[pic from the AP]

So Starbucks fired another IWW organizer — Daniel Gross — for allegedly making a “threatening remark to a district manager at a recent union rally.”

Before that, Daniel had been consitently getting excellent reviews from Starbucks, reports New York Times Magazine.

Sez Starbucks Union: “Starbucks has demonstrated conclusively its intense hostility to the right of workers to join a union.”

I mean, the mermaid has a history at this point. Starbucks settled with NYC baristas for alleged union busting, and faced strikes in New Zealand from baristas asking for better wages. BTW — The Starbucks Union backs an increase in Starbucks’ commitment to fair trade.

Starbucks Union asks you not to buy stuff at Starbucks “until the company respects the right of workers to organize and reinstates Daniel Gross and the rest of the IWW baristas.” And the National Lawyers Guild, the United States’ largest bar association of progressive lawyers, does the same.

Wanna get more involved? Send a letter to Starbucks asking them to reinstate Daniel, and email starbucksunion@yahoo.com saying you wanna help.

Update, 9/5/06: From the Chicago Tribune: Starbucks baristas in Chicago are trying to unionize, and say that the corporates are trying to label the IWW as a “bunch of radicals.”

Update, 9/15/06: Starbucks gets sued by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for discrimination — firing a woman with psychiatric disabilities.

Update, 3/24/07: The IWW people put out a Starbucks Irresponsibility Report (PDF).

Update, 4/3/07: National Labor Relations Board has accused Starbucks of breaking the law 30 times in fighting union activity at four of its coffee shops in Manhattan.

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