DALLAS—Another North Texas Starbucks store has scheduled a union election. As usual, a small and happy mob of Young Active Labor Leaders (YALL) gathered for a solidarity “sip-in” at the Preston/Royal store on Sunday morning, Aug. 3.
One at a time, they placed their orders with the barrista. Instead of the names their mothers gave them, however, they give “Union Strong” so that the solidarity slogan rings across the store every time an order is ready. By now, each of the YALL activists have done this at least a dozen times as new stores organize with Starbucks United.
YALL is the cutting edge of union solidarity in North Texas. They know how to fight, and they are living proof of the labor slogan “When we fight, we win!” North Texas YALL members have a string of victories in organizing, contract battles, and community causes.
The group was formed by the Texas AFL-CIO specifically to train a new kind of positive-thinking labor leader. One of their members is Executive Secretary of the Tarrant County Central Labor Council. Recently, one of their long-time members, Justin Chen of the American Federation of Government Employees, was elected president of the 8,000 workers at the Environmental Protection Agency. Other members are committee heads, executive board members, and award winners.
Unlike many youth groups, YALL hews close to organized labor. They do not have to be union members, but they know how to combine the best strengths of unions with the smartest technical and tactical paths to victory. They also skillfully build winning coalitions. Even the old-timers in the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans are counted among their supporters.
Statewide YALL is holding its summit meeting in North Texas, Sept.5-7. Union members and other active young people across the state are making plans to attend. Their program will be full of the latest ways to succeed. Unions are providing funds and combing their ranks for the most promising young activists to be made delegates.
The “sip-in” participants on Aug. 3 included some older supporters, but most were YALL members under the age of 40. They laughed, socialized, and enjoyed the keen anticipation of yet another union victory. As order after order was served for “Union Strong,” the store manager, a sour middle-aged white man, put his fists on his hips and yelled, “The store is closing!” He claimed it was because of a “water problem.” Laughter rippled lightly through the coffee shop.
Then, two YALL members—Robyn Kirk and her sister, Rose Curts—started a round of “Solidarity Forever,” the union hymn. They managed to lead three loud verses before everyone was forced outside the store and settled into comfortable veranda chairs. They had plenty to talk about, because there are many more victories ahead.
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