Statement for March 6 International Day of Action in Solidarity with the Workers of Iran The International Solidarity Commission of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), an international rank-and-file labor union, warmly extends our solidarity with the workers of Iran, on this, the occasion of the March 6th Global Day of Action. Reflecting on the 100+ year history of our own union, we in the IWW recognize that real victories for workers have never come without struggle, hardship, and--all too often--repression. For years now, the Iranian workers have bravely faced down brutal opposition from government forces, right-wing clerics and their supporters, and of course, the bosses themselves. They have paid a terrible price for their efforts to bring about justice in the workplace and in society. We know that workers, organizers and activists have been harassed, threatened, beaten, fined, fired, whipped, jailed and worse, simply for exercising their right to organize. read more

Disclaimer - The opinions of the author do not necessarily match those of the IWW. This article is reposted in accordance to Fair Use guidelines. By John Grant Emeigh - Montana Standard, March 2, 2008 BUTTE - With an old, worn broom, Dennis Georg swept off nearly a foot of February snow that had accumulated on the grave of Frank Little. It was just a small favor from one Wobbly to another Wobbly: Solidarity to the end. Georg, as was Little, is a card-carrying member of a small but controversial union known as the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). It was started in Chicago by a group of socialists and anarchists who wanted to unite all the workers of the world. They were reviled by many as subversives and Communists. "It was once very dangerous to carry an IWW card," Georg said recently while in Butte. read more

WHO IS THIS MAN? His name is Mansour Osanloo, leader of the Tehran Bus Workers' Union and the focus of an international campaign that aims to get him released from jail. WHY IS HE IMPRISONED? In October 2007 Osanloo was sentenced to five years in prison on trumped up charges of endangering Iran’s national security and criticising the regime. However, the real reason that he has been targeted is as a member of a free trade union not controlled by the government. HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN IN JAIL? Since the union was formed in June 2005, he has been arrested three times and spent more time in the notorious Evin Prison than out.

Disclaimer - The opinions of the author do not necessarily match those of the IWW. The image pictured to the right appeared in the original article. This article is reposted in accordance to Fair Use guidelines. Andrew Clark in New York - guardian.co.uk, Friday February 29 2008 It was tough - but Americans soldiered on. For three hours on Tuesday afternoon, Starbucks outlets across the nation closed their doors for a mass barista training session aimed at perking up coffee quality. But was this shutdown an espresso masterclass or simply a public relations masterstroke? Nicknamed "fourbucks" for the hefty price of its brew, Starbucks holds a special place in modern culture. It has injected new words into popular discourse – Frappuccino, half-caff. Apparently a "red-eye" means an extra shot. And to many people, the Italian word "venti" has become an adjective meaning extra large. read more

Headlines:

• UK blood service cuts blunted
• AFSCME defeat births new convictions, strategy
• Rail Workers build inter-union solidarity caucus

Featured Articles:

• Online blacklist: how the Internet helps the bosses
• Working Out: Queer and labor's passionate affair
• The final March to the Left column by Dorice McDaniels

Download a free PDF copy of this issue.read more

For Immediate Release: IWW Starbucks Workers Union February 26, 2008 Starbucks Baristas Question Substance of National Shutdown for "Training" New York, NY- As Starbucks stores around the United States reopen after a three hour shutdown to train employees, baristas of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union are calling into question the efficacy of the event. Union baristas left the "training" feeling like it was a public relations event directed at consumers rather than a bona fide attempt to improve drink quality or customer service. “The whole thing seemed a little silly to me,” said Starbucks barista Peter Montalbano on his way out of the training. “We supposedly learned how to build a latte ‘from the espresso up,’- but we’re still pulling shots from a push-button espresso machine and pouring them into paper cups for not much above the minimum wage. It’s difficult to imagine people really caring about crafting the ‘perfect cappuccino’ if they can’t even afford to pay their bills." read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2008 CONTACT: Matthew Andrews IWW Organizer cell: 617-633-1857 email: peopleunite@verizon.net web: www.harvestmembers.. This Saturday, February 23rd, fired worker Deon Furtick will be protesting to get his job back along with concerned Harvest Co-op members, and supporters from the Industrial Workers of the World. The picket will be outside a meeting of the Harvest Co-op's board of directors, at the Paulist Center, 5 Park Street, from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Harvest board members are having a day long "retreat" to develop "long term objectives and hopes for the board's work and Harvest" (http://www.harvest.coop/board/agenda01_08.pdf). read more

Saturday, February 16, 2008. Approximately one dozen fellow workers from the Twin Cities General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World marched in support of immigrant rights and struggles in Minnesota on Saturday. The demonstration was organized by MIRAC, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition. The rights of immigrant workers - both documented and undocumented - is part of a nationwide discussion during this election year, and an international discussion. The terms of the discussion are often the same in today's neoliberal environment. The reactionary right demonizes all those who are forced or choose to travel in search of security, opportunity, and a life; the reactionary left pretends that this is merely a moral issue and ignores the economics of immigration, and the 'muddled middle' hold a variety of contradictory opinions. read more

By M.K. and other members of the Bay Area Utility Service Workers iu670 industrial organizing committee. The contract negotiations between the Bay Area IU 670 Recycling Workers Union and the two Berkeley Recycling Companies has been a challenging struggle, but workers have stepped up to fight for tremendous improvements. The Bay Area IWW represents drivers at The Ecology Center who do residential curbside pickup, and workers at The Community Conversation Center yard who sort and process recycling materials. Both workers have been waging shopfloor struggles to resolve grievances and improve their working conditions. With both contracts coming up for negotiations, workers stepped up the fight. The drivers met several times both at work and outside of work to draft an ambitious list of roughly 15 demands including an across the board wage hike, increase in pension payments by the company, and a change to the current accident penalties. The existing agreement resulted in termination of any driver who was involved in three accidents incurring more than $1400 worth of damage. With the narrow winding streets of Berkeley and the increasing costs of small accidents like broken rear-view mirrors, we have seen several workers purposefully dropping down to a loader after two incidents. This has resulted in wage decreases of up to $10 per hour! read more

by Diane Krauthamer - February 3, 2008 Wouldn’t it be a real travesty to spend $50 on a wonderful lobster dinner at New York City’s highest rated restaurant, only to find out after your meal that the food was rotten? Behind the scenes at New York City’s #1 rated restaurant Of course, fine dining establishments must comply with health and safety standards in their kitchens. Of course, establishments ranked as NYC’s most popular wouldn’t dare serve rotten seafood. But there may not be any rotten seafood at all—this is only on the surface. Something happens well before the seafood even reaches the kitchen and it will make you even sicker. read more