The Starbucks Workers Union has been conducting regular strike/protest actions at their unionized stores throughout 2023. According to SBWU, they have conducted two national days of action, with over 1,000 store actions. They claim to have effectively tripled the campaign’s footprint at Starbucks stores and engaged with over 10,000 Starbucks customers in 47 states.
Now they have announced another national day of action, the so-called #RedCupRebellion on November 16th, which is Red Cup Day – Starbucks’ biggest sales day of the year – to protest unfair labor practices, and are asking allies to stand alongside them in action on November 16. In a new wrinkle, workers plan to go from the picket line at their own stores and conduct visibility events at union-free stores and are asking other activist organizations to join them. The line-up of the groups who have agreed to participate is longer than what we have seen at past events.
The list of “allies” for the SBWU Red Cup Day can be seen in the image below, but include SEIU, UE, YDSA, and somewhat surprisingly, the strike-happy UAW, who probably feel like they are on a bit of a role these days.
To do a little research on these groups, we loaded the above image into ChatGPT and asked it to create a thumbnail profile for each group.
ChatGPT gave us a brief thumbnail of each of the organizations shown in the image. A second request yielded the URLs for each groups website :
- SEIU (Service Employees International Union): An organization representing nearly 2 million members in various professions such as healthcare, public services, and property services in North America. SEIU is committed to improving the lives of workers and their families.
- UAW (United Auto Workers): A labor union that represents workers in the United States and Canada. It was originally founded to represent auto workers but has since expanded to represent a variety of other industries.
- Starbucks Workers United: It seems to be a movement or group advocating for the rights and interests of Starbucks employees, possibly related to unionization efforts.
- March For Our Lives: Founded after the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, this youth-led movement advocates for gun control measures to prevent gun violence.
- YDSA (Young Democratic Socialists of America): The youth and student section of the Democratic Socialists of America. They organize in schools and communities to fight for the values and issues they believe in.
- Sunrise Movement: A youth movement advocating for political action on climate change. They are particularly known for their support of the Green New Deal.
- Debt Collective: A union for debtors that advocates for the cancellation of debts and challenges the way we finance and access basic necessities such as education and health care.
- Labor Network for Sustainability: The group is aimed at aiding unions and their allies in promoting a climate action agenda that is both ecologically sustainable and economically just.
- PLAN (Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada): An organization dedicated to social justice and progressive change in Nevada. They work on issues ranging from environmental justice to racial equality.
- Future Coalition: A national network of youth-led organizations and youth organizers working together to pursue and enact social change on various fronts.
This bit of research took about 4 minutes to generate and figure out who the groups were by identifying them from their logo images.
