On Tuesday in Seattle, in addition to in 5 different cities throughout the nation, Starbucks employees went on strike to demand a good contract—upsetting a police response that included 16 arrests. This occurred in the future earlier than Starbucks held its annual shareholder assembly.
It’s the most recent episode in a contract battle between Starbucks and its employees that has lasted greater than three years.
You could be pondering—“However Conor, weren’t these contract negotiations supposedly wrapping up late final 12 months?” Good eye. As I reported in November, the espresso big and Starbucks Staff United (SBWU) have been engaged in negotiations that either side swore have been shifting shortly towards a good decision. However given Starbucks’ lengthy historical past of refusing to simply accept unions of their ranks and hiring the infamous union-busting legislation agency Littler Mendleson to argue in opposition to employees’ rights in court docket, some (definitely not me) have been skeptical that the corporate would all of a sudden begin enjoying good.
Yeah, they didn’t.
Within the ultimate bargaining assembly in December, Starbucks reportedly provided SBWU no new wage will increase, solely a 1.5% enhance in future years, and broke their promise to resolve the a whole bunch of pending Unfair Labor Follow fees the union has filed with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board.
The union considered this supply as outrageous. “That is backtracking on months and months of progress and guarantees from the corporate to work towards an end-of-year framework ratification,” union chief Michelle Eisen stated on the time.
In response, SBWU coordinated escalating strikes over 5 days beginning on December 20, sometimes a really worthwhile time of 12 months for Starbucks. The strike peaked on Christmas Eve, when 5,000 baristas at over 300 shops walked out.
On January 31, the 2 sides agreed to usher in the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to assist them hash out a framework contract for his or her 550 unionized shops representing over 11,000 employees. These talks are ongoing. Neither facet will disclose particulars on how the talks are continuing, however maybe this newest motion speaks to its progress—or lack thereof.
Tuesday, group members aligned with Starbucks employees staged over 100 actions they dubbed “sip-ins” in six cities: Easton, PA; Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and right here in Seattle on the store on The Ave and forty second.
This location, only a couple blocks off the UW campus, has been a hotbed for exercise on this years-long saga. In 2022, employees referred to as the shop a “high-incident” location with frequent disruptions and safety points they felt ill-equipped to deal with, however expressed issues that in the event that they filed incident studies with company, theirs could be the following retailer closed on doubtful grounds.
Final month, on February 11, employees at this retailer walked out after Starbucks spent tens of millions to run a Tremendous Bowl promotion providing a free espresso at any of their places—however uncared for to workers up for the large crush of oldsters who arrived and overwhelmed the workers.
Two weeks in the past, UW college students protested the varsity’s relationship with Starbucks, demanding in a letter to UW administration that the varsity cease serving Starbucks espresso on campus till the corporate affords their employees a suitable contract.
On Tuesday morning, almost 100 employees and group supporters sat contained in the store and protested outdoors, holding indicators and chanting, “No contract, no espresso! No employees, no Starbucks!”
This week, we took direct motion to point out Starbucks the urgency of finalizing contracts with the wages, staffing, and protections we have to thrive.
We’re doing what it takes to win. And we cannot cease till we do.
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— Starbucks Staff United (@sbworkersunited.org) March 13, 2025 at 10:51 AM
“I’m out right here as a result of our retailer gained a union election in 2022 and it is 2025 and we now have but to see our first contract,” stated Emma Cox, a barista coach. “Starbucks pledged to proceed with bargaining in good religion final 12 months however they haven’t adopted via with that promise. It’s by no means been that they don’t have the cash to present us raises. It’s that they don’t put the wants of their employees first.”
Police scanner audio confirms that round 1 p.m., the shop supervisor referred to as the cops and requested seven protestors inside the shop be “trespassed”—arrested for trespassing. Retailer administration additionally knowledgeable the police they might “help in prosecution,” in accordance with police scanner audio.
SPD leapt into motion, dispatching officers a mere three hours later to arrange a “command publish” in a parking zone at forty second and Brooklyn, outfitted with a “crowd administration package deal,” which in accordance with the SPD guide consists of blast balls and pepper spray. A photograph a Reddit person posted reveals Seattle’s Most interesting standing round chatting. That very same person later reported seeing two extra vans and 4 different officers across the nook, making a grand complete of 10 autos and 20 officers deployed for a peaceable protest in somewhat espresso store. SPD cleared out the protestors by round 5:15 p.m., with out altercation.
Your tax {dollars} onerous at work!
“Tuesday’s actions right here in Seattle and throughout the nation despatched a transparent message to Starbucks shareholders: It’s time for honest contracts. Starbucks must handle their employees and step one of that might be to finalize honest contracts with the wages, staffing, and protections baristas must thrive,” stated Ty Newbill, a Bremerton barista current on the protest.
“It is disappointing to see Staff United disrupt our shops and undermine the continuing mediation course of for single retailer contracts,” stated a consultant from Starbucks. “Since final April, Starbucks and Staff United have made important progress via respectful dialogue and have reached a lot of necessary agreements. Our success begins and ends with our companions (staff) and we’re dedicated to offering the perfect job in retail.”
In January, Starbucks reported $9.4 billion in international internet income final quarter. Starbucks’ CEO Brian Niccol made $95.8 million in 2024 for 4 months of distant work from California. In the meantime, SBWU claims that Starbucks employees make on common solely $16.50/hour. The corporate disputes that—however nonetheless claims “the perfect job in retail” pays $18/hour.
“We’re nonetheless with out a first contract, from an organization who can definitely afford to do proper by its employees,” stated union chief Michelle Eisen, one among 16 protestors arrested nationwide yesterday. “We deserve higher.”
The Starbucks shareholder assembly the day after the protests was a spicy one. One shareholder from the well-funded conservative anti-labor Nationwide Authorized and Coverage Heart advocacy group proposed that Starbucks think about the “fee of a report on human rights dangers associated to labor organizing.” (The board advisable voting in opposition to it.)
Shareholders additionally grilled CEO Brian Niccol on his personal jet utilization and interrogated the corporate’s lack of variety on their board of administrators.
Later, a shareholder requested when Starbucks would negotiate its first union contract.
Niccol stumbled via the beginnings of a solution earlier than throwing the ball to Sara Kelly, their head of human assets. Kelly talked about how a lot they worth their “companions,” and the way a lot progress they’ve been making in negotiations.
She concluded by saying, “When a companion elects a union to signify them, we’re dedicated to participating in good religion with that union and the companions who’ve chosen that union to barter honest contracts.”
Sound acquainted?
