District 3 representative Kshama Sawant says she is donating $5,000 to a strike fund being set up by unionizing Seattle Starbucks workers.
“I am proud to donate $5,000 to the Starbucks workers’ strike fund. As a socialist elected official and a member of Socialist Alternative, I accept only the average worker’s wage, taking home only $40,000 of my $146,000 City Council salary, after taxes,” Sawant said in the Seattle City Council press release.
“I donate the remainder to a Solidarity Fund to support working-class movements and organizations, including strike funds.”
Sawant also is calling on “labor unions, rank-and-file union members, and socialists” to also donate to the strike fund. “Working people must support each other on the basis that ‘An Injury to One Is an Injury to All’,” Sawant said.
Last week, workers at the Broadway and Denny cafe became the first Starbucks employees in Seattle to approve unionization through the National Labor Relations Board. The successful vote makes the Starbucks — one of the company’s four stand-alone shops on Capitol Hill — the first in the coffee giant’s home city to unionize its workers as a wave of labor organizing has hit the chain with hundreds of more votes to come at shops across the country.
Sawant’s office has also announced the District 3 representative is holding a rally April 23rd in Cal Anderson Park “to demand an end to Starbucks’ union busting.”
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So lucky we live in this district with Sawant. Standing with the workers!!! Love it!
Hey if your going long on snark this morning I will too- Yay that our city council member is too busy donating her 5K to a strike fund for first world barista’s to give jack about the petty and not so crime and other issues in her district. Also relieved she is giving her 100k+ that the city/WE pay her to do her job to a solidarity fund-she is SO righteous, Whoopie-let’s par-tay!!!
Yes! Sawant’s “virtue signalling” is self-righteous and obnoxious.
So let me get this straight, Sawant’s income for her household and personal expenses is $40,000 annually? On this she pays likely over $10,000 in property taxes alone on her million plus dollar home. Food, car expenses, clothing etc? Don’t know her husband’s salary and whether he is similarly virtuous. Perhaps her Socialist Party provides her a nice expense allowance for her services?
I don’t think its a big secret that Kshama doesn’t really need her city salary which is why she is more than willing to “donate” it to the cause. She has a nice little fund courtesy of her divorce settlement from years ago. As for her husband he is paid by SA so in reality the salary she donates to the “cause” is ultimately kicked over to him.
As a life long democratic socialist – I cannot wait for Sawant to be elected out of that office, and someone who is less about stunts, and more about getting things done to be elected.
Democratic socialism principles are pragmatic, puts people and workers first, but does not confuse compassion with idiotic pacifism which allows individuals who need help and support to just be left alone on the streets. Fix the systemic homelessness, mental health, violent & non-violent crime issues first; then do whatever the heck you want to do with Starbucks.
Can someone explain to me how Strabucks is “union-busting”? Now, two of their stores (one on Broadway, one back east somewhere) have held successful votes to unionize. Also, why is a “strike fund” necessary when no strike is planned?
Come on Kermit- don’t be such a killjoy, you’re asking way too many questions! Because it’s fun to hold rallies and get people all worked up using words like union busting, strike fund, injury, demand…I can’t even express how more than annoyed I am that she is spending so much time on this when there are SO MANY more issues that need immediate attention in her district! How about holding a rally to get the shelters, mental health and addiction services the homeless desperately need, how about she donate some of her salary to that?! I’m thinking the odds are this rally turns into a march down to you know who’s house, you know where, surprised she didn’t organize it for May 1st. Maybe this rally is planned to get everyone riled up for May 1st, so she can get a full week of shouting and screaming and “demanding” in to provoke for the big day.
How about enacting a no loitering zone around Seattle,
I would love to be able to visit and feel safe.
Why are you here if you don’t live in Seattle?
Suburbs are made for you.
Hey, how about being a little less “Hatey” and a little more understanding?