It Could Happen Here Weekly 213

5 snips

Dec 20, 2025

In this discussion, Alex Pine, President of the Blue Bottle Union, and Abby Sato, the union's Secretary-Treasurer, delve into the grassroots movement behind union organizing at Blue Bottle locations. They recount the fierce battles against unjust firings and the spirited walkouts that fueled their recent strikes. Their striking strategies highlight a refusal to yield to management's tactics. Listeners will find insights into the challenges of fostering solidarity and the call for support to boycott Blue Bottle until justice prevails for the workers.

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INSIGHT

Billionaires Can Reprogram Newsrooms

Larry Ellison's and other billionaires' media buys installed ideological leadership that enabled mass firings and content shifts.
Concentrated capital lets individual owners weaponize mainstream outlets against marginalized coverage.

INSIGHT

Media Monopoly Equals Cultural Power

Consolidation swallows IP and distribution, giving owners cultural and political leverage beyond profit.
Monopolies make it easy for a few actors to reshape what counts as mainstream discourse.

ANECDOTE

Baristas Unionize Against Nestlé

Blue Bottle baristas in Boston and the East Bay unionized in 2024 and expanded in 2025 amid retaliatory firings.
They organized walkouts and strikes to defend members and restore bargaining leverage.

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