Last Updated on December 20, 2022, 11:29 AM | Published: July 25, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — It has been a long road for the Nichols Hills (63rd and Grand) Starbucks baristas who won their vote to be represented by Workers United Monday afternoon.
The workers at that store become the third in the OKC metro to earn their vote for union representation. The other two so far have been:
Other stores in the metro have petitioned but have yet to hold their vote.
The workers at the Nichols Hills store were the first in OKC to petition for a union vote and the first to vote but not the first to win their vote.
That’s because the original vote held by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which was the first in the metro, had enough ballots contested by Starbucks that they had to wait for a decision from the NLRB.
“We had to wait on the NLRB to decide on which ballots to end up counting and they decided to count all of the contested ballots and they’re a little bit slow,” four-year barista Alisha Humphrey told Free Press after the vote.
Three months wait
“We waited almost three months but now we finally have our for-sure election win and everything so right,” Humphrey continued.
The final count Monday was 13-11.
“It’s amazing,” said Humphrey. “I feel so anxious and excited at the same time. It’s so much relief. I’m so tired of waiting and being stuck in limbo.”
Tori Smith was present to watch the Zoom live count talked to Free Press after the vote about reasons for wanting to be represented by a union.
“We’re the ones in there doing the groundwork,” Smith said. “Like, we’re making drinks. We’re cooking the food. So it’s just nice to have an opportunity to be able to make a change [where] we’re working.”
What’s next?
Next up is to begin negotiations between the workers at that individual store and that store’s management.
Unlike many union organizing efforts, this one has been store by store across the U.S. instead of all workers across the nation having one big vote.
Each store’s baristas that gain union representation will elect its own local leaders and its own negotiations committee.
Calling itself “Starbucks Workers United” on social media, the organizers have had support and advice from the experienced and seasoned staff at Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union. The Starbucks workers in stores that vote to be unionized will be members of Workers United.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
