Starbucks workers arrange to form America’s first union

Study time: 2 minutes

So far, none of the 8,000 Starbucks companies on U.S. soil have joined the union. Buffalo workers in New York decided to fix this.

On August 23, a group of about 50 employees announced and disclosed in a letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson that they were launching an organizing campaign, as well as forming a committee: Starbucks Workers United Organizing Committee.

We are proud to announce that we have formed an organizational group called SBWorkersUnited in the Buffalo Region. Here is our letter to Kevin Johnson! pic.twitter.com/eOzPE4u1vy

– SBWorkersUnited (SBWorkersUnited) August 23, 2021

Protect your rights

“We are called ‘Starbucks Partners’. We want to be real partners and be able to listen to our voices to enhance our work and our customer experience.”, Says Alexis Risso, one of the CEOs of the initiative who has worked for the company for six years.

Many persistent problems, such as persistent staff shortages, lack of pay rises and tiring speed of work, worsened during the health crisis, as already pointed out by chain employees.

For a long time, Starbucks opposed the formation of the union. Howard Schultz, the company’s former chief executive, has stepped up anti-union campaigns in recent years: especially in 2009 when he campaigned for a major overhaul of the US Congress Labor Act.

Earlier this month, an executive judge acknowledged it Starbucks has illegally removed two of its barristers In Philadelphia, in response to an attempt to organize a union.

In view of this record, buffalo workers have asked the current CEO of Starbucks to sign a charter that does not interfere with the union’s constitution, which includes any threats, intimidation or denial of corruption by workers who wish to join the union.

For its part, Starbucks management has indicated it is not in favor of forming a union: “While Starbucks respects the free choice of its partners, we firmly believe that our work environment, as well as our exceptional compensation and benefits, make trade unions in Starbucks redundant.