E121: IWW Starbucks Workers Union, part 1

E121: IWW Starbucks Workers Union, part 1

Author: Working Class History June 25, 2026 Duration: 47:46
Before the current wave of organising at Starbucks, another group of workers in the early 2000s got together and formed a union at one of the most anti-union corporations on earth. They won better pay and conditions, and laid the groundwork for the unionisation campaign today. Learn their story in this three-part podcast series in conversation with Daniel Gross, one of the key organisers.
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More
  • Part 1: Background about Starbucks, workers’ pay and conditions, the Industrial Workers of the World union, how the organising got started, and the legal avenues the IWW pursued. Available without ads for our supporters on Patreon.
  • Listen to all 3 parts now without ads, plus an exclusive bonus episode on Patreon.
  • More information, sources, show notes and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e121-123-iww-starbucks-workers-union/
  • Get hold of books by Daniel Gross, including:

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