CANADIAN LABOUR/INTERNATIONAL LABOUR:

CAN STARBUCKS BE UNIONIZED?:

Since the recent certification of the Starbucks Union, a branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), as the official union for one Starbucks outlet in Québec City it appears that the coffee giant is not as invulnerable as was once thought. Previous attempts, on the part of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) in British Columbia failed back in the 1990s. As far as Molly can determine there is only one other unionized Starbucks in the world. This lone example is in Regina, Saskatchewan where the workers are represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union- Saskatchewan(RWDSU). This particular RWDSU has no connection with the RWDSU International with whom it split back in the 1970s. Since that time the RWDSU has gained a reputation as one of the most progressive and militant unions in North America. In the past they have used workplace occupations as part of their strike tactics.

Both the RWDSU and the IWW ,which has spearheaded recent drives to unionize Starbucks, are small unions. The RWDSU has the advantage of geographical concentration over the dispersed IWW, and it is more effective for that. The major unions and union federations won't touch Starbucks, or any related workplace such as fast food joints, unionization with a ten foot pole. In the days when the CAW attempted their drive in BC they were a much different union then they are today. Having split from the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) they were willing to take on every possible organizational effort in what was a quest to become a multiindustry alternative to the CLC. They are a much quieter beast today, and it would be hard to imagine them attempting organization in such places as Starbucks at the present time.

Which leads us to the most recent question in Molly's Polls; "Is It Possible to Unionize Places Such as Starbucks?". See our sister site to register your opinion. There are immense difficulties that any union that attempts to organize in places such as Starbucks have to overcome. This is even more so in fast food joints such as McDonalds. If there are only two unionized Starbucks in the world that is still 200% better than the zero McDonalds that are organized. Molly is agnostic about the prospects insofar as I think that such organization is possible , but only in certain locations where both the laws and the local culture are such as to facilitate such efforts.

Québec today has a long standing tradition of militant unionism far greater than almost anywhere else on the continent. In Saskatchewan unions such as the RWWDSU thrive in the lengthening shadows of what was once the most left wing community on the continent. Saskatchewan socialism has, today, been corrupted beyond all recognition, but the populist tradition still lingers. Should young workers there be privileged to have known their grandparents or grand uncles/grand aunts about 50% of them would have had a family member who was a convinced socialist, one not shy of stating their views. Presented with the option of unionization- with a radical rhetoric thrown in- the old "lefty genes" have a tendency to reactivate. Perhaps many parts of Newfoundland, Minnesota and Wisconsin are the same.

One thing that I do think is that such vague radicalism is insufficient for unionization to take a general hold outside of isolated branches of such enterprises as Starbucks. In order for the efforts to expand beyond isolated instances a community as well as a workplace mobilization has to occur. The example of a large proportion of the population of a city, even one so small as Québec City (or even Regina-much smaller), organizing a boycott of recalcitrant companies would bring the bosses to heel much faster than simple organization of workplaces, one by one, could do. Such a campaign would also reverberate worldwide and make unionization much easier in other locations.

Am I too pessimistic in my assessment that unionization in places such as Starbucks will proceed very slowly in the foreseeable future ? Time will tell. In the meantime visit Molly's Polls to express your own opinion. I hope to comment more on this matter over there.

LE SYNDICALISME CANADIEN/CANADIAN LABOUR:

STARBUCKS SYNDIQUÉS AU QUÉBEC/STARBUCKS UNIONIZED IN QUÉBEC:

Un grand merci à 'PhattMatt' de la 'Insurrectionary People's Picture Show Theater' blog pour les infos sur l'histoire siuvante.

A big thanks to 'PhattMatt' of the 'Insurrectionary People's Picture Show Theater' blog for the info on the following story.

Les travailleurs à un point de vente Starbucks au Québec ont fait une percée en organisant avec les 'Syndicat Starbucks' , une branche de le syndicalist 'Industrial Workers of the World' (IWW). L'IWW est prêt à prendre cette lutte, alors que d'autres syndicats, plus traditionnelles, éludé la tâche.

The workers at a Starbucks outlet in Québec City have made a breakthrough by organizing with the Starbucks Union, a branch of the syndicalist Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The IWW was willing to take this struggle on while other, more traditional, unions dodged the task.

L'histoire de Le Soleil. The story from Le Soleil.
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Syndicalisation des employés de Starbucks: Québec part le bal
Frédéric Denoncourt

Le Soleil
(Québec) Après un mois de démarches, les employés du café Starbucks du 1200, avenue de Germain-des-Prés ont déposé lundi matin leur demande d'accréditation syndicale auprès de la Commission des relations de travail.

La Commission devrait mener une courte enquête au cours des prochains jours pour s'assurer que les employés du café ont signé leur carte du syndicat en l'absence de toute contrainte et qu'ils ont acquitté leur droit d'adhésion.

Par la suite, la syndicalisation sera en vigueur, a confié au Soleil Simon Gosselin, un employé du café, à la tête du mouvement de syndicalisation.

«Dès que ce sera fait, le Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses de Starbucks sera autorisé et nous pourrons négocier une convention collective avec l'employeur.»

Il s'agira du premier café Starbucks syndiqué au Québec.

«Il y a environ un mois que le projet est sur la table. L'enjeu majeur était que l'employeur voulait nous obliger à travailler un minimum de 24 heures chaque semaine, sinon nous aurions été rétrogradés, avec perte de salaire. On aurait même pu perdre notre emploi. Or, nous sommes tous des étudiants et c'était impossible pour nous de travailler un minimum de 24 heures par semaine avec nos cours», continue Simon Gosselin.

L'obligation imposée par l'employeur de demeurer sur les lieux de travail durant les pauses café non payées était un autre irritant qui a incité les employés à se syndiquer. «Le fait d'être syndiqués nous permettra de négocier de façon solidaire avec l'employeur au lieu de n'être que des individus dont le seul recours était de démissionner en cas de désaccord», poursuit Simon Gosselin.

La question salariale ne serait pas au coeur de la démarche des employés de Starbucks. «On verra en temps et lieu car on est moins bien payés que chez McDonald's.»

«On s'attend à une réponse de la part de l'employeur, peut-être à des représailles. Mais à l'heure actuelle on a tous payé nos cotisations et on est tous syndiqués.»

Étant donné les faibles salaires des travailleurs, la Confédération des syndicats nationaux et la Fédération des travailleurs du Québec auraient refusé d'intégrer le nouveau syndicat, qui s'est finalement tourné vers l'Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

Le Soleil a tenté en vain d'obtenir les réactions de la partie patronale. Celle-ci nous a renvoyés au siège social de Starbucks, à Seattle, où nous avons abouti dans une boîte vocale.
Rejetés par la CSN et la FTQ
Quand les employés du café Starbucks ont communiqué avec Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), ils ont rapidement obtenu un accueil favorable.

«Nous ne refusons personne. Notre principe est d'être un grand syndicat où tous peuvent être membres», a laissé entendre Andrew Fletcher, délégué chez IWW qui a soutenu la démarche des employés du café.

«L'expérience que l'on a acquise aux États-Unis, on va l'emmener au Québec. La semaine prochaine, un délégué américain de l'IWW viendra rencontrer les travailleurs. Chez Starbucks il y a beaucoup de roulement et les employés ne sont pas très bien payés. Nous pourrons leur offrir notre expertise sur des questions légales.»

Selon M. Fletcher, si la FTQ et la CSN ont refusé de prendre sous leur aile les employés du Starbucks de Germain-des-Prés, c'est qu'elles ont fait le calcul que cela ne leur rapporterait rien.

«Ces grandes centrales regardent le nombre de travailleurs à syndiquer et combien leur rapporteraient leurs cotisations par rapport à ce que ces travailleurs leur coûteraient. La grande différence, c'est que nous faisons tout ce travail bénévolement. Nous n'avons donc pas à faire ces calculs.

«Ce qui est intéressant pour nous, c'est que l'on vient de prendre racine ici. Nous pourrons à l'avenir essayer de syndiquer d'autres entreprises du même genre», conclut M. Fletcher.

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And the story in English.

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Unionization of Starbucks employees: Québec Runs With the Ball:

Frédéric Denoncourt

The Sun (Quebec)

After a month of efforts, the employees of Starbucks Coffee at 1200, avenue de Germain-des-Prés filed their application on Monday morning for union certification with the Commission des relations de travail.

The Commission is obliged to conduct a short inquiry in the coming days to ensure that employees of the cafe signed their union cards without any coercion and that they have paid their membership fees.

Thereafter, unionization is in effect, Simon Gosselin, a coffeshop employee at the forefron of the unionization movement told the Sun.

"Once this is done, the Starbucks Workers Union will be authorized and we can negotiate a collective agreement with the employer."

This will be the first unionized Starbucks in Quebec.

"It has been about a month that the project has been on the table. The major challenge was that the employer wanted us to work a minimum of 24 hours each week, otherwise we would have been demoted, with loss of pay. We might even have lost our jobs. But we are all students and it was impossible for us to work a minimum of 24 hours per week with our classes, "continues Simon Gosselin.

The obligation imposed by the employer to remain at work during the unpaid coffee breaks was another irritant that prompted employees to unionize. "Being a union will enable us to negotiate together with the employer instead of being individuals whose only recourse was to resign in case of disagreement," says Simon Gosselin.

The salary issue is not central to the approach of Starbucks employees. "We will come to it in due course because it is less well paid than at McDonald's."

"We expected a response from the employer, perhaps in retaliation. But now we all paid our dues and we are all unionized. "

Given the low wages of the workers, the Confederation of National Trade Unions and the Federation des travailleurs du Quebec refused to sign up the new union, which ultimately turned to the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

The Sun tried in vain to obtain feedback from the employer. It has routed us to Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, where we ended up in a voice mailbox.

Rejected by the CSN and the FTQ

When Starbucks employees contacted Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), they quickly earned a favorable reception.

"We do not reject anyone. Our principle is to be one big union where all can be members , "suggested Andrew Fletcher, an IWW delegate who supported the approach of the coffeeshop staff .

"The experience we gained in the United States, we will take it to Quebec. Next week, a delegate of the American IWW will meet with workers. At Starbucks there is a lot of turnover and employees are not very well paid. We can offer our expertise on legal issues. "

According to Mr. Fletcher, if the FTQ and the CSN have refused to take the Starbucks employees of Germain-des-Prés under their wing , is because they have made the calculation that it would bring them nothing.

"The big centrals look at the number of workers to organize and how much the workers would contribute as compared to how the workers would cost them. The big difference is that we do all this work voluntarily. We do not have to make these calculations.

"What is interesting for us is that we are coming to take root here. We may in future try to organize other companies of the same kind, "says Fletcher.

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Il y a un groupe IWW à Montréal et ce soir ils mettrons un piquet de solidarité avec les travailleurs de Starbucks.

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Piquetage de solidarité contre Starbucks:
Suite au dépôt d’une demande en accréditation syndicale pour un Starbucks à Québec, nous vous convions à un piquetage de solidarité pour les travailleurs du Starbucks, qui aura lieu mardi le 14 juillet, à 19h00, devant le Starbucks du 1709 Rue St. Denis, coin Ontario.

À Québec, une conférence de presse aura lieu mardi le 14 juillet, à 11h00, au 1200 Av de Germain des Pres, dans l’arrondissement Sainte-Foy.

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There is an IWW group in Montréal, and this evening they will hold a picket in solidarity with the Starbucks workers.

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Solidarity Picket Against Starbucks:

Following the filing of an application for union certification in Quebec Starbucks, we invite you to a picket of solidarity with Starbucks workers, to be held on Tuesday 14 July at 19h00, in front of the Starbucks of 1709 Rue St. Denis , corner of Ontario.

In Québec, a press conference will be held Tuesday July 14 at 11.00, at 1200 Avenue Germain des Pres, in the borough of Sainte-Foy.