By Jesse Russell

One of the top seafood companies in New York City is being sued in federal court by 16 employees who allege pay violations. The workers for Wild Edibles are seeking class action status for their suit alleging that the company’s owner fired four union workers when they joined the Industrial Workers of the World. The IWW has been seeking to organize the company after employees said they often work 10 to 12 hours per shift without overtime pay.

By Jesse Russell

Circuit City faced pressure on Tuesday by the Industrial Workers of the World. Members of the IWW picketed in front of a Circuit City in Albany, New York protesting a managerial decision to fire 3400 employees and replace them with lower-paid workers. The protesters are encouraging a boycott of the company for “outrageous corporate greed.”

By Doug Cunningham

Starbucks has fired New York City IWW union organizer Daniel Gross. Gross says it’s for union activity - supporting another fired Starbucks union activist on the picket line. The firing failed to knock the fight out of Daniel and the IWW.

[Daniel Gross]: “We have two choices. We can either let the multinational retail corporations and the rest of the corporations run our lives or we can live free. If we want to live free we have to stand together in a fighting social movement of workers and community members. We’re encouraging people to log on to starbucksunion.org and encourage people not to purchase Starbucks products until every Barista is reinstated.”

By Doug Cunningham

[Daniel Gross 1]: “Workers standing shoulder to shoulder is what solidarity is all about. Starbucks should be ashamed of what it’s doing.”

Industrial Workers of The World Starbucks organizer Daniel Gross. Gross says Starbucks is threatening to fire him for offering mutual aid and support for fired New York City Starbucks union activist Evan Winterscheidt. Gross says Starbucks interrogated him about his union activities, violating a National Labor Relations Board settlement reached in March.

[Gross 2]: “This campaign depends on working people in their communities taking a stand. We need a movement to take on the Wal-Marts, the Starbucks, the McDonalds. Together we can win.”

By Doug Cunningham

Workers are putting more energy into trying to organize Starbucks stores in New York City. The Industrial Workers of The World has organized three stores there and over the weekend picketed a Starbucks at Union Square. A February hearing at the National labor Relations Board will consider charges that Starbucks fired a worker for union activity and committed other illegal anti-union acts.

By Jesse Russell

The world's first Starbucks strike is spreading. Workers at a Starbucks in Auckland, New Zealand walked off the job Tuesday to highlight the poor conditions of low pay and minimum wage workers. On Wednesday, workers at 10 other Starbuck stores in that city also walked out in solidarity when they heard managers would be sent in to cover shifts at the striking store. Daniel Gross is an organizer of Starbucks workers in New York City. He said Starbucks workers at the three organized shops in New York stand in solidarity with the New Zealand workers.

[Gross]: We regret that Starbucks has forced workers to take this drastic step. But we are overjoyed because it is about time workers started standing up against this massive company. This was the first strike against Starbucks, but I can guarantee you it won't be the last.

By Jesse Russell

A phone bank that raises money for progressive organizations such as the Democratic National Committee, Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, Mother Jones magazine and Amnesty International is being accused of firing workers for trying to organize a union. Erin Rosa, a former Telefund employee and organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World, says the workers were seeking benefits, better sanitary conditions and stability.

[Rosa]: There's kind of always been something in the air of the workplace that you might not be here the next day.

The union alleges that organizers at the Denver-based Telefund have been fired or pressured to quit. Rosa said other pro-union employees have been harassed for talking about organizing. She said another core issue is the pay schedule was confusing:

A worker at a Starbucks in New York City is claiming she was fired for encouraging others to join a union. Sarah Bender was a barista at the 17th Street and 1st Avenue store. She says she became interested in joining the Retail Workers Union, a branch of the Industrial Workers of the World, after she heard about successes at the Madison Ave and 36th Street shop. The battle on Madison Avenue has led to Starbucks being called before the National Labor Relations Board on charges of union busting and threatening employees. Bender says once she brought up unions with her coworkers, similar actions occurred.

It's been a rough start to the year for Starbucks. In Florida, a federal court judge granted collective action status to a lawsuit filed by two managers who say they are entitled to overtime pay because they are actually "glorified baristas" and not true managers. The status gives the attorneys filing the suit permission to find other managers throughout the country who have similar complaints. Meanwhile in New York City, workers represented by the Industrial Workers of the World watched as the National Labor Relations Board agreed with their charges that the coffee chain has been "interfering with, restraining and coercing employees" who have attempted to unionize.

[Gross1]: The labor board also alleges in their complaint that Starbucks made outright bribes, created the impression of surveillance and much, much more.