The Unstrike that the members of CAW Local 3000 commenced against Starbucks on May 13, 2002 has finally resulted in a new collective agreement for about 140 workers. The agreement was ratified by the membership on February 27, 2006, and is a three year agreement with wages starting at what they would have been with COLA increases, and 8% more over the life of the agreement. Benefits were maintained, and they have a great binding mechanism for expedited arbitration, which is important to the members, and better language in the event of a store closing (severance and relocation).
Further information can be obtained by phoning 604-526-3038.
Please patronize these unionized Starbucks locations, all in Vancouver:
In New York City, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union won a watershed victory on March 7, 2006, in the first National Labor Relations Board conflict over unfair labor practices between the world's largest coffee chain and the baristas who work there. Faced with the prospect of having its widespread union-busting campaign exposed in a public hearing, Starbucks agreed to remedy all of the myriad violations committed against workers who have organized a union.
For a PDF copy of the entire settlement agreement, see here.
Further info on this development can be found here, and for all the stories of IWW Starbucks organizing in New York City, see http://www.starbucksunion.org.
Many of the 600 members of UFCW Local 1518 who work at various Shoppers Drug Mart locations in B.C. got together in February 2006 for a one-day conference in Burnaby. The union's website says "The conference was held with Shoppers members from around the province to discuss and plan strategies for dealing with their employer", and also "Union members attending the conference endorsed the principle that the Union move forward in discussions with Shoppers members in regards to a strike vote to support their Negotiating Committee."
The Shoppers Drug Mart workers voted in September 2005 to reject a mediator's proposal for a new collective agreement.
The members continue to ask that people shop only at their unionized stores. A complete list of these unionized stores, which can be printed out and posted, is available here.
For more information, phone the local at 604-434-3101.
