Recent News from the Starbucks Workers Union

[Omaha Steve]

-------- RECENT NEWS FROM THE STARBUCKS WORKERS UNION
------------------------

Hello Starbucks Workers and Supporters,

There has been a lot of activity lately with the Starbucks Workers Union
http://www.starbucksunion.org/ and at the company. Recently the union
released a new report, /Low Wages and Grande Profits at Starbucks/
http://www.starbucksunion.org/new-report-low-wages-and-grande-profits-starbucks,
which includes an analysis of company performance and staffing before and
after the Great Recession of 2008-2009 and shows that the stores are now
staffed at a lower level, workers are working harder, and they are bringing
in much more profit for the company. Instead of funding a living wage for
workers, the company has transferred almost $4 billion to shareholders in the
past few years, equivalent to over $3 per hour for every worker at the
company. The report call on Starbucks to compensate its workers with a living
wage, ensure better store staffing and scheduling, and respect the workers’
rights to organize a union. The report can be downloaded here
http://www.starbucksunion.org/new-report-low-wages-and-grande-profits-starbucks.

That same week, the New York Times published an excellent article
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/08/13/us/starbucks-workers-scheduling-hours.html?_r=0
on the company's scheduling system and the difficulties it creates for
workers. Soon afterwards, the company responded with a revised scheduling
policy
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/15/us/starbucks-to-revise-work-scheduling-policies.html?_r=0.
These announced changes may be an improvement, but the company must fully
implement them and the Starbucks Workers Union will continue to push for more
changes that will benefit workers.

There has been a lot of news coverage of this policy change. Many articles
can be seen on the Starbucks Workers Union website news section
http://www.starbucksunion.org/news, which includes a video conversation
http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/scheduling-software-unions-starbucks-work-life-balance/53f21e07fe3444d17c00047d
about scheduling software, featuring a former Starbucks barista and SWU
member.

As always, you can contact the Starbucks Workers Union at*
*mailto:[e-mail]?subject=Online%20Inquiry. We'd love to
hear from you and find out how things are going with your job. And if you
have any friends who work at the company, please recommend that they sign up
on the union website to get information about our campaign. If we all join
together, we can continue to fight for better wages and working conditions at
Starbucks.

Starbucks Union Action Updates
http://www.starbucksunion.org/newsletter/starbucks-union-action-updates