I don’t suppose this story has any wider political implications, but I wanted to share it just because it strikes a surreal and nostalgic note. I mean, I knew the Industrial Workers of the World still exists – I’ve met Leslie Fish at SF convention filksings, and seen the IWW union/party card she carries – but it’s so long since I’ve heard of them actually doing anything.
I dreamed last night I saw Joe Hill
As live as he could be
“But Joe,” I said, “you’re ten years dead”
“I never died,” said he . . .
Why are they trying to organize one of the world’s most worker-friendly companies? Starbucks workers get health insurance; and good insurance at that. They get tuition reimbursements. They get all kinds of perks unheard of for part-time workers. They are consistently high in the Top 100 companies for workers (and always in the top 10 large companies).
I read the article, but it didn’t state the problems very clearly. Starbucks most common hourly employees make 35k a year on average – and they are all part-time. What exactly are they complaining about?