[Shadow_Group] IWW Organizer to Stand Trial in Starbucks/RNC Case

[shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca]

> For Immediate Release:
> Industrial Workers of the World IU/660
> November 24, 2004
> Contact:
> starbucksunion at yahoo.com<mailto:starbucksunion at yahoo.com>
> 
> IWW Organizer to Stand Trial in Starbucks/RNC Case
> 
> New York, NY- Daniel Gross, a co-founder of the IWW
> Starbucks Workers Union and an employee at the
> company, is set to stand trial for disorderly
> conduct
> and resisting arrest at a Republican National
> Convention protest.  Gross participated in a
> peaceful
> union rally in front of the Starbucks store where he
> works to protest the Bush Administration's support
> for
> anti-union actions at the world's largest coffee
> chain.  He faces a maximum sentence of over six
> months
> in jail.  The union is asking its friends and allies
> to attend the trial in support of the right to
> protest.  The trial will begin on January 14 at 9:30
> a.m. in Part C of the 100 Centre Street Courthouse
> in
> Downtown Manhattan.  
> 
> "Once again, Starbucks has proven it will do or say
> anything to attempt to break our union," Mr. Gross
> said.  "Chairman Howard Schultz will likely use a
> conviction against me as a fear-tactic to deter
> workers from joining the IWW to improve their life
> on
> the job.  Multiple videotapes as well as eyewitness
> testimony will demonstrate that NYPD officers
> concocted these charges against me- a New York City
> jury will no doubt see through the Bush/Bloomberg
> hype
> that prevailed during the Republican National
> Convention."  
> 
> The only attendees arrested at the protest were both
> union workers at the store.  Prosecutors later
> dropped
> charges against Starbucks barista Anthony Polanco,
> an
> outspoken supporter of the organizing effort. 
> Company
> managers were witnessed giving information to NYPD
> detectives before the protest began.  Starbucks has
> a
> history of making false allegations about IWW
> rallies
> in New York City.  
> 
> "Daniel Gross is being prosecuted for political
> reasons," maintained his attorney Leonard Weinglass,
> a
> noted advocate for controversial defendants.  The DA
> and the NYPD are desecrating the right to assembly
> guaranteed by the First Amendment."
> 
> Hundreds of people have already signed a petition
> demanding that the District Attorney drop all
> charges
> against Gross.  Support has come from overseas as
> well.  Last Saturday, union members in Edinburgh and
> Glasgow demonstrated at Starbucks shops in
> solidarity
> with the Starbucks Workers Union and Mr. Gross.
> 
> The Union has called for all charges to be dropped
> against RNC protesters.
> 
> Starbucks workers in New York City have sparked a
> national campaign to organize the chain. Workers are
> coming together to rise out of poverty, put an end
> to
> understaffing, and achieve a guaranteed number of
> work
> hours per week.
> 
> The Industrial Workers of the World IU/660 is a
> non-partisan union of retail workers fighting for
> dignified employment conditions in the industry.
> 
> 
> 
> ###
> _______________________________________________
> Starbucksunion mailing list
> Starbucksunion at lists.iww.org<mailto:Starbucksunion at lists.iww.org>
> http://lists.iww.org/mailman/listinfo/starbucksunion<http://lists.iww.org/mailman/listinfo/starbucksunion>
> 


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