Employees at first ever Starbucks store seek to unionize amid fight for contract
Summary
Workers at the original Starbucks store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market are trying to form a union to negotiate better work conditions. They face challenges including long customer lines, safety issues, and slow union contract talks with Starbucks.Key Facts
- The first Starbucks store opened in 1971 at Seattle’s Pike Place Market and is now a popular tourist spot.
- Workers report long lines and wait times of up to two hours due to high tourist visits.
- Employees handle extra customer service duties and face safety concerns from difficult customers.
- Baristas at this store have experienced unfair treatment, favoritism, discrimination, and harassment.
- Over 600 Starbucks stores in the U.S. have unionized since 2021; the Pike Place store recently filed for a union election.
- Negotiations for the first union contract have stalled for over four years, longer than the average 465 days it takes unions to reach a contract.
- Starbucks Workers United filed unfair labor practice charges against the company for trying to cancel tentative agreements.
- The union is asking the public to support workers by avoiding Starbucks purchases and deleting the Starbucks app during contract talks.
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