<b>Dear All,<br><br>You could help spark an organizing drive of service workers in Boston! Please join us for a discussion and strategy session with Barista/Organizer Anja Witek of the Starbucks Workers Union. Anja will describe how the SWU fights for a living wage, decent benefits, consistent scheduling, respect on the job, and a healthier, safer workplace for super-exploited service-sector workers. Our discussion will take place Tuesday, November 16, starting at 7 p.m., at Encuentro 5, 33 Harrison Ave., 5th floor, Boston. <br>
<br>A flyer is attached with more information. Facebook event: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/event.php?eid=163285367026326" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=163285367026326</a><br>
<br>Please forward this message everywhere!<br><br>In Solidarity,<br><br>Geoff Carens<br>Industrial Workers of the World / IWW<br><br>Current conditions for Starbucks employees:<br><br>Starting pay for baristas in most states is minimum wage. Health insurance costs recently doubled. <br>
No worker position has guaranteed hours at Starbucks. No barista is allowed full-time status or is guaranteed any amount of hours.<br>Employees are forced to work sick. Under-staffing makes baristas work at staggering speeds with hot liquids. <br>
Racism, sexism and abuses of power & authority are rampant.<br>Workers used to get one paid personal day per 6 months. Now they get none.<br>A new scheduling system forces impossible choices on students and working parents.<br>
Workers have faced massive layoffs.<br><br>Conditions for Starbucks bosses:<br><br>Enjoyed record profits of $760.3 million during the most-recent fiscal year.<br>Issued their first-ever dividend to shareholders, further enriching the financial class.<br>
CEO Howard Schultz earns $3 million per year plus $37 million in Starbucks stock. <br>
Forced to sign their sixth agreement with the National Labor Relations Board pledging to end their anti-union misconduct. <br> </b>
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