Dear friends,
At a store in Seattle less than three miles from Starbucks’ headquarters, workers said managers were making drinks while baristas picketed outside.
“It’s been almost a year since we told Starbucks that we are unionizing this location and we still have not been able to get them to agree to a time for contract negotiations,” Seattle barista Micah Lakes said. “We’re not going to work the day that is the most important for you if you’re not going to be willing to meet up with us and talk with us about what we need from the company.”
At least 257 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late last year, according to the National Labor Relations Board.
The workers distributed their own Starbucks Workers United red cups.
If you shop at Starbucks, familiarize yourself with worker demands and ask your local barista how you can best show solidarity.
Food safety inspectors with the state Department of Agriculture and Markets found live meal moths, dead meal moths and dead meal moth larvae in the coffee bean storage area last week. Inspectors found the moths the same day they found “mold like residues” in the kitchen’s ice machine.
If you no longer, shop at Starbucks, let them know why!
NYC’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection has proposed a salary increase for app-based restaurant deliveristas to $23.82/hour, to be phased in by April 2025.
A research study released by the city found that app food delivery workers are overwhelmingly young, male, and Hispanic or people of color.
The average worker is currently earning $11.12 an hour with tips but after expenses, the city added. One-third of those who deliver with e-bikes or mopeds have been assaulted while making a delivery, that same report found.
Transportation is one of the major expenses for delivery workers. The recent spate of fires involving e-bike batteries — 191 this year — has brought negative attention to this workforce.
Council member Gale Brewer recently noted that second-hand or refurbished batteries are a particular danger, but that people need viable alternatives:
“People will continue to charge anyway if there’s no other alternative, they gotta get to work. NYCHA has parking lots, outdoor parking lots that seems to be the best location to put a charging station. If we can do Citi Bike e-bikes can’t we also do charging stations for 65,000 delivery people?”
Tell your council member to support battery-swapping and outdoor charging stations for e-bikes.
Someone I love recently railed against schools where students are spending too much time — in her view — on race and gender, and not enough time on learning. I engaged her in a conversation about the importance of creating safe environments in order for young people to learn anything.
And I was glad she hadn’t said this to me when I was still in a classroom every day. On Friday afternoons, I remember vividly the feeling of total exhaustion that I often felt.
Watch this video op-ed about the stresses behind the current exodus of teachers from the classroom. Show some extra love to the teachers in your life.
Enjoy the weekend!
with love,
L