Sunday, July 26, 2009

IWW Protest Challenges Starbucks Unionbusting (GRIID)

Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy

by Jeff Smith (GRIID)

On Saturday, the Grand Rapids chapter of the IWW held an informational picket outside of Starbucks in East Grand Rapids. The video below includes comments from IWW organizers Cole Dorsey and Erik Foreman, a short march through East Grand Rapids and police who were called to harass those protesting.

Dozens of local news media outlets were contacted about this protest, but only the Grand Rapids Press and WOOD TV8 showed up. However, as of Sunday morning, channel 8 had not posted anything on their website about the IWW action, instead they featured a 2-day event outside of one of the downtown bars that included trampoline demonstrations.