Starbucks employees at a Boston store have joined their colleagues across the country in striking over what they describe as unfair labor practices by the company.
Starbucks baristas have said they will strike through Christmas Eve, pushing for better pay and benefits as the union, Starbucks Workers United, negotiates a contract.
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Workers in other major cities, including Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago, began the strike last week. It has since spread to more locations.
The union says they’ve spent hundreds of hours in bargaining sessions with Starbucks over the last year and while tentative agreements have been met, issues remain.
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“Our presence, the threat of a union being there has improved quality and conditions for Starbucks employees already,” explained Hannah Rafferty, a barista at the Brighton Village locations who helped organize the strike at her store on Washington Street. “The pressure to increase wages and increase benefits…so imagine how much better things could be if we had a contract.”
She noted that the union is fighting for better conditions for all Starbucks employees, regardless of if they are unionized or not. One of the key points of contention is pay – the union says Starbucks is only offering a 1.5% increase, which membership feels is insufficient. There are also unresolved unfair labor practice cases that the union wants to see addressed.
Starbucks in a statement said that the union prematurely ended the bargaining session this week. Workers first unionized last year started working on a framework for a contract back in February.
"We are ready to continue negotiations to reach agreements. We need the union to return to the table," the company said in a statement to CNBC.
The union asked for a 64% increase to hourly employees' wages immediately and a 77% pay hike over the life of a three-year contract, according to Starbucks, which called those demands “not sustainable.”
Starbucks Workers United represents employees at more than 500 locations. The work stoppage could impact customers in the busy period before the holidays.
