Starbucks Union: Workers Face Retaliation for Trying to Organize Their Stores
Starbucks employees at more than 225 locations across the U.S. have already filed to unionize their stores, according to the tracker run by More Perfect Union. While an outpouring of public support suggests many people would “like their coffee union strong,” workers at these branches argue the company is engaged in union-busting.
The allegations are motivated by several recent actions taken by the coffee giant, including hiring a union avoidance law firm and launching a brand new “One Starbucks” website seemingly to counter the union’s messaging. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz even reportedly plans to expand employee benefits — a move that would potentially apply only to non-unionized Starbucks staff.
Starbucks has also been accused of engaging in one of the most drastic, effective, and technically illegal union-busting tactics: firing pro-union workers for organizing their colleagues. More than a dozen pro-union workers around the country have been fired or forced out of their jobs, each alleging that they were targeted for their workplace organizing. Starbucks has repeatedly denied allegations of union-busting or that the dismissals were retaliatory. National Labor Relations Board officials recently determined that Starbucks had illegally fired seven Starbucks employees who’d been trying to unionize their Memphis location, according to reporting by Bloomberg.
Teen Vogue spoke with eight Starbucks employees around the country about how they’re keeping their movement going amid this anti-union campaign. We reached out to Starbucks for comment.
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https://www.teenvogue.com/story/starbucks-union-retaliation