cyu
24th September 2008, 19:22
From http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=2008iww-starbucks-video
Starbucks Workers Union Files Unfair Labor Practice Charges against Mall of America, Metro Transit, City of Bloomington over Illegal Detention of Supporters day before Republican National Convention
The Starbucks Workers Union of the Industrial Workers of the World announced today that it is filing Unfair Labor Practice charges against the Mall of America, Metro Transit, and the City of Bloomington after fifty of its supporters were sealed onto a train by police at the Mall of the America station and denied the right to escort a union barista to his first day back on the job after an anti-union termination. The union delegation was headed to the Mall of the America Starbucks location on August 31st after a rally to celebrate the reinstatement of barista Erik Forman which had been won through a combination of direct action, a legal filing, and media advocacy.
“It was a surreal and deeply distressing experience to encounter heavily armed riot cops blocking the doors of the train car and trampling on our right to assembly. They even refused to let a diabetic child leave the train to get medical attention,” said Jake Bell, a barista and member of the Starbucks Workers Union. “They told us the ‘Mall doesn’t want you here,’ locked the doors, and rerouted the train back to Minneapolis.”
In the Mall, it became clear that a massive police buildup had been coordinated with the FBI and Starbucks management to pre-empt a supposed ‘protest’ in front of the Mall of America Starbucks. The Industrial Workers of the World had been explicit with police that no protest was planned. The Union has released video evidence documenting the unlawful interference with constitutional rights and international law, available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnK3I_zDuk0
Forman had been illegally fired on July 10 for union activity, sparking an outpouring of anger and disgust from baristas, customers and the general public. The delegation escorting him back to his first day back on the job received confirmation from transit police at both the Lake Street and Bloomington rail stations that they should be allowed to enter the Mall provided that they did not carry signs or disrupt business.
This is not the first time the IWW Starbucks Workers Union has experienced rights violations during a political convention. At the Republican National Convention in 2004, two IWW baristas were unlawfully arrested during a rally in front of the Starbucks location in New York City where they worked. The charges were successfully resolved and a lawsuit stemming from the event is currently pending against various governmental defendants.
Starbucks Workers Union Files Unfair Labor Practice Charges against Mall of America, Metro Transit, City of Bloomington over Illegal Detention of Supporters day before Republican National Convention
The Starbucks Workers Union of the Industrial Workers of the World announced today that it is filing Unfair Labor Practice charges against the Mall of America, Metro Transit, and the City of Bloomington after fifty of its supporters were sealed onto a train by police at the Mall of the America station and denied the right to escort a union barista to his first day back on the job after an anti-union termination. The union delegation was headed to the Mall of the America Starbucks location on August 31st after a rally to celebrate the reinstatement of barista Erik Forman which had been won through a combination of direct action, a legal filing, and media advocacy.
“It was a surreal and deeply distressing experience to encounter heavily armed riot cops blocking the doors of the train car and trampling on our right to assembly. They even refused to let a diabetic child leave the train to get medical attention,” said Jake Bell, a barista and member of the Starbucks Workers Union. “They told us the ‘Mall doesn’t want you here,’ locked the doors, and rerouted the train back to Minneapolis.”
In the Mall, it became clear that a massive police buildup had been coordinated with the FBI and Starbucks management to pre-empt a supposed ‘protest’ in front of the Mall of America Starbucks. The Industrial Workers of the World had been explicit with police that no protest was planned. The Union has released video evidence documenting the unlawful interference with constitutional rights and international law, available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnK3I_zDuk0
Forman had been illegally fired on July 10 for union activity, sparking an outpouring of anger and disgust from baristas, customers and the general public. The delegation escorting him back to his first day back on the job received confirmation from transit police at both the Lake Street and Bloomington rail stations that they should be allowed to enter the Mall provided that they did not carry signs or disrupt business.
This is not the first time the IWW Starbucks Workers Union has experienced rights violations during a political convention. At the Republican National Convention in 2004, two IWW baristas were unlawfully arrested during a rally in front of the Starbucks location in New York City where they worked. The charges were successfully resolved and a lawsuit stemming from the event is currently pending against various governmental defendants.