Excerpted from Cascadia Daily News 4-17-2025 [edited for brevity and with comments by IWW]: Nurses plan to picket outside PeaceHealth St. Joseph’sr on Tuesday, April 29, one month after rejecting a proposed contract (follow that link for more on the story- IWW). The picket is on if the hospital and union do not come toContinue reading “Nurses plan picket at St. Jo’s on April 29”
Category Archives: Worker solidarity
IWW strike continues in Bay Area
After two years of bad-faith bargaining by bosses, the IWW-organized workers at Berkeley retail salvager Urban Ore began a strike last week. The workers began solidarity union organizing in 2021, and in 2023 voted to join IWW for greater support and organizational structure. Wages are the principal issue. Urban Ore is somewhat similar to Bellingham’sContinue reading “IWW strike continues in Bay Area”
IWW organizes in Cyprus
As promised a couple days ago- IWW members in Cyprus have been organizing lately. Visit their website. Go there to read about a strike in an IWW-organized digital media company, Optilink, and contribute to their strike fund. Our Cypriot Fellow Workers are a Regional Organizing Committee within WISERA- the Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England RegionalContinue reading “IWW organizes in Cyprus”
IWW in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England- going strong
Let’s not forgot that the Industrial Workers of the WORLD is an international union. There is a strong presence across the pond; in fact the Wobs are sufficiently numerous over there to have their own independent administration, separate from ours in North America. They are the same IWW; but with different labor laws and organizingContinue reading “IWW in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England- going strong”
IWW MOVIE NIGHT WEDNESDAY!
The best solidarity movie ever! We all could use a positive jolt these days, this is it! First film in our movie night series. Third Wednesday of Feb, March, April, May. Review? “I hate this move”- anti-union homophobe; “Best movie ever!” Everyone else.
Picket with Letter Carriers
A good turnout. Lots of honks and waves.
PEETS COFFEE TRIES TO BUST IWW UNION
Baristas in the Peet’s Coffee chain have been organizing into IWW’s Peet’s Labor Union for several years. In 2023, workers at three Peet’s stores in Berkeley and Oakland decided to organize with the IWW. In 2024, workers at the 4th Street store in Berkeley and at the NE Broadway store in Portland joined the IWW.Continue reading “PEETS COFFEE TRIES TO BUST IWW UNION”
An Update from the Evolve Workers
A spokesperson from the Evolve workers asked us to circulate this message. “We are disbanded as a boycott/protest group. Most of us have decided to move our energy into securing our next job, so we won’t be picketing outside Evolve again. Wish I could say otherwise, but my voice is in the minority and IContinue reading “An Update from the Evolve Workers”
WORKERS AT EVOLVE CAFE WALK OUT, call for BOYCOTT
Virtually the entire workforce at Bellingham’s Evolve Cafe (above Village Books in Fairhaven) walked off the job early last week to protest work conditions. When a dishwasher was fired, the fuse was lit and the walk out was on. Workers are calling for a boycott of the cafe to protest the arbitrary work rulesContinue reading “WORKERS AT EVOLVE CAFE WALK OUT, call for BOYCOTT”
UNION PICKET AT BELLINGHAM REI November 16
INFORMATIONAL PICKET AT BELLINGHAM’S REI Saturday, November 16th, from 1-4 REI’s union members will leaflet customers to keep them informed on corporate delays at the bargaining table . ALL ARE INVITED! Drop by anytime between 1 pm and 4 pm to show your support for the workers! Wear your union pin and colors (shirts, hoodies,Continue reading “UNION PICKET AT BELLINGHAM REI November 16”
Bellingham Starbucks Union Organizer Fired!
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUPPORT FUND. https://gofund.me/50af181c On February 17th, Sehome Starbucks union organizer Gwen Williamson was cruelly fired by Starbucks bosses when she had to call out of work due to a housing emergency. This is an inhuman way to treat anyone, but we are gettng really used to this behavior from Starbucks Inc.Continue reading “Bellingham Starbucks Union Organizer Fired!”
Picket line at Mount Baker Roofing in Bellingham- an update
Around 20 roofers at Mount baker Roofing company called a work stoppage this morning. The picket line was at the company’s offices but the workers were from the MB Roofing shop in Skagit county. Yesterday, a group of workers presented a demand to the Skagit manager to follow state health and safety rules, and toContinue reading “Picket line at Mount Baker Roofing in Bellingham- an update”
Starbucks Workers United Strike in Bellingham
Shuts down three stores all weekend Union workers at Bellingham Starbucks stores at Sehome Village, Cordata, and Iowa & King struck all weekend, and kept the three stores closed. Pickets from other organizations, including IWW of course, showed up to add to the picket line. Starbucks corporate made no effort to open the stores. TheContinue reading “Starbucks Workers United Strike in Bellingham”
WWU STUDENT WORKERS FORM A UNION
Students employed by Western Washington University have formed a new union, unionized as Western Academic Workers United, affiliated with the United Auto Workers. A large majority of graduate and undergraduate student employees who do research or instructional work filed for union recognition on December 2 with the Washington Public Employment Relations Commission. The Union hopesContinue reading “WWU STUDENT WORKERS FORM A UNION”
Sehome Starbucks votes UNION- YES!
Baristas at the Starbucks in Sehome Village just voted to join Starbucks Workers United. The vote was 15-6. A small group of Starbucks workers from the three union stores as well as some Wobblies milled around outside waiting for the for the vote tally, which was announced at 6:25 PM. Three down, two stores toContinue reading “Sehome Starbucks votes UNION- YES!”
Starbucks strikers shut down a scab store in Bellingham
There was a large turnout for the very successful Starbucks Workers United ‘Red Cup Day’ strike on November 14. IWW photo. By FW X331980 This is a personal account by one IWW member. Stopping the strikebreakers: Starbucks Workers United organizers [all are rank-and-file baristas, not professionals] sent word to me around 5 AM [yawn!] thatContinue reading “Starbucks strikers shut down a scab store in Bellingham”
NATIONWIDE STARBUCKS STRIKE!
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17. Union Starbucks in Bellingham will join the nation-wide strike! Join the picket line at the Starbucks at Iowa and King from 7 AM to noon. If you are a union member wear your union colors and pin. Bring a picket sign. The stores at Cordata and Sehome Village are joining in andContinue reading “NATIONWIDE STARBUCKS STRIKE!”
Subscribe to IWW media- Seattle Worker and Industrial Worker
The Seattle Worker is the bimonthly newsletter of the Seattle IWW. Seattle is one of the largest and most actively unionizing branches in our union. You can subscribe to get paper copies in the mail, and also view content online. It is locally focused, and occasionally features articles from Wobblies in the Whatcom-Skagit branch. IndustrialContinue reading “Subscribe to IWW media- Seattle Worker and Industrial Worker”
Know Your Rights: Washington Equal Pay and Opportunites Act
[This article is copied from the Seattle IWW web site.] The “Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act” went into effect on July 28, 2019. It states that when interviewing for a job: Your potential future boss can’t ask you how much money you make (or even how much you have made in the past) untilContinue reading “Know Your Rights: Washington Equal Pay and Opportunites Act”
UPDATING THE BELLINGHAM IWW WEBSITE
Friends and fellow workers, The Whatcom-Skagit IWW branch is finally beginning to update our website at bellinghamiww.org. Many links lead to an outdated IWW website so we are fixing those. We will get back to regular blog posts. To learn more about the IWW in Northwest Washington write to us this cleverly disguised address bellinghamContinue reading “UPDATING THE BELLINGHAM IWW WEBSITE”
Teamsters in Bellingham vote to strike
If the workers at Bellingham Cold Storage do strike, IWW encourages you to show up and walk the picket line with them in Solidarity. The following was posted on “The Stand” https://www.thestand.org/?p=99324 with information from Teamsters Local 231: BELLINGHAM (June 15, 2021) — Teamsters Local 231 members at Bellingham Cold Storage (BCS) have voted unanimouslyContinue reading “Teamsters in Bellingham vote to strike”
Restaurant Staff Fight for Coworkers Left out of Pandemic Relief
[Via organizing.work.] Marianne Garneau interviews a restaurant worker organizing support for migrant coworkers who cannot access government assistance in the wake of pandemic-related layoffs The restaurant industry in New York runs on migrant labor – especially the “back of house” or kitchen — much of it undocumented. As explained in this excellent article by Eater,Continue reading “Restaurant Staff Fight for Coworkers Left out of Pandemic Relief”
PICKETS in support of Peace Health lab workers and their union
IWW encourages you to help put public pressure on Peace Health to keep their labs open and not sell them to a California company with a terrible labor record. Join Peace Health workers and community members as we tell PeaceHealth administration DON’T SELL THE LABS. KEEP UNION JOBS IN BELLINGHAM PICKETS Tuesday March 28th 4:30-6Continue reading “PICKETS in support of Peace Health lab workers and their union”
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS MARCH BURLINGTON FEB. 12
Familias Unidas por la Justicia los invita a marchar con nosotros. Familias Unidas por La Justicia Invites You to March With Us. IWW members will march with our big red banner. MARCH BEGINS in the corner of Fairhaven Ave & Burlington Blvd. in Burlington, WA 98233 and ENDS AT CITY HALL in downtown MT. VERNON.Continue reading “IMMIGRANT RIGHTS MARCH BURLINGTON FEB. 12”
Industrial Workers of the World Whatcom-Skagit Branch 