Worker power is flowing

Summertime is coming, the weather is warming, and worker power is flowing.

Jun 10, 2022

Howdy, folks! There is still time to sign up for the Know Your Rights workshop next Tuesday here. Also, in case you missed last week’s special newsletter, MULP is back this year. More details to come.

🧾 Frontline worker pay applications are live

It’s been a long time coming. The application for Minnesota’s frontline worker pay went live on Wednesday. Apply here by Friday, July 22.

Labor and Industry @mndli

As of 3 p.m., more than 285,000 workers have applied for Frontline Worker Pay! Know someone who should apply? Send them to frontlinepay.mn.gov through July 22. #FrontlineWorkerPay

An animated health care worker and a delivery driver with text about applying for Minnesota Frontline Worker Pay.

The ID verification was a bit glitchy at first, but the bugs were fixed quickly.

DOLI said the payments are anticipated to come in September. The exact amount you receive depends on how many applications are approved.

☕ Your dose of barista union news

Congrats to the baristas at the St. Anthony Silver Lake Starbucks who won their union election this week!

Workers United - CMRJB @CMRJB

From the organizing committee: "We are so excited to have a voice in a workplace that we have spent so much time in, made so many friends and learnt so much with. It is great to know that we now have a voice that can't be ignored without consequences" and we couldn’t agree more✊

A store in Edina just announced they’ll be unionizing, too! That makes seven locations in Minnesota that are unionizing. Check out my story from March before any of the locations won their elections: why are Starbucks baristas unionizing?

The Poplar & Highland store in Memphis, where the “Memphis 7” were fired for being pro-union, also won their election this week.

More Perfect Union @MorePerfectUS

@SBWorkersUnited Starbucks workers at the Poplar & Highland store in Memphis had to overcome extreme union busting to win. The store manager quit in protest after being pressured to falsify complaints against one of her employees.

💸 Workers win sick and safe paid leave for city of Bloomington

SEIU Minnesota @seiumn

🚨BREAKING🚨 Bloomington, home of the Mall of America, just passed Earned Sick & Safe Leave after years of advocacy by working people! EVERY person – no matter where we work, how much money we have or where we live – deserves to be safe & healthy. This is a HUGE win!

Employers in Minneapolis and St. Paul have had to provide employees sick and safe time for the past few years. Bloomington is following suit!

📅 March for dignity and respect

On Thursday, June 16, construction workers and community members with CTUL will march in Minneapolis to end wage theft and call on developers to sign on to the Building Dignity and Respect program. Gather at Plymouth Congregational Church at 1900 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis at 12pm.

CTUL @CTUL_TC

Building art 🤝 building power Preparing for the week of action next week!

🍻 Pour one out for the workers

Tomorrow, attend a free beer tasting hosted by Eastside Freedom Library in collaboration with Fair State Brewing Cooperative and UNITE HERE 17! Celebrate worker power with some of the most radical beverage makers around town. ESFL is also hosting a writing workshop tomorrow at 10am.

Stay hydrated and apply sunscreen. We are each other’s harvest.