| Friend, Last year, Starbucks employees got a big win when stores were given the ability to collect credit card tips. The new system added an average of $3.50 per hour to workers’ paychecks -- a huge bump for baristas struggling to get by.(1) Except, the 230 stores that had unionized weren’t allowed to install the new system. This is just one of the egregious ways Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has tried to punish employees for exercising their right to unionize. In fact, Schultz told Congress this week that he supports giving the corporation tax breaks for anti-union activity costs.(2) It’s past time that Congress pass the PRO Act and protect workers from union busting like what Starbucks, Amazon, and other giant corporations are engaging in. Courage California is joining a coalition of workers rights groups to make it happen -- will you sign our petition? Sign our petition telling Congress to pass the PRO Act now!
The rights to organize and collectively bargain are essential to maintain an economy that works for all of us. Unions have been a force behind workers’ rights around the world, but they have been on the decline in the United States.(3) Strong labor unions lead to higher wages, safer working conditions, and dignity for all workers. Over the years, corporations and politicians have rigged the system against working people by weakening our labor laws through intimidation and fear tactics. This has led to lower wages, unfair working conditions, and increased inequality. Increasingly, corporations are threatening workers who try to organize a union with plant closings, outsourcing, firing, or other forms of retaliation.(4) The PRO Act would make it easier for workers to exercise their right to unionize and bargain collectively for better pay, benefits, and working conditions, while holding corporations accountable for violating workers’ rights. By passing the PRO Act, Congress can give power back to working people.
Yours in the fight for our public services, Irene, along with Annie, Angela, Isidra, Lindsay, Mai, Mai, and Scottie (and the rest of the Courage team) Footnotes:  |
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