E121: IWW Starbucks Workers Union, part 1

Before the current wave of organising at Starbucks, another group of workers in the early 2000s got together and formed a union at one of the most anti-union corporations on earth. They won better pay and conditions, and laid the groundwork for the unionisation campaign today. Learn their story in this three-part podcast series in conversation with Daniel Gross, one of the key organisers.
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• Part 1: Background about Starbucks, workers’ pay and conditions, the Industrial Workers of the World union, how the organising got started, and the legal avenues the IWW pursued. Available without ads for our supporters on Patreon.
• Listen to all 3 parts now without ads, plus an exclusive bonus episode on Patreon.
• More information, sources, show notes and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e121-123-iww-starbucks-workers-union/
• Get hold of books by Daniel Gross, including:

• • Labor Law for the Rank and Filer: Building Solidarity While Staying Clear of the Law – Staughton Lynd and Daniel Gross
  • Solidarity Unionism at Starbucks – Staughton Lynd and Daniel Gross
  • Unions of our Own – Daniel Gross
• Learn more about the IWW in our podcast series and in these books.
• Learn more about McDonald’s Workers’ Resistance in this bonus podcast episode, available on Patreon.
• Learn more about the Solidarity Union Network.
• Learn more about workplace organising in these organising guides.
• And, finally, learn about John’s experiences of organising at work in this bonus episode on Patreon.

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands.
• Episode graphic: Starbucks Workers Union members, including Daniel, holding the sign, left, march down Union Square, NYC, 2007. Courtesy IWW.
• Our theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here or stream it here.
• Edited by Jesse French