UNITE is deeply disappointed about the news that Starbucks will axe 685 jobs and close 61 of its 84 stores in Australia. This follows the news that Starbucks are closing 600 stores in the US resulting in over 12,000 job losses.

It has been revealed that 17 Victorian outlets will close, including three inner city stores – in Queen, Collins and Bourke streets. Also two stores at Cheltenham and outlets at Port Melbourne, Ballarat, Ringwood, Deer Park, Frankston, Maribyrnong, Forest Hill, Wantirna South, Docklands, Tarneit and the Tullamarine Airport will also close.

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Union membership among younger workers is continuing to fall. Currently only one in every ten workers aged between 15 and 24 years belongs to a union. The recently released Social Trends 2008 study actually confirmed union membership rates fell across all age groups between 1986 and 2007.

The ACTU has blamed the membership decline among young workers on the hostile environment created by Work Choices. This has obviously contributed but it is not the only reason.

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Maintain the Rage – 12 & 13 September 2008

UNITE is proud to support the National Young Workers Conference – Maintain the Rage.

This conference is being held at Trades Hall (54 Victoria St Carlton) and is being organized by the Victorian Young Unionists Network.

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Since UNITE exposed Video Dogs a few weeks ago for paying workers with DVD’s, we have received a couple of letters asking us to clarify our position on young workers, small businesses and the arts. Below is our response to a one of our readers who asked about these issues.

Dear Zac,

Thanks for your letter and interest in our dispute with Video Dogs. However there seems to be some confusion over the exact outcome. Firstly, despite rumours to the contrary, Video Dogs will not be closed down or even fined by the Workplace Ombudsman.

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