NYC Workers Fight Bosses(and Starbucks), Rain on May Day

[Omaha Steve]

http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20090510075841154

By Diane Krauthamer

May 09, 2009

Despite the torrential late spring rain, thousands of workers spent their May Day marching and rallying through the streets of Manhattan, displaying solidarity with workers at home and abroad. New Yorkers celebrated this international workers’ holiday with actions, events, marches and rallies, coordinated by a number of labor unions, community associations, political parties and non-profit organizations. In the spirit of celebration, the New York City IWW marched on Starbucks to demand that the coffee giant treat its workers with respect.



Beginning with a 2:00 pm a rally in the heart of Chinatown, the IWW joined hundreds of individuals from community and labor organizations to demand “Equal Rights for All Workers.” IWW members Stephanie Basile and Vance Hinton delivered powerful speeches on top of the soapbox.

“May 1st is the real Labor Day. They want us to forget that, but we’ll never forget. It was through collective action that those before us made the gains we currently enjoy today,” Basile said.

“It was through collective action that we won the 8-hour workday, the right to form a labor union, and wage and hour laws,” she added.

Hinton spoke about the necessity of workers organizing at retail stores and warehouses, specifically at Starbucks, where he currently works.

“The next time you walk into a Starbucks, I want you to congratulate the baristas for all the hard work they put into making your drinks,” said Hinton, a union barista.

The rally was organized by the Break the Chains Alliance, and featured speakers from the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops (NMASS), the Chinese Staff and Workers Association, and a few local progressive politicians. Additionally, the members of the Socialist Party-USA and the Workers Solidarity Alliance (WSA) attended.

FULL story at link.