NEWS

Citing staff shortages, Bald Hill Starbucks looks to unionize

Posted 4/13/22

By ALEX MALM

Last week employees at the Pace Boulevard Starbucks in Warwick joined over 200 stores across the country that have filed paperwork in an attempt to unionize.

“Unionization …

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NEWS

Citing staff shortages, Bald Hill Starbucks looks to unionize

Posted

By ALEX MALM

Last week employees at the Pace Boulevard Starbucks in Warwick joined over 200 stores across the country that have filed paperwork in an attempt to unionize.

“Unionization will give our store the tools it needs to provide the services our customers want. We need proper staffing, proper training, and proper facilities to ensure the quality of our work,” a letter from the Starbucks Workers United Organizing Committee of 25 Pace Boulevard a letter to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz reads.

In an interview Monday Cassie Burke, a barista and union organizer for the Pace Boulevard location said that being able to help to start a union is something she has thought of for a long time.

“It’s always something that I wanted to do,” she said.

A major issue with  Burke, who started work in January is the lack of employees.

In the letter to Schultz the organizing committee said “A partner soloing bar during afternoon rush means drinks come out late, a delivery order doesn’t get bagged, and the iced oat milk chai tea latte goes out of the drive-thru window with whole milk. This is an action not just taken to improve partners’ lives, but the store as a whole. You should never walk into a Starbucks and see two people manning the entire storefront, but this is the reality our store, and many others, have faced.”

Burke said that the customers notice when there are issues at the store and said that unionizing would help both the customers and staff.

“The only loser here will be corporate’s bottom line,” said Burke.

Burke also pointed out that one of the reasons the location decided to organize is in order to get a collective bargaining agreement in order to negotiate for things like healthcare benefits, and their tuition program for Arizona State University, which Burke said can be taken away from them. Burke said that many people who work there do so because of the benefits.

“Having those being able to be taken away from you is a big factor for a lot of people here,” said Burke.

Asked for what specifics the employees at the store may look for if the union is created, Burke said that it is too early to tell.

“We want to get stuff that everyone in the store will appreciate,” said Burke.

At this point 18 Starbucks across five states have voted to become unionized.

While no other stores in the state have taken the steps to become unionized, Burke said she would be surprised if other stores didn’t join them.

“I think once you get one started others tend to start up,” said Burke.

In response to an inquiry to Starbucks a spokesperson said Monday “We are listening and learning from the partners in these stores as we always do across the country.”

“From the beginning we have been clear in our belief that we are better together as partners without a union between us and that conviction has not changed.”

Burke said that a vote to become unionized hasn’t been set yet.

Starbucks, unionization

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