#union-busting

[mudwerks]

(via Starbucks Workers on Ed Sheeran Picking Up Shift at Union-Busting Store: 'Straight Up Embarrassing')

The scabby singer slung pumpkin spice lattes at the anti-worker coffee chain in Seattle to promote his upcoming shows there and new album, Autumn Variations.

Starbucks Workers United, a collective of workers organizing Starbucks locations across the country, called Sheeran out on Saturday. “Ed Sheeran working a shift at a Starbucks store in Seattle that faced massive union-busting is straight up embarrassing,” they tweeted.

Starbucks Workers United added, “Not to mention almost every “worker” you see in that photo wearing a green apron is management, not baristas.”

[newyorkthegoldenage]

April 27, 1933: Injured workers lie on the street after men armed with guns, knives, and lead pipes raided a meeting of the Industrial Union of Needle Trade Workers, a Communist organization, on West 26th Street, leaving one dead and sixteen injured.

Photo: Underwood Archives via Fine Art America

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Maryland public-sector workers, forced back into line of fire, fight back

By Bayani

Though there’s no end to the pandemic in sight, including new mutations being confirmed at the University of Maryland College Park campus, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ordered public-sector workers back to work.

Of course, most public-sector workers, essential or non-essential, did not have the luxury of working from home. Many public-sector workers in Maryland — teachers, custodians, sanitation workers, government employees, to name some — have been in the line of fire since the very first COVID-19 shutdowns.

For much of that time, they’ve had to work in unsanitary conditions, hostile work environments, and without hazard pay or employer-provided PPE.

[tzifron]

While most grocery cooperatives explicitly embrace the language of “community,” “fairness,” “democracy,” and frame themselves as an alternative to for-profit grocery stores, this scathing report from Organizing Work details the "ruthless" reality of exploiting workers and union-busting.

"Grocery coops not only inflict the same indignities on workers as corporate, for-profit stores – low pay, harassment, lack of benefits, etc. – but they are just as intolerant of unions. In fact, coops are arguably even worse than corporate groceries, because they cynically use the language of community and social mission to deepen their exploitation of workers, while using their supposedly democratic structures to evade accountability. They are a nightmare masquerading as a utopia."

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Baltimore: Support Bessemer Amazon Workers

Saturday, March 20 - 2:00 p.m.

Gather at City Hall, 100 Holliday St. - March to Amazon’s Whole Foods

Hosted by Peoples Power Assembly

March 20 is the next national day of action in solidarity with Alabama Amazon workers. Please join us to send a clear message to Jeff Bezos and Amazon that we support the Bessemer Alabama workers who are standing up for a union. We say stop union-busting!

Workers everywhere inspired by the majority, Black workers in Bessemer fighting to win the first U.S. union at Amazon, are prepared to continue building the solidarity movement that's arisen around this historic struggle!

The weekend of March 20 is also the U.N. Anti-Racism Day, with actions worldwide. March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. These two calls for action are connected, as we know that the fight against racism and building worker power are inextricably linked.

A few weeks are left until voting in Bessemer ends on March 29. As Amazon and their union busters, Morgan Lewis, continue to roll out dirty trick after dirty trick, our demonstration will come at a consequential time.

Baltimore activists and community leaders have urged City Council members to pass a resolution. We haven't heard back yet. So we will plan a protest at City Hall and then March to Whole Foods.

Social distancing and masks required. We will have PPE available.

The local protest is sponsored and endorsed by (list in formation):

Baltimore and Maryland Amazon Workers for Justice Peoples Power Assembly Reverend Annie Chambers Dr. Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, President, Matthew Henson Neighborhood Association (West Baltimore) Reverend CD Witherspoon Prisoners Solidarity Committee Women in Struggle/Mujeres En Lucha Dr. Kenneth Morgan, Coalition Black Trade Unionist * for ID only Baltimore Peace Action Popular Resistance Bill Goodin, writer, The National Black Unity News, and community activist Struggle-La Lucha Youth Against War & Racism Kermit Leibensperger, Shop steward, UFCW Local 1994

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

New York City: Fuera LUMA! No contract for fossil fuel companies

Tuesday, April 13 - 5:00 p.m.

Union Square Park, 14th St. & Broadway, Manhattan

Join us in a protest against the LUMA ENERGY contract in Puerto Rico that will continue fossil fuel and increase electric costs to the people of Puerto Rico. LUMA will cancel union contracts with the electrical workers of Utier.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

West Virginia education strike continues

By Otto Grotewohl

Charleston, W.Va., Feb. 26 — Tens of thousands of teachers and service personnel in West Virginia braved rainy weather and carried out what is the first successful statewide teachers’ strike there in U.S. labor history on Feb. 22 and 23. Education employees in all 55 counties forced superintendents of education to close schools on those days.

The strike continued throughout the state on Monday, Feb. 26, with thousands rallying at the state Capitol in Charleston, and reports indicate that a fourth day of the walkout will happen on Feb. 27.

This action followed a union rally on Feb. 17 and a directive from state leaders of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, West Virginia Education Association and the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association. 

Striking educators and school support staff packed the hallways of the state Capitol in Charleston on Thursday and Friday, uniting on such chants as “Fired up, fed up!” and “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” Others set up picket lines at their schools throughout the whole state.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Senate Double Crosses West Virginia Public Workers; Strike Continues on Monday, March 5

Union Facebook pages: 

https://www.facebook.com/dedicatedteachers/

https://www.facebook.com/aftwv/

https://www.facebook.com/West-Virginia-School-Service-Personnel-Association-353279971443621/