Hours before unionized Starbucks workers were scheduled to attend an event Thursday recognizing them as City Paper’s People of the Year 2022 in Labor, Starbucks organizer Tori Tambellini reached out to the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh.
Tori told us she’d purchased paint, stencils and blank shirts, and she was feeling creative. “I’m gonna make some T-shirts for the Starbucks people that are going to the event tonight,” she said. “What do you think I should write on them? Any funny slogans that you guys have?”
Before we could tap into our vast well of wit, Tori texted a picture of a shirt she’d already made. Above a hand-drawn image of a Wendy’s bag, she’d stenciled, “Workers hit back.”
We bowed in awe.
The Wendy’s bag referenced an incident in November when Block Communications Inc. CEO Allan Block whacked a union organizer with a bag of fast food at an Ohio Turnpike rest stop.
We did send one idea that Tori was kind enough to use — “Union Coffee Goes Great With Union News.” Others read, “Don’t Read Scab Papers,” “Fair Contract Now!” and “SBWU Stands With Striking Workers.”
Five members of Starbucks Workers United proudly wore the shirts to the event Thursday night at Square Cafe in East Liberty. Tori wore the shirt with the Wendy’s bag. “A lot of people didn’t understand,” she said. “So I told them the story. It created awareness.”
The show of support was especially noteworthy, coming a week after the Post-Gazette announced its owner, BCI, had purchased City Paper.
A number of other union folks attended the event, and the Pittsburgh Labor Choir was there to lead everyone in a few songs. One was a tune called “Join the Union Tonight,” a labor classic by African American singer and organizer John Handcox. The labor choir gave the song a new twist by adding a few lines aimed squarely at the bosses at Starbucks and the Post-Gazette. Those gathered raised their heads and sang together:
“Press the coffee, press the ink
“Do not let your wages shrink
“Mr. Shultz and Mr. Block
“Better listen when we talk.”
Steve is a photojournalist and writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he is currently on strike and working as a Union Progress co-editor. Reach him at smellon@unionprogress.com.