More than 100 lawmakers push Starbucks to resume union negotiations

Starbucks Workers and Supporters Prepare for Strike as Lawmakers Urge Company to Resume Bargaining Talks

As the holiday season approaches, tensions between Starbucks and its workers are escalating. More than 100 lawmakers have written to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, urging the company to resume bargaining talks with Workers United, the union representing the coffee giant’s baristas. The letters, sent on Monday, come as the union threatens a strike in 25 cities starting Thursday, coinciding with Starbucks’ Red Cup Day, one of its biggest sales days of the year.

A Call for Fair Negotiations

The lawmakers, including Senator Bernie Sanders, argue that Starbucks has the resources to increase workers’ pay and benefits, citing CEO Brian Niccol’s $95 million compensation package since his hiring. The company claims that $90 million of this package was in the form of stock awards to cover equity Niccol left behind at Chipotle when he joined Starbucks. The lawmakers believe that Starbucks can afford to reach a fair agreement with its workers, and that the company must reverse its current posture and bargain in good faith.

The strike authorization vote, which won a 92% approval from union members, is a clear indication of the workers’ determination to push for improved hours, higher wages, and the resolution of hundreds of unfair labor practice charges against the company. Workers United, which began organizing at Starbucks in 2021, now represents over 12,000 workers across more than 650 stores, although the company claims that the union only represents 9,500 workers at 550 cafes.

A History of Failed Negotiations

The two parties are not currently in active contract talks, after discussions fell apart late last year. Mediation began in February, but hundreds of barista delegates voted down the economic package proposed by Starbucks in April. Both sides have pointed blame at each other for the failure to reach a bargaining agreement, and both claim to be ready to negotiate. However, the union has made it clear that it will not back down, with spokesperson Michelle Eisen stating that “the ball is in Starbucks’ court.”

In response to the strike vote results, Starbucks has said that it will be ready to serve customers across its nearly 18,000 company-operated and licensed stores this holiday season. The company claims to offer the best job in retail, with average pay and benefits of over $30 an hour for hourly partners. However, the union remains determined to push for a fair agreement, and the strike on Thursday is likely to be a significant test of the company’s resolve.