Unions and a cup of joe to go: 3 Starbucks stores seek to unionize

As the labor shortage continues, employees at select Starbucks stores may become the first company-owned cafes in the U.S. to unionize. Employers are now on notice: Giving thanks can go a long way.

Leverage of the labor shortage

In an unprecedented move, employees at three New York Starbucks stores are seeking to form a union. If successful, they would be the first in the U.S. to unionize at Starbucks-owned stores.

The organizers of the movement claim they represent shift supervisors, assistant store managers, and other workers, such as baristas. They seek to bring about change and awareness to several company issues including a need for higher staffing levels, more training, and better compensation. Given the labor shortage in the U.S., the employees feel they are less expendable and therefore now have more leverage to organize.

Starbucks has scrambled to respond to the effort by attempting to meet some of the employees’ demands such as hiring recruiters to meet staffing needs, plans to offer more training for their baristas, and a quicker response to address store problems. Yet, it’s believed Starbucks is one of the most progressive fast-food chains, providing employees with company stock, paid parental and sick leave, and mental health benefits. They paid workers to stay home at the start of the pandemic and months later began calling back employees to return to work. The company has acknowledged, however, it has faced staffing challenges during the pandemic.