From the Coffee Factory: Interview with an IWW barista from the Mall of America Starbucks

[Omaha Steve]

http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20080723181003496

Wednesday, July 23 2008 @ 06:10 PM CDT

Rhubarbarism: Can you start out by introducing yourself and telling me about your job?

Jake: Sure. My name is Jake Bell and I work at the Starbucks in the Mall of America. I've been working there since October 2006. Due to the rapid rates of turnover, I'm actually the second highest in terms of seniority in my store, including managers.


From the Coffee Factory: Interview with an IWW barista from the Mall of America Starbucks

(This interview is republished from www.rhubarbarism.com and can be viewed in its original format at http://rhubarbarism.com/2008/07/from-coffee-factory-interview-with-iww.html)

The following is an interview I did on July 23rd with Jake Bell, one of the Starbucks baristas from the Mall of America who is leading a unionization drive with the Industrial Workers of the World. Similar campaigns have been started by the IWW, nicknamed Wobblies, all over the country since 2004.

The IWW represent a break from more traditional hierarchical unions because they focus on practical action, they call it solidarity unionism, rather than the bureaucratic and legalistic wrangling used by more traditional unions. They're also one of the few unions willing to take on big chains like Starbucks. At a time when decent jobs are increasingly going overseas, the long-maligned workers of the service industry could represent a new pool of strength for American unionism.

The Mall of America Starbucks IWW unionization effort was announced Monday by delivery of a letter to store management. The unionization effort at Starbucks in the Twin Cities is still relatively new. The IWW is open is open to contacts from other Starbucks workers who want to join, or people in the community who want to support them. They can be reached at 612-245-4871 or [e-mail].]

Rhubarbarism: Can you start out by introducing yourself and telling me about your job?

Jake: Sure. My name is Jake Bell and I work at the Starbucks in the Mall of America. I've been working there since October 2006. Due to the rapid rates of turnover, I'm actually the second highest in terms of seniority in my store, including managers.

FULL story at link.