Starbucks is a
huge corporation based on profit. Its profit is the unpaid labor of its
workers. In the last quarter of 2014 its profits rose 82% to $983 million. If
its workers were to get together and unite and fight for better wages and
benefits and conditions and win better wages and benefits and conditions then
these profits would fall. In spite of their talk it is not in the interests of
the Starbucks bosses to have a united workforce. It would hurt their profits. A
united workforce is a strong workforce. A strong united workforce can win
better wages and benefits. The first step against racism in Starbucks is
to unite the Starbuck workers against racism. How is this to be done? The only
way it can be done is to unite them in the fight for for better wages, benefits
and conditions. This would be completely contrary to the interests of the
profit addicted Starbuck corporation.They will sabotage their own campaign if
it ever gets off the ground. The bosses must have been out on a wild night
of drinking to ever have come up with it in the first place.
We suggest that instead of
writing "Race Together" on the coffee cups the following steps are
taken. Starbucks workers write $20,00 an hour minimum wage and full benefits
and better conditions for all Starbucks workers and customers on the coffee
cups. At the same time organize workplace meetings to discuss the struggle for
better wages and conditions. This would enormously help the struggle against
racism. Remember 40% of the Starbucks workers are minorities. Such meetings
would bring the very diverse workforce of Starbucks together. At the same time
on the coffee cups which are handed out to customers write $20.00 minimum wage
and full benefits and better conditions and suggest the holding of customer
meetings to fight for these very reasonable demands. After all Starbucks coffee
shops are used by bosses to discuss their activities all the time why should
Starbucks customers not use the coffee shops to discuss their interests. This
too would help the struggle against racism. If such a development were to
take place Starbucks management and owners would fight it with everything they
have. This would include the ever used tactic of the bosses of Divide and Rule.
That is divide the workforce along race, gender lines.
Therefore to win such a struggle such a struggle the workers of Starbucks would have to organize. The infrastructure for this already exists. That is the 12,000 stores in the USA and the 21,000 stores worldwide. Democratically elected delegates from these stores can be brought together nationally and internationally. At such events a democratic organization of Starbucks workers can be set up. That is a democratic union for all Starbucks workers. This is the way to fight racism and to get better wages, benefits and conditions.
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