The Starbucks barista strike has expanded to about 5,000 workers at more than 300 stores in 45 states, organizers said, just as the company’s busy holiday period begins.
While this still represents only about 3% of all Starbucks stores in the U.S., it is an expansion of an initiative that began last week in three cities.
The strike, organized by the Service Employees International Union and Starbucks Workers United, was aimed at drawing attention to allegations of unfair labor practices and stalled negotiations over contracts affecting thousands of workers. There is. The workers are demanding an immediate increase in Starbucks’ minimum hourly wage by up to 64%, and by more than 77% over the course of the three-year contract.
“We’ve talked about how much Starbucks values our partners throughout our system, but we’re committed to zero immediate investment in barista wages and hundreds of unresolved unfair labor cases,” union president Lynn Fox said in a statement. We refuse to accept the resolution of the act.” “Baristas know their value and will not accept an offer that does not treat them as true partners.”
Starbucks announced that only about 170 stores did not open as planned. The company has more than 10,000 directly managed stores, and 98% of its stores and nearly 200,000 employees are continuing to work as usual.
In a memo to employees posted by the company, Starbucks executives said the union’s demands were “unsustainable” and touted the full range of benefits available to employees, including those who work at least 20 hours a week. He noted that employees receive an average wage of $30 an hour. When combining salary and benefits.
“Last week, our union chose to withdraw from collective bargaining,” said Sara Kelly, Starbucks’ executive vice president. “When the union comes back to the bargaining table, we are ready to continue bargaining.”
Starbucks has enjoyed a boost in investor sentiment since hiring Chipotle CEO Brian Nicol to head the coffee chain in August, but the stock has since slumped in recent days as the broader market has rebounded. It has been falling for weeks.
Mr. Nicol has vowed to bargain in good faith with unions, but his previous tenure at the burrito chain was notable for at least two settlements with workers required by the National Labor Relations Board. Ta.
