Nestlé workers are building international solidarity across borders–and here’s how you can help!
Nestlé is a multinational corporation whose name has become synonymous with human rights abuses. It’s also the owner of Blue Bottle, the national chain of coffee shops with six unionized locations in Boston, MA. Blue Bottle baristas went on strike last month, but if we want to really ramp up the pressure we need to grow our movement.
Blue Bottle workers will be teaming up with members of SINALTRAINAL (National Union of Food Workers). They’ll learn about their struggle against Nestlé, how they’re organizing, and how both unions can build solidarity across borders.
The Power of International Solidarity
Building international solidarity among workers is a crucial part of our labor movement. As Jason Hickel, an anthropologist and writer studying economic inequality and capitalism points out above, we as workers are globally connected, and stronger together.
And Nestlé is no stranger to the power of workers organizing across borders. Several years ago, Nestlé fired 53 workers at a Nescafé factory in Indonesia in the midst of a bargaining dispute. Global union federation IUF launched a “We are the 53” campaign. Rank-and-file union members all over the world raised funds to support the fired workers. Under this pressure and scrutiny, Nestle reinstated all 53 factory workers.
Support Blue Bottle Independent Union
Blue Bottle Independent Union is independent―they don’t have decades of dues collection to dip into for an international trip. But this isn’t the kind of relationship that can be built on Zoom. Our international cooperation will be much more effective if we forge it in person.
In solidarity,
The Labor Force
Sources:
https://inthesetimes.com/article/how-nestle-learned-global-labor-solidarity-is-alive-and-well
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