Last Updated on December 20, 2022, 11:32 AM | Published: March 21, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — The Bricktown Starbucks baristas have now joined the nationwide movement of Starbucks employees as they petition the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) store-by-store for a vote to collectively bargain with the Starbucks corporation.
Over a majority of Bricktown Starbucks employees signed a petition to have the NLRB hold an election on whether employees will be represented by Workers United, an affiliate of the massive Service Employees International Union.
Employees of the Bricktown Starbucks said in a letter to the corporation that “the way we are being treated is unsustainable.”
“We joined this company because it has always held itself above the competition as a better place for partners,” the letter continues. “In spite of that in the past few years we have been progressively pushed to the side in the name of profits, despite revenue increasing.”
“We have invested our blood, sweat, tears, and labor. Now we demand a return on those investments.”
“Ignorance”
Employees of the Bricktown store said that the “rollback of benefits” and the “ignorance of partners’ needs” were among the causes of their action.
“Every week we are subject to worsening working conditions by people who have never worked as a barista,” the letter stated. “Pressure to reduce labor comes from a group of disconnected corporate employees.”
“We are coming together to unionize, so that we may amplify our voice and finally make a positive change.”
The dynamics described in the Bricktown employees’ letter and many of the 100 others point to a long-term problem in American corporations of decision-makers at the top of corporations having no experience or connection to what the line workers for the corporation are doing or experiencing on their jobs.
One hundred and counting
This comes as employees of over 100 Starbucks stores in more than 25 states have successfully petitioned for a union election.
So far, employees in nine stores across the U.S. have successfully voted in union representation.
Stores in the Oklahoma City area who have organized and petitioned the NLRB so far are:
- 63rd and Grand, Nichols Hills
- Highway 9 and Classen, Norman
- 23rd and Robinson, Oklahoma City
- Bricktown, Oklahoma City
The first in Oklahoma to petition was the Nichols Hills store which now has their election scheduled for May 6.
A sign of the growing pressure of the union movement on the corporation, Starbucks has brought back founder Howard Schultz to lead the corporation as their anti-union efforts seem to only embolden employees across the massive coffee-oriented food service company.
Schultz has become the acting President and CEO after current President and CEO Kevin Johnson announced that he would retire from the position effective April 4. Schultz was the Chairman and CEO of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000 and then from 2008 to 2017.
The letter
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
