OKLAHOMA CITY – Union members working at Starbucks (SBUX) turned in an overwhelming nationwide 98% vote to authorize a strike. No date has been set so far.
The decision is meant to pressure the company to move forward as the last bargaining session of 2024 begins Tuesday. Negotiations have been going on for a year.
The overwhelming 98% vote in favor of the strike authorization demonstrates the workers’ strong dissatisfaction with the current working conditions and their determination to achieve their demands.
This democratic process within the workers’ union, Starbucks Workers United, represents over 10,000 workers from over 500 stores nationwide.
This authorization is a response to:
- Low pay and benefits.
- Understaffing.
- Unfair labor practices from Starbucks.
- Outstanding litigation between the union and Starbucks.
There has been some progress. In recent developments, Starbucks accepted the union’s proposal of 18 weeks of parental leave for all workers, not just union workers.
Starbucks workers in OKC have been restless as anger built over alleged scheduling abuse and mistreatment of workers both locally and on a national level.
In the Oklahoma City metro, Free Press was the first publication in February of 2022 to report the Starbucks crew at the Nichols Hills Starbucks store voting to petition for a union election, which they won. They were the first Starbucks workers in Oklahoma to petition for a union election although the workers at the 23rd and Robinson store in OKC were the first to win their union vote.
Since then, workers from other Starbucks stores in the metro have continued to petition for a vote and win the vote.
Local worker responds
Jacob Bone, partner and union member at 23rd and Robinson in OKC, exchanged text messages with Free Press about the vote.
“While we hope to reach an amicable agreement with the company this week, we will not back down on our core demands. We are dedicated to securing fair wages, benefits we can afford to use, predictable schedules, and protections for our health and safety,” Bone said.
“We are especially committed to ensuring that this contract serves our disabled, trans, and P.O.C. fellow workers who have been at the heart of this campaign since day one,” Bone continued. “The workers on this campaign have been taking action and making sacrifices for years.
“Every step of the way we have had to force this company to listen to the voices of the baristas on the floor every day making your drinks. We have carried on despite all of the union-busting and delay tactics because we believe in the values Starbucks claims to stand for,” Bone said.
Starbucks Workers United statement
“An overwhelming 98 percent of union partners voted in favor of the strike authorization, showing their willingness to do whatever it takes to protest hundreds of still-unresolved unfair labor practice charges (ULPs) and win a strong foundational framework for union contracts,” a press release from the union said.
The union said that workers and the Starbucks corporate negotiators have engaged in “hundreds of hours of bargaining and countless hours of preparation for each session.”
Tentative agreements from both parties have been advanced. The corporation has yet “to bring a comprehensive economic package to the bargaining table,” the statement said.
The union also cited “hundreds of as-yet unsettled unfair labor practices” that remain unresolved.
Starbucks corporation response
“It is disappointing that the union is considering a strike rather than focusing on what have been extremely productive negotiations,” said Phil Gee, company spokesperson in a public statement sent to Free Press. “Since April we’ve scheduled and attended more than eight multi-day bargaining sessions where we’ve reached thirty meaningful agreements on dozens of topics Workers United delegates told us were important to them, including many economic issues.”
Gee cited “eight multi-day bargaining sessions” and “30 meaningful agreements” as bargaining achievements so far.
Free Press remains committed to reporting news of street-level or national labor actions. If you have any information or tips, please write to the editor.
Alex Gatley covers labor activities in the state of Oklahoma.
