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in article , rebelguy at
wrote on 05/30/2004 1:56 AM:

>
> I FEEL SORRY FOR THESE STUPID PEOPLE, THEY WERE DUPED BY A MAXIST LABOUR
> UNION

Who's the "dupe"? Or should I say "stupe"? . . . If you'd bothered to read
the newstory that was pasted to your rant, you'd have seen what is obvious -
- - - those "stupid people" haven't yet selected the union for anything.
All they've done is file the necessary paperwork with the NLRB to support
their petition that the Board conduct an election. . . . See where the story
speaks of their having submitted cards to the Board for the purpose of a
certification election?

"Marxist?" . . . Since when has Marxism permitted affairs to be managed by
free elections? All pursuant to law?

No, you flat don't know what you're talking about.

It's good ol' American law that happens to be in control here. Not Marxism.
Passed decades and decades ago by freely elected representatives in
congress. Since then affirmed by the courts, and left in place by both
liberals and conservatives alike.

NLRB regulations require that, before the Board will even begin the process
of conducting an election, there must first be what is known as a "showing
of interest." In the Board's view, that means that the Board won't even get
involved unless at least 30% of the people who might someday be in the
"unit" of workers that would be affected by the election first signify that
they want to do so by signing what are known as "union authorization cards".
If they do, then the Board's processes are followed, and an election almost
always results. If the parties and the Board are convinced that the
election was run fairly then the Board will issue a certification of its
results. If the union has won, then the employer is required to engage in
bargaining with it in good faith for a reasonable time.

In cases where the voting has been unfairly interfered with by one of the
parties, then the Board will not issue a certification. Instead, it
normally orders that the election be re-run.

Some American you are! You don't even believe in democracy in action!
Don't trust workers to vote freely for what THEY want! (Of course, I don't
suppose that you know that the Board also conducts elections by workers to
get rid of unions. Well, they do. Don't you support the right of workers
to vote in THOSE elections?)

Depending upon the precise wording on such cards, it is possible that those
cards might someday be used as a basis for a demand that the employer
voluntarily recognize and bargain collectively with the union. Some
employers honor such demands where it is shown that a majority of their
employees favor having a union. That's been the law in the U.S. for decades.

Indeed, there are even cases where those cards may be used as a basis for
the Board to issue an order that an employer recognize and bargain. Such
instances are limited to cases where there was once a majority of employees
shown to have supported the union, and where the union's majority was
destroyed by virtue of intimidation and coercion by the employer, plus the
Board's determination that the nature and severity of the employer's unfair
labor practices has made the likelihood of a free and fair election dubious
at best. That's been the law in the U.S. for decades.

> AND NOW WILL BE TURNING OVER LARGE PARTS OF WHAT THEY MAKE TO A BUNCH
> OF FAT,LAZY WHITE HAIRED UNION BOSS'S WHO SIT ON THEIR ASS'S ALL DAY MAKING
> 50-60,000 A YEAR

Whatever they "turn over" will be the result of their own free choice. And
will be continued only so long as the employees continue to so choose. . . .
But, of course, hating democracy as you do, you're positive that you know
what's good for them better than they know themselves.

I don't know whether or not these employees will vote to have a union. I
don't even care. . . . But, I'm absolutely certain that it's a great thing
that they have that free choice to make for themselves. And that their free
choice is backed up by the law.

HH

>
> "JR" > wrote in message
> om...
>> I didn't know the "wobblies" still existed.
>>
>> JR
>>
>> Dan Clore > wrote in message
> >...
>>> News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:
>>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
>>>
>>> Starbucks Workers Move to Unionize
>>> NewsMax Wires
>>> Wednesday, May 19, 2004
>>>
>>> New York, NY -- Starbucks workers here have organized a
>>> union with the Industrial Workers of the World IU/660 and
>>> have submitted union cards today to the NLRB for a
>>> certification election.
>>>
>>> The workers are poised to become the first Starbucks
>>> Baristas union certified in the country. Starbucks Baristas
>>> at the 36th and Madison location in Midtown Manhattan have
>>> come together in an effort to raise themselves out of
>>> poverty as well as to achieve respect and dignity on the
>>> job. The workers are calling on Starbucks to obey the law as
>>> the election approaches.
>>>
>>> "Behind the green aprons and smiles are individuals living
>>> in serious poverty," said Daniel Gross, a worker at the
>>> store. "Baristas are the cornerstone of a Starbucks coffee
>>> shop, we just deserve better. Starbucks cashes in on a
>>> community friendly image but it certainly doesn't extend to
>>> their workers or coffee farmers. That's why we went Union."
>>>
>>> Starbucks is a $15 billion company with over 7,500 locations
>>> around the world, but workers have most emphatically not
>>> shared in their success. In New York City with one of the
>>> highest costs of living in the world, Starbucks workers
>>> start at $7.75 an hour and eventually receive raises
>>> amounting to merely a few cents.
>>>
>>> Starbucks has also developed a scheme whereby all Baristas
>>> work on a part-time basis and are not guaranteed any amount
>>> of hours per week thus making it exceedingly difficult for
>>> workers to budget for necessities like rent, utilities, and
>>> food.
>>>
>>> "I come to work and I work hard," said Maureen Medianero,
>>> 23, who has worked at Starbucks for almost 2 years. "But I'm
>>> still hanging on by a shoe string not knowing if I can make
>>> ends meet to support my daughter. It's frightening."
>>>
>>> Although Starbuck workers serve an enormous volume of
>>> beverages, many of them extremely hot, in order to save
>>> money management refuses to schedule enough workers to do
>>> the required work safely. Instead, workers are forced to
>>> perform their duties at unsafe speeds with an undue level of
>>> physical exertion.
>>>
>>> "A Starbucks coffee shop is an ergonomic minefield. The
>>> stores are supposed to mimic an Italian cafe without
>>> considering the uncomfortable bending and reaching we have
>>> to do," explained Barista Anthony Polanco. "This isn't your
>>> mom and pop coffee shop, we're talking McDonald's busy every
>>> day. Starbucks talks about 'Creating Warmth' but the only
>>> warmth I feel is the heat pad at the end of the day."
>>>
>>> The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), founded in 1905,
>>> is a union dedicated to workplace democracy. IWW IU/660
>>> represents workers in the retail industry.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dan Clore
>>>
>>> Now available: _The Unspeakable and Others_
>>> http://www.wildsidepress.com/index2.htm
>>> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...edanclorenecro
>>> Lord Weÿrdgliffe & Necronomicon Page:
>>> http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9879/
>>> News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:
>>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
>>>
>>> "It's a political statement -- or, rather, an
>>> *anti*-political statement. The symbol for *anarchy*!"
>>> -- Batman, explaining the circle-A graffiti, in
>>> _Detective Comics_ #608
>
>