OKLAHOMA CITY—Starbucks (SBUX) baristas and community supporters attended a “sip-in” event on Wednesday at the 23rd and Robinson location. The workers are rallying to get the corporation to negotiate in good faith and reach a tentative agreement.
A “sip-in” is an event for SBUX organizers, workers, and members of the community to come into a store to show support for the workers.
Around a dozen people showed up for this event. The reason for the sip-in is that numerous stores have unionized and have been waiting for the corporation to agree to a contract for years now.
Free Press was at the event and spoke to workers and members of the community.
Jacob Bone, shift supervisor at the 23rd and Robinson store, said his store was the first store in Oklahoma to be unionized, and they’ve “been waiting for this contract for two and a half years”.
They said, “It’s time we got the contract we deserve. I’m the bargaining delegate. I’ve been negotiating the contract with the company since April. We have an incredible contract.”
Bone says the corporation has been throwing up roadblocks every step of the process.
“We’ve shown them that we’re militant and that we’re not going to back down and they have backed down. And right now, the most recent offer we’ve got on wages and benefits…their complete offer was that union workers would get the same raise that everyone else got, or one percent,” they explained.
Bone made it clear that the offer was unacceptable, and at the end of the last round of negotiations, their delegation walked out. They are scheduled to meet with the corporation for negotiations again in December.
“So from the beginning, this campaign has shown when rank and file workers stand together, when we partner with our community, and even up to the shareholders of SBUX corporation, we win. We defeated Howard Schultz, who swore he’d never recognize the union. He’s gone. He’s long gone. This new CEO, if he stands in our way will share the same fate”, Bones explained.
“I want a contract for Christmas!” they concluded.
JoBeth Hamon, OKC City Councilwoman of Ward 6, also showed up to the sip-in to support the workers.
“I was excited to hear that they’re wanting to build a show of solidarity from the community to support their efforts, and come to a final contract decision between them and SBUX corporate, and wanted to show support for what they’re fighting for – the wages and benefits – that they know they deserve. They’re doing all the labor of making these stores run,” said Hamon.
“So I just really wanted to come out and show my support, and hope that that they can carry the message both to the broader community, but also to the folks who are there negotiating, and that the community is really behind the workers that make this happen. Without them, SBUX wouldn’t make the money that they have made.”
Other workers from other SBUX stores also came out to show support. One worker, Neha Cremin, a barista from the 36th and May store, shared her thoughts on the matter.
Cremin said, “We’ve been contract bargaining for the last seven months at this point. We’re finally getting towards the end. We just want to rally community support because we’re going towards the most difficult part of our fight at this point. We’re fighting for wages, healthcare, that sort of stuff. It’s really nice to see how many people showed up to offer their support.”
This rally comes on the tail of SBUX having a change of heart about working with unions.
Alex Gatley covers labor activities in the state of Oklahoma.
