Starbucks Workers Vote to Strike Amid Anger Over Low Pay and Poor Conditions
A strike vote has been called by Starbucks Workers United, the union representing baristas at the world's largest coffee chain, amid anger over low pay and poor working conditions. The vote, which began last Friday and will continue until Sunday, is expected to lead to widespread strikes across 60 cities in the US.
The union claims that company management has engaged in bad faith bargaining, while Starbucks argues that the union walked away from the negotiating table. The issue at hand is a contract, which the union says could be finalized with less than one day's sales. However, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol earned $97.8 million in compensation last year, while median annual salaries for Starbucks employees were around $14,674.
Many baristas are struggling to make ends meet, with some reporting earnings of less than $16 per hour. They cite the need for better wages, take-home pay, hours, and staffing to ensure that floors can run smoothly. The company has been under pressure, announcing store closures as part of its cost-cutting restructuring.
Labor experts say that a strong showing in the strike-authorization vote will send a message to Starbucks management that workers are serious about taking action if a contract isn't agreed upon soon. "Demonstrating that this national, dispersed campaign can lead to first contracts will send a message to workers nationwide that they can organize and win material gains," said Rebecca Givan, a labor law professor at Rutgers University.
Starbucks has touted its Back to Starbucks transformation campaign as working, with improved partner engagement and reduced turnover. However, the union says that the company's proposals are unserious and that it needs to seriously address workers' concerns.
The strike authorization vote is expected to be closely watched throughout the US labor movement, with many expecting a strong showing of support for workers' rights. If authorized, the strike could pave the way for even larger strike actions, hitting more store locations nationwide.
A strike vote has been called by Starbucks Workers United, the union representing baristas at the world's largest coffee chain, amid anger over low pay and poor working conditions. The vote, which began last Friday and will continue until Sunday, is expected to lead to widespread strikes across 60 cities in the US.
The union claims that company management has engaged in bad faith bargaining, while Starbucks argues that the union walked away from the negotiating table. The issue at hand is a contract, which the union says could be finalized with less than one day's sales. However, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol earned $97.8 million in compensation last year, while median annual salaries for Starbucks employees were around $14,674.
Many baristas are struggling to make ends meet, with some reporting earnings of less than $16 per hour. They cite the need for better wages, take-home pay, hours, and staffing to ensure that floors can run smoothly. The company has been under pressure, announcing store closures as part of its cost-cutting restructuring.
Labor experts say that a strong showing in the strike-authorization vote will send a message to Starbucks management that workers are serious about taking action if a contract isn't agreed upon soon. "Demonstrating that this national, dispersed campaign can lead to first contracts will send a message to workers nationwide that they can organize and win material gains," said Rebecca Givan, a labor law professor at Rutgers University.
Starbucks has touted its Back to Starbucks transformation campaign as working, with improved partner engagement and reduced turnover. However, the union says that the company's proposals are unserious and that it needs to seriously address workers' concerns.
The strike authorization vote is expected to be closely watched throughout the US labor movement, with many expecting a strong showing of support for workers' rights. If authorized, the strike could pave the way for even larger strike actions, hitting more store locations nationwide.
I'm so inspired by these amazing baristas who are standing up for themselves and fighting for better pay and working conditions 
. It's crazy to think that they're earning less than $16 an hour and still have to deal with poor staffing and hours 
. The CEO raking in 97 million dollars last year is just, like, a whole different level of wild 
. I'm rooting for the union and hoping that their strike will bring about some real change 
. It's all about fairness and respect for workers, you know? We should all be supporting these brave folks who are taking a stand for what's right 
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they have baristas working for like under $16 an hour and earning less than that after taxes! 
and now the workers are fighting back with a strike vote. i hope they get what they deserve because they clearly need it 
more staffing, better pay, take-home pay... it's all about treating people right, you know? 
. Baristas are the ones serving you your latte every morning, making sure your coffee is perfect, and they can't even afford to live a decent life? It's ridiculous. 
. It's time for the company to step up its game and treat its employees with respect and fairness 
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they're barely scraping by and the CEO is raking in millions? like, what's the point of having a union if its just gonna be ignored? i think this strike could actually lead to some positive change for baristas across the country, but at the same time, it's also super stressful for them. 60 cities is a lot to organize and coordinate 
we'll have to see how this all plays out
i mean, have u seen that pic of the CEO makin $97.8 MILLION tho? 
like, what even is that kind of wealth? meanwhile they're struggling to pay bills on time 
gotta support those baristas and their fight for fair wages and better workin conditions 
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. And don't even get me started on the CEO's $98 million pay last year... it's just not right 
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. 97 millio dollars for one year? that's insane! and median salary is around $15k? no wonder they're all mad, fam 
I mean, the union's all about getting what they feel is fair for their members, but I get that Starbucks is trying to balance its books too 
. I mean, $97.8 million in CEO pay last year? 
. The company's trying to spin it like they're being "reasonable" and that the union is being unreasonable, but I'm calling BS 
. These workers deserve better pay, more stable hours, and a chance to breathe without burnout 
. The labor experts make a valid point, though - if workers can organize and win material gains, that sends a huge message to corporations everywhere.
. "Back to Starbucks" sounds like a marketing slogan, not a genuine effort to improve working conditions 
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. And don't even get me started on the staffing issues - I've seen those lines of employees waiting around for their shifts and it's just not right 
. If they really want to improve partner engagement, they need to listen to what workers are saying and address those concerns first 
. The fact that it's just unserious proposals shows how out of touch they're with the real issues at hand 
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. As a consumer, I'm actually kinda rooting for the workers - who wouldn't want their baristas making happy $16/hour wages? 
labor experts say a strong showing in this strike vote will send a message to starbucks management that workers wont be ignored