to work with back pay. Thank you IWW and thank You New York City Baristas for showing us the way. Everyone who visits this site should send a thank you post to the New York City Baristas and welcome the New Zealand Starbucks Union workers to post on this site. Welcome New Zealand Starbucks Baristas. Keep the presure on in NYC.