Starbucks workers struggle: over 100 branches across the US were closed for 3 days
| AP Agency, Dvar News |
More than 1,000 employees of the Starbucks (NASDAQ:) chain of coffee shops in more than 100 branches across the US began a three-day strike starting last Friday, as part of their efforts to organize the chain’s workers.
According to the Starbucks Workers United union, the group coordinating the effort, this is the longest strike they have taken since the beginning of the organizing process. Earlier, on November 17, a one-day strike was held at 110 branches – timed for the company’s annual ‘Red Cup Day’, where it gives out branded reusable cups to customers who order a drink.
As of today, over 264 of the chain’s approximately 9,000 branches have already voted in favor of joining the union since the organization began at the end of last year.
At one of the Starbucks branches in Chicago, barista Finn Doris and shift manager Teddy Hoffman took part in a protest vigil held at the entrance of the branch. They waved at vehicles that were honking their horns in support of the unionizing workers. Both told the AP that the company had cut their work hours ahead of the holidays.
“Some of the stores were closed and the workers were absorbed by us, which made it difficult to distribute the hours,”
said Doris, who says she prefers to work 20-25 hours a week, but has recently been assigned to only about 10 hours a week. Hoffman, emphasizes that Howe wants the company to treat employees in a more respectful way:
“The more of us who stand together, the more we will work. A message came back to Starbucks, to each other and even to people who don’t work at Starbucks – there are people who will not tolerate exploitation by their employers.”
Tori Tamblini, a former Starbucks shift manager and union leader who was fired in July, said she plans to protest in front of a Pittsburgh store over the weekend. According to her, she is protesting a lack of personnel in the branches, a poor management method and what she calls “Starbucks’ scorched earth method of crushing unions”, including closing unionized stores.
For example, Starbucks Workers United noted that the company recently closed the first unionized store in Seattle, the company’s hometown. According to Starbucks, the store was closed for safety reasons. The union has submitted to the National Labor Relations Board at least 446 charges against the company since the beginning of the union, alleging unfair behavior and harm to organizing – including the claim that the company fired union leaders and refuses to bargain.
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