As the company’s hectic holiday season gets underway, a Starbucks barista strike is growing to include 5,000 workers at what organizers said were more than 300 locations across 45 states.
It’s an extension of an initiative that started last week in three cities, although it still only accounts for around 3% of all Starbucks shops in the United States.
The walkout, which is being organized by Starbucks Workers United and the Service Employees International Union, is intended to raise awareness of claims of unfair labor practices and the ongoing talks for a contract that would cover thousands of workers. The employees want Starbucks’ minimum hourly wage to rise by up to 64% right away and by more than 77% over the course of a three-year contract.
The Workers Union president, Lynne Fox, issued a statement saying, “After everything Starbucks has stated about how they value partners throughout the system, we refuse to accept zero immediate investment in baristas’ wages and no resolution of the hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practices.” “Baristas will not accept a proposal that does not treat them as genuine partners because they understand their worth.
Only about 170 Starbucks locations, according to Starbucks, did not open as scheduled. It reported that approximately 200,000 workers and 98% of its more than 10,000 company-operated stores carried on with their regular operations.
In an interview with Amemoto employees, a Starbucks executive referred to the union’s demands as “not sustainable” and praised the benefits package offered to workers, pointing out that workers who put in at least 20 hours a week often earn $30 per hour in wages and benefits.
“Last week, the union decided to withdraw from negotiations,” stated Sara Kelly, an executive vice president of Starbucks. “We are ready to continue negotiations when the union comes back to the bargaining table.”
After hiring Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol to lead it in August, Starbucks saw a spike in investor enthusiasm; however, in recent weeks, its share price has fallen in tandem with the general market slump.
Although Niccol’s prior employment at the burrito restaurant included at least two worker settlements that the National Labor Relations Board mandated, he has promised to engage in good faith negotiations with the union.
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