High-Octane Organizing at Starbucks

Abstract

The first half of 2022 has been a remarkable period for Starbucks workers trying to form a union. After its first victories in Buffalo, New York in December 2021—at which Starbucks corporate management ran a blistering and unlawful anti-union effort—the union campaign has spread more quickly than even its most optimistic supporters could reasonably have expected. As of August 2, 2022, Starbucks Workers United (affiliated with Workers United–SEIU [Service Employees International Union]) has won 209 elections in thirty-three states (80 percent of elections conducted)—many by overwhelming margins—and has lost only 45 elections. In addition, workers in over 300 stores (out of almost 9,000 corporate-owned stores nationwide) have petitioned for National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) elections in thirty-five states, potentially covering 7,000 workers. With its rapid momentum, at least through June 2022, the inspirational campaign—led by intrepid young worker-organizers—has so far resisted the worst impact of Starbucks’ ferocious union-busting: the NLRB has found that Starbucks has unlawfully fired union activists, closed stores to deter unionization, spied on workers, threatened workers, and offered unlawful benefits to discourage unionization. Despite this, the campaign with its rank-and-file dynamism has offered a media-friendly public face— young, mostly female, racially diverse, with many who are LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer [questioning], intersex, asexual). Starbucks management has found it difficult to counter this image. With their leadership, Starbucks Workers United has developed a self-sustaining drive that could end up with the coffee behemoth largely unionized. From 0 to 150 in Six Months, Starting in Buffalo