DALLAS — Another Dallas Starbucks location has joined several other local Starbucks in unionizing efforts.
Workers at the Inwood & Willow Starbucks have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with Starbucks Workers United. They are one of hundreds locations across the nation to join the movement for better working conditions.
In a video posted on Twitter, workers at the Starbucks talked about their reasons for unionizing, including a hostile work environment, unnotified schedule changes, and to fight for increased wages.
"For the last three years of working for Starbucks, I’ve rarely felt listened to, supported or appreciated in any role I’ve played. I want to unionize to be recognized and compensated fairly, not only for my work but every barista who came before and after me who has ever felt the same," said Makayla Boydstun, a partner and organizer at the Dallas location in a statement.
This is just the latest Starbucks location in North Texas to unionize. Other locations, such as one at Mockingbird Station, one in Addison, and another in Denton, have made unionized or made efforts to unionize as well.
Starbucks Workers United has accused Starbucks of launching a union-busting campaign, firing more than 230 union leaders around the country, and closing unionized stores. NRLB has issued Starbucks more than 80 complaints, which encompass more than 1,400 federal labor law violations.
More new unions have formed in the past year than any other U.S. company in the last 20 years through Starbucks Workers United, the organization said, and there are now more than 300 Starbucks stores across 42 states and Washington, D.C. that have unionized successfully.
A Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement that the company believes a direct relationship with their partners, where they have the flexibility to share success, is the right path forward for the company, its partners and stakeholders.
The spokesperson said Starbucks has consistently offered hourly partners the best benefits int he idnustry, including an average wage of $17.50 an hour, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage options, 100% tuition reimbursement for a four-year bachelor's degree, reimbursement for DACA fees, medical travel reimbursement for partners and family members required to travel for access to abortion or gender-affirming care, up to 20 free therapy sessions a year, equity ownership through annual "Bean Stock grants," 401(k) matching up to the first 5% of eligible pay each pay period, and resources to manage student loan debt and save money.
"As a result, more than 97% of our partners at our more than 9,300 U.S. company-owned stores have chosen to maintain a direct employment relationship with Starbucks," the spokesperson said. "We recognize that a subset of partners feel differently—and we respect their right to organize and to engage in lawful union activities without fear of reprisal or retaliation."
The spokesperson also said Starbucks recently launched a bargaining status lookup tool to provide real-time updates on the bargaining status for stores represented by a union.
"As a sign of progress, Starbucks has met union representatives in-person for complete, full-day bargaining sessions in Seattle, Richmond, Greensburg, Pittsburgh and Albany in the past month and has proposed or confirmed 36 additional in-person bargaining sessions through May 2023," the spokesperson said. "Looking forward, we remain engaged and ready to bargain in-person with the unions certified to represent our partners according to longstanding NLRB precedent, and we continue to encourage all parties to apply current law in their approach to future bargaining efforts."
This unionization also comes at the same time as the Writers Guild of America, composed of movie and TV writers, have announced a strike for better compensation.
