Starbucks workers union goes on strike in US cities | labor rights news

Some members of the labor union representing more than 10,000 baristas at Starbucks in the United States have begun a five-day strike at stores in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle, citing unresolved issues over pay, staffing and schedules.

The strike, which began on Friday, is the latest in a series of labor actions in the US that have gained momentum in service industries after a period in which workers at automotive, aerospace and rail manufacturers won substantial concessions from employers.

The Starbucks Workers United union, which represents employees at 525 stores across the U.S., said late Thursday that the walkout would grow daily and could reach “hundreds of stores” across the country by Christmas Eve.

“It is estimated that 10 out of 10,000 company-operated stores did not open today,” Starbucks said. There was no significant impact on store operations Friday, he said.

About 20 people joined a picket line at a Starbucks location on Chicago’s North Side, buffeted by snow and wind, but cheering in response to the horns of passing cars.

Some confused customers tried to get into the closed store before the strikers chanted, but union member Shep Pearl said the reaction was mostly positive.

Searle said that 100 percent of the unionized employees at the Starbucks location in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood were participating in the strike and that, according to the workers, they were subject to a number of unfair labor practices, including write-ups, “captive-audience” meetings, and dismissals. , (A captive-audience meeting is a mandatory meeting held by a firm where employees are interested in forming a union and where it brings in labor relations consultants to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of forming a union.)

Union members said they earned about $21 an hour and said this “would have been very good pay in 2013”.

Given inflation and the high cost of living in a big city, this is an inadequate salary, the barista said, especially since they rarely get a 40-hour work week.

“We plan to move forward if necessary,” he said.

impasse

Negotiations between the company and Workers United began in April based on an established framework agreed in February, which may also help resolve several pending legal disputes.

The company said Thursday it has held more than nine bargaining sessions with the union since April, and reached more than 30 agreements on “hundreds of topics,” including economic issues.

The company, which is headquartered in Seattle, said it was prepared to continue negotiations, claiming union representatives prematurely ended a bargaining session this week.

However, the union said in a Facebook post Friday that Starbucks has not yet presented a serious economic proposal with less than two weeks left until the year-end contract deadline.

The workers’ group also rejected a proposal for no immediate wage increase and a guaranteed 1.5 percent increase in future years.

“Workers United’s proposals call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage for hourly partners by 64 per cent and 77 per cent over the life of the three-year contract. This is not sustainable,” Starbucks said Friday.

Hundreds of complaints have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), accusing Starbucks of illegal labor practices such as firing union supporters and closing stores during labor campaigns. Starbucks has denied wrongdoing and said it respects employees’ right to choose whether or not to form a union.

Last month, the NLRB said Starbucks broke the law by telling workers at its flagship Seattle cafe they wouldn’t get benefits if they joined a union.

“It (the strike) is happening during one of the busiest times of the year for Starbucks, which could amplify its impact while bringing unwanted public scrutiny into the company’s labor practices,” said Rachel Wolfe, an analyst at market researcher eMarketer. “

The coffee chain is undergoing a transformation under newly-appointed boss Brian Niccol, who aims to restore “coffee house culture” by revamping cafes and simplifying menus, among other measures.

“Given how much Starbucks is already struggling to win over customers, it cannot afford any negative publicity – or impact on sales – that a strike might bring,” Wolfe said.

According to a post on X, the union has called for support at picket lines in the three cities, starting at around 18:00 GMT.

The strike by Starbucks workers comes the same week Amazon workers walked off the job at seven U.S. facilities during the holiday shopping rush on Thursday.

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show there were 33 work stoppages in 2023, the most since 2000, though significantly fewer than in previous decades.