Starbucks now recording barista's every move at Wealthy St. location in Michigan!

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.iww.org/en/node/3358

Starbucks now recording barista's every move at Wealthy St. location in Michigan!

Submitted by intexile on Fri, 04/13/2007 - 3:20pm.

Friends, Baristas showed up to work today at the Wealthy St. Starbucks to find cameras running and recording every inch of their workspace. Upon entering the Assistant Manager said, "I haven't seen this in the whole 2 and a half years I've been here." This is just the latest phase of their attempt to intimidate baristas from joining the union. It started last week with managers forcing every barista in Grand Rapids to sign the corporate statement on the union (which was filled with falsehoods and statements discrediting the union). Now our every move is monitored and recorded in an attempt to intimidate us from discussing the union while at work.

Take Action! - Call Store Managers (NOT Shift Supervisors as they are just baristas with more responsibility and many of them are interested in joining the union) and tell them to end their intimidation and union busting tactics.

* Wealthy St. - 616-451-0871, store manager = Nate Bailey
* Waterfalls Shop 28th St. - 616-975-0805
* Woodland Mall - 616-464-0916
* Grandville - 616-531-8122
* Northland Dr. - 616-957-0412
* East Beltline - 616-363-6530

Sample statement to managers- "As a costumer I'm opposed to the tactics that are being used at your store to intimidate baristas from joining a union. I support their right to organize and they should be free to choose without your interference. If these union-busting tactics continue I will stop buying my coffee at your store and will tell all my friends to do the same."

With cameras watching our every move it has made it a contentious work environment which all baristas said they wanted to avoid by being union. We just want to work, and get just compensation for that work, and pay our bills. We are not criminals and shouldn't be treated as such just by exercising our right to form a union.

Thank you for your support and we'll keep you updated.

For a Better Future, Grand Rapids Starbucks Workers Union PO Box 6629 Grand Rapids MI 49516 616-881-5526

F.Y.I - Support buttons are now available at the Institute for Global Education - 1118 Wealthy S.E. Grand Rapids or by contacting us directly for delivery to you. The buttons have the SWU logo surrounded by the words "I Support Baristas" and are for a $1 donation which goes directly to this campaign.

For more information, visit - starbucksunion.org

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THIS is not copyrighted.

[NMDemDist2]

1. where I work we are taped

the registers, pour stations and the back liquor storage room all have cameras

I smile and wave and always show them the empty bottle as i dump it and the new one's label as I grab it

i also make sure to re-count my tips where the camera can see and stand aside so they can see what i pull out when i change them in

:shrug:

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. What BULLSHIT!!!!

Is this a Starvebucks? Is this policy corporate or just local? If it's corporate, They got some splainin to do to this Union family.

[Double T]

2. corporate america is all about intimidating their employees..........

what a great environment for productivity and creativity. jerks!

[Aviation Pro]

4. Ah, Grand Rapids, home to noted criminal families....

...the DeVos and Van Andel clan of Scumbagway fame. There are no unions because of them. Skeletor Van Andel has shucked his mortal coil and is now doing double duty upside down, head first in a river of shit in Hell for the rest of eternity. There's a similar spot for his partner in crime Rich "Heart Attack" DeVos, which will leave the lion's share of the criminal operation to failed gubernatorial candidate, Dick DeVos husband of noted shrew Betsy and bro-in-law to Erik Prince, famously, shy Christian CEO of BlackwaterUSA. Anyone else want to connect the dots, I'm tired of pointing this out.