ARLINGTON, Va. ― The patrons of Sam Dukore’s Starbucks store in Arlington, Virginia, received unfortunate news on Wednesday. Workers at the store had decided to go on strike for the day due to alleged unfair labor practices committed by the company. Dukore apologized to a customer named Curtis who was headed for the locked doors.
This Starbucks location was just one of over 100 stores across the country where workers participated in the one-day work stoppage organized by the baristas’ union, Workers United. The store was unable to operate for the day as enough workers took part in the walkout. A sign on the door informed customers of the temporary closure and directed them to download the Starbucks app to find open locations. Workers picketed outside, distributing flyers that explained the dispute and accused Starbucks of violating labor laws.
Dukore expressed his firsthand experience with the unfair treatment faced by workers. Despite his love for the food service industry, he refused to allow himself to be taken advantage of. The affected stores make up a small portion of Starbucks’ numerous corporate-owned locations in the U.S. A company spokesperson stated that most of the picketed stores remained open with regular staff and baristas transferred from other cafes. The company accused the union of orchestrating a publicity stunt and encouraged Workers United to engage in good faith bargaining.
These strikes have come at a crucial time for Starbucks and the union campaign, which has gained momentum since late 2021 and organized nearly 300 stores. Howard Schultz, the company’s co-founder, played a central role in combating the union effort by discouraging workers from bargaining collectively. Schultz is set to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions next week, addressing the various allegations against Starbucks. The strikes and the upcoming shareholder meeting have prompted the union to call for an independent review of the company’s record on workers’ rights.
Starbucks has denied the allegations of threatening workers or breaking the law during the campaign. However, approximately 80 complaints against the company are currently being litigated, and the labor board’s administrative law judges have started issuing official decisions on these cases. In a recent decision, a judge condemned Starbucks for “egregious and widespread misconduct” in Western New York, where the union effort originated. The judge ordered the company to reinstate seven workers who were wrongfully terminated. Starbucks has appealed the decision to the full labor board for review.
Dukore and his colleague Jayde Coler have experienced increased scrutiny from management since their store started unionizing last year. They have faced strict enforcement of dress code and attendance policies that were not rigorously enforced before. The selective implementation of policies against union sympathizers has been a recurring issue in several Starbucks cases, as per the labor board’s general counsel.
Starbucks had no union representation in its U.S. corporate-owned stores until the Workers United campaign began. The union is currently working towards negotiating contracts at the more than 280 stores that have voted in favor of union representation. The process of securing a first contract can be arduous and time-consuming. Each Starbucks store will have its own agreement, rather than a national contract, making negotiations even more challenging. The labor board’s general counsel recently accused Starbucks of refusing to negotiate with workers at over 20 stores.
René Klerian, a worker at the Court House store participating in the strike, sees lawmakers pressuring Schultz to testify as a positive step. He plans to watch the testimony and believes it could lead to positive changes within the company.
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