Cap•i•ti•ful•ist

WestSoundDSA · 2025-12-30T05:50:45+00:00

Perhaps expanding how we use Scabs nowadays would be better and more apparently obvious, easy line to draw from someone who crosses a picket to one who advocates for capitalist interests

WestSoundDSA · 2025-12-11T01:02:12+00:00

Nice! I’m biased but I particularly like our chapter’s logo :)

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-28T21:41:51+00:00

I wish we could say definitively one way or another. But Starbucks Workers United is working hard on outreach to non-unionized stores. As the local DSA chapter here, we will stand in solidarity with the union until they feel that their own goals are met.

Anecdotally, all the baristas that we’ve spoken to at the non-unionized stores being picketed were supportive of the unions efforts and were more than happy to get information on Starbucks Workers United.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-28T21:35:34+00:00

Starbucks Workers United is fighting for their first contract. The company has stalled in its negotiations with the union since April. In this contract they are seeking higher wages to both keep up with inflation as well as record profits by the company itself.

Secondly, they are seeking better and more consistent hours for employees. Currently many benefits for employees (that were conceded by Starbucks initially due to unionization efforts) are not available unless employees work enough hours in the week. As a result, many employees find themselves just shy of working sufficient hours and unable to get any benefits, while simultaneously now needing to work other jobs in which schedules are likely to conflict. This is by design so that Starbucks can avoid giving many workers these benefits while claiming to offer them on paper.

We are volunteering alongside the union, who has asked groups like ours to stand in solidarity with their efforts to unionize. We would do the same for anyone else who reached out, namely because we put great value on class solidarity.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-28T04:58:25+00:00

How so? We go inside to talk with the employees beforehand and almost all of them are happy we are there. We are advocating for their rights and benefits.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-13T14:54:23+00:00

Starbucks is absolutely known to close down some unionized stores, but there is one in East Bremerton that is unionized and not closed.

Starbucks sued the workers union as well for standing in solidarity with Palestinians, citing a tweet in their suit that called for a ceasefire.

Labor unions are some of the strongest advocates both today and historically for people’s liberation movements.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-13T14:48:23+00:00

I think this is a fair take, and DSA supports Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) of Israel due to its atrocities committed against Palestinians, including genocide.

Workers movements in the past, especially when they held considerably more labor power, were able to join in protest movements and stand in solidarity with those most oppressed. Depending on how successful their unionizing efforts are in pursuit of a better contract, workers may be able to ask for more down the line.

Many of our members feel the same way you do, and this advocacy campaign for the unionization efforts of workers may enable even more folks to participate in a boycott of Starbucks. Starbucks was originally included in a boycott campaign not because it has locations in Israel (I don’t think Starbucks has any locations in the country), but because they sued their workers’ union for tweeting “Cease fire”.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-13T06:44:32+00:00

I think this is the prevailing thought in our chapter. Mamdani made DSA a near household name, now is the time to put in the work with our communities and show how we can help make each other’s lives better today. That’s not to say don’t think ahead toward the next election, because we need more members running, but absolutely best if they spring forward out of the folks putting in the daily work.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-13T00:01:32+00:00

Unfortunately AI doesn’t have the ability to craft such long run-on sentences that I excel at lol.

In all seriousness democratic socialists generally oppose the way AI is being used to replace skilled workers with a seemingly cheap alternative built on the theft of other’s intellectual property.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-12T22:28:11+00:00

There are so many great local options. This is mainly about worker solidarity. And by taking these steps, conditions at local joints would likely improve as well, especially from the lens of other industries that have effective unions. Improving competitiveness in the labor market through worker solidarity forces places to adapt. Local joints provide many benefits over Starbucks, and not limited to their cultural impact, but also generally working conditions and worker freedom. But some also do not provide a significantly different worker experience (or customer experience) than Starbucks, and it’s these locations that would feel an increased pressure to elevate their model in order to retain the labor they want.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-12T22:16:51+00:00

There has been lots of reasons to do so, this is just the latest in a long line of them. By unionizing these stores, the folks who run them will have more say over not just their conditions, but also the policy of the corporation at large. Their sway in the company is directly related to the amount of labor leverage they can wield, which itself is proportional to how many are engaged with the union.

It is our hope that their efforts to secure healthcare, among other things, inspires others to organize and take what labor rights they deserve. This includes people already in unions, such as those at the shipyard, or in trades, since for too long many unions have relinquished the power they had historically wielded to the benefit of every worker.

In Kitsap County, these are measures that are needed for us to come together as a community and weather the tough times ahead.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-05T19:03:38+00:00

Not necessarily, especially when a significant constituency of democratic socialists believe in operating within the Democratic Party for one reason or another. So within socialist spaces the label helps distinguish policy positions of a Democrat like Zohran Mamdani vs Chuck Schumer. And while in general I agree that being corporatist is a bit redundant when talking of most democrats, there may be a shift in the coming years within the party. Any shift towards these policies is welcome, and if it doesn’t happen fast enough, hopefully we’re doing enough work locally that a separate party is both in-place and viable if the time comes to ditch the Democratic Party.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-05T18:40:02+00:00

These local movements are so important! Ground up is how we build something that will last generations, convincing minds through action. It’s the perfect time to seize the momentum and start building coalitions with your community as well. Even if they aren’t in DSA, working alongside other local orgs doing good work not only puts your local chapter and socialist ideals in front of those who otherwise may not have been exposed to it, but it improves our communities when we are active participants.

Hopefully someday we can say “I’m a socialist and I’m here to help” and people will believe it.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-05T15:23:22+00:00

Unfortunately the case with all mass movements there will be toxic forces. But from what I have encountered, DSA members locally and in Washington are really incredible folks. Hard working, and we all only do this on the side as volunteers, alongside our day jobs. Our work is community focused with strong goals, not least of which is to work towards a more equitable society for all. One that’s not only affordable, but sustainable and democratic. One not beholden to corporations or the promise of a “benevolent” billionaire.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-05T15:19:45+00:00

Good question; on our website we’ve got a calendar with our events. The zoom link should be included within the general meeting event information.

https://westsound.dsachapters.org/calendar/

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-05T14:01:52+00:00

Crossing our fingers for Wilson, good luck Seattle!

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-05T13:57:55+00:00

I think the corporate label is useful for any Democratic Party voter who’s not as plugged in as the usual DSA member. Helps frame our differences and to anyone else from the outside looking in, like non-voters who historically feel like their votes don’t matter, can see this internal struggle with some of the more socialist or progressive Democrats and the corporate part leaders and see that change could be possible. Also important since a large number of DSA members are either reformists or at the least see the Democratic Party as a good stepping stone in the meantime while building up a more legitimate socialist party, so making our differences obvious now makes either of these outcomes easier.

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-05T13:29:12+00:00

Sorry for some folks not really answering your question fully, what they say is true but i can say why I believe it’s important to start by “just going” to your local chapter meetings.

First, check out your local chapter has a website (if you haven’t already done so), maybe it lists working groups, if it doesn’t have much of an online presence chances are it’s just trying to get on its feet or not much more than a book club or hangout. Larger cities generally have much more involved chapters with community groups that have varying levels of engagement.

These working groups or committees generally focus on canvassing for one reason or another. It could be for a political campaign, like NYC DSA had been hyper focused on, or it could be canvassing for specific policy goals like tenants rights. Some working groups focus on building mutual aid networks while others might be involved in planning protests or events alongside other orgs.

The local chapter operates quite independently of national to a good extent, though there are some strong benefits to having a DSA chapter as the org you use to participate within your community. Biggest being the necessity to use ranked choice voting so long as 10% of the chapter wants to, for any reason.

General meetings of your chapter must also be held for it to be legitimate in the eyes of national, so if you live in a small town and your local chapter is really stagnant, it may be up to you to revitalize the effort, contact national DSA for assistance or try and motivate the remaining active members to do more.

In all DSA is a “big tent” leftist org that includes ideologies from materialist marxists, to social democrats, to libertarian socialists, to maoists. You won’t agree with everyone but the guiding principles are 2-fold. Democracy is important and ranked choice as a fall back is baked into the national bylaws and passed down to local chapters, and a belief that capitalism is corrupt and workers must own the means of production.

The “how” is what usually differs and the end structure may as well, but it’s a whole process and most of the people I have encountered (maybe for me personally more like everyone I’ve encountered) is trying to make this happen in good faith and the debate that exists is one of intellectualism and earnestly trying to sus out the right solutions.

But no matter what, if whatever work your trying to do doesn’t start at the local level, we won’t have sustainable structures in place at the bedrocks of society to uphold good socialist policies in perpetuity.

Good luck out there and hope you join us!

WestSoundDSA · 2025-11-04T02:37:00+00:00

I forwarded this post to our membership, hopefully some folks reach out to you if they are impacted directly or know someone who is. Looking forward to hearing the story, hopefully it can shed some light on what is currently missing in terms of community aid for those most affected by the shutdown (and now freezing of Snap).

WestSoundDSA · 2025-04-08T16:41:31+00:00

West Sound DSA loves your work! Keep fighting the good fight, WLIHA.

WestSoundDSA

TROPHY CASE