Some local Starbucks employees filed to unionize, adding to a growing movement of baristas across the country looking to do the same.
Weeks ago, a shop in Buffalo, New York became the first company-owned store to unionize in the country.
Just days ago, some employees at the Howell Mill Road Starbucks location filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board. It’s the first Georgia location to file for union election, according to Workers United.
“I think that all of us have kind of seen all the other stores that have been putting forth this effort to file and we all just kind of really believe in the idea of trying to make positive change in the workplace,” said employee at the Howell Mill location, Page Smith.
Along with filing for election, several employees also sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson.
“In our letter, we talked a lot about trying to uphold the mission and values of Starbucks as a company a little bit more so making sure workers feel they’re being fairly compensated for what they’re doing, the service they’re providing for the company and the public,” said Smith.
Another employee, Taylor Johns, is hoping for positive change.
“Another big thing that me personally, I know Page has talked about, I’ve heard other partners say is precautions specifically related to COVID, us kind of on the front lines so to speak have first hand experience with how we would like to be protected and we don’t feel like that’s really happening here,” Johns said.
Their efforts come after the first company-owned Starbucks was unionized in Buffalo, New York. Locations in more than a dozen states are now trying to follow in its footsteps.
“I thought it was so cool. I think unions are great for worker and labor rights and it was really exciting to see something that I was kind of already a part of, sort of adopt that mentality that I already admired,” said Johns.
Smith says while the coffee keeps brewing, the employees are waiting for what’s next.
“We’re waiting on that official response from Starbucks corporate and everything, and then we are also waiting to hear back from the National Labor Relations Board on what date our election will be set for,” said Smith. “Our petition is purely for this store, on a store-by-store basis. If other stores in the area follow our lead, then we will of course help them in their efforts as well and do what we can to help each other.”
We reached out to Starbucks for comment and received the following response:
We are listening and learning from the partners in these stores as we always do across the country.Our position hasn’t changed: Starbucks success—past, present, and future—is built on how we partner together, always with Our Mission and Values at our core.
As Rossann Williams, evp and president, North America, recently shared with our partners “the vote outcomes will not change our shared purpose or how we will show up for each other. … We will keep listening, we will keep connecting and we will keep being in service of one another because that’s what we’ve always done and what it means to be partner.”
Best,
The Starbucks Press Team
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