This year, we’re shaking things up. Instead of just wishing you a Happy Labor Day, Team AOC wants to wish you a Happy Labor WEEK!
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a remarkable resurgence in the American labor movement. A new Gallup poll indicates that 71% of Americans support labor unions, the highest percentage since 1965.1 For the first time ever, workers at large national chains, including Chipotle, Apple, Google, Amazon, and Starbucks, have voted to unionize some of their local sites.2
In honor of these wins and ongoing fights, we want to spend the week highlighting some union efforts we are especially proud of, including one happening in our own backyards! You may have heard that 11 Starbucks employees in Astoria voted unanimously to unionize their shop in June, joining the ranks of 50+ other unionized shops nationwide and making it the first unionized Starbucks in NY-14!3 AOC was proud to stand with these brave workers in their fight for higher wages, more time off, better schedules, and the power to address health and safety concerns in the workplace.
Unfortunately, like most corporations, Starbucks is outspokenly hostile to workplace organizing, and will continue to respond in kind with union-busting and retaliation.4 So it’s time for us to step up and help!
We’re partnering with the CoWorker Solidarity Fund, which facilitates mutual aid for people building power in their sectors and workplaces. This summer, CSF is kicking off an effort to raise money for their brand new Starbucks Workers’ Fund.
Contribute to Starbucks Workers Fund →
Stay tuned the rest of this week as we check in with workers, strikers, and labor organizers fighting for their rights across the country. We can’t wait to share more details of these campaigns and successes with you, and hope it may inspire you to organize your workplace!
Happy Labor Week!
Team AOC
1 - The Hill
2 - The Guardian
3 - Gothamist
4 - Vice and Vox
