Two more California Starbucks stores go on strike, joining Santa Cruz workers at the picket line

A Starbucks location in Lakewood was a “web site of collective pleasure” Monday morning as union members gathered on the picket line to strike in opposition to the corporate’s “unfair labor practices.”

Tyler Keeling, a barista coach who’s the Lakewood retailer’s lead organizer, described an aura of neighborhood and solidarity amongst union members as they gathered at 4 a.m., chanting phrases corresponding to “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Howard Schultz has received to go!” and holding indicators that learn, “No contract, no espresso.”

Staff “who weren’t positive what a union even was earlier than are out right here main the mantra and celebrating and holding indicators and picketing collectively,” Keeling mentioned. “We’ve all these individuals from totally different unions and organizations supporting us. There’s simply this pleasure that all of us share proper now.”

The Lakewood retailer, at 4833 Candlewood St., and one other location in Barstow, at 2834 Lenwood Highway, started their one-day strike Monday. These shops’ staff joined union members who work at a Santa Cruz location and commenced a three-day strike Saturday.

The Santa Cruz location, on Ocean and Water streets, together with one other retailer in the identical metropolis, had been additionally the primary shops to unionize in California in Might. Since then, 14 shops in whole have unionized in California, three of that are within the metropolis of Los Angeles.

“Starbucks has nice companions and we worth their contributions. We respect our companions’ proper to interact in any legally protected exercise or protest with out retaliation,” a Starbucks spokesperson mentioned in an announcement to The Occasions. “We’re grateful for every associate who continues to work, and we at all times do our greatest to hearken to the considerations of all our companions.”

The strikes had been triggered by a number of situations of unfair labor practices, in line with union leaders. One of many union’s primary grievances stems from a slate of recent advantages introduced by Starbucks Chief Government Howard Schultz in Might. Keeling mentioned the the Seattle espresso firm introduced on the time that union members wouldn’t be entitled to those advantages. In response, Starbucks Staff United filed a nationwide unfair labor follow, arguing that it’s unlawful to disclaim union members these advantages.

Keeling mentioned that these advantages can’t be carried out with out bargaining negotiations between the corporate and the union. Nevertheless, the union believes the corporate’s “intention was to deceive and scare staff into believing that we might by no means get these advantages if we unionize,” Keeling mentioned.

In late July, the union despatched an official letter to the corporate stating that it waives its rights to cut price, and offers Starbucks “full permission and consent” to implement the brand new advantages. Just a few days in the past, the corporate despatched out an inside memo stating that “it’s unfair to implement these advantages” to union members and the union should enter bargaining negotiations over them, Keeling mentioned.

Starbucks Staff United additionally says that Schultz has tried “to intervene with, restrain and coerce staff” in opposition to unionizing. They argue that Schultz and his colleagues have delayed and refused to fulfill with unions for bargaining, regardless of being “required by legislation to take action.”

Union leaders additionally emphasised that Starbucks has not been open or clear in setting bargaining negotiation conferences, which is what the union hopes to perform with the strike.

“It’s neighborhood, equity and equality. After I was employed, that’s what they advised me Starbucks represents,” mentioned Ezra Erickson, the Barstow retailer’s lead organizer who works as a barista. “We would like Starbucks to return to the bargaining desk for the union. We would like a seat on the desk.”

Noel Bennett, a shift supervisor and lead organizer for the Santa Cruz location on Ocean and Water streets, mentioned there was little communication between the union and Starbucks relating to negotiations. Nevertheless, union members did obtain a message from their district managers stating that whatever the strike, their jobs will likely be secure.

“Starbucks claims they are going to cut price in good religion; nonetheless, to be able to cut price in good religion, they have to be bargaining within the first place,” Bennett mentioned. “We name upon Starbucks company to halt their union busting marketing campaign and are available to the bargaining desk as quickly as attainable.”

Bennett additionally mentioned administration has interfered with staff’ rights to unfold union literature within the break space at her location by “tearing up our flyers and throwing them away.”

“We, the union at Ocean and Water, hope that this strike is seen not solely by Starbucks administration and company but in addition by baristas from all throughout the state,” Bennett mentioned. “We would like them to know that we do have a voice and the flexibility to arrange. We would like them to know that they aren’t alone of their frustrations and that we, unionized or not, are prepared to face collectively to struggle for our employee’s rights.”

Starbucks administration has additionally interfered with staff’ rights to say the phrase “union” on the Barstow location, Erickson mentioned. Administration wouldn’t permit staff to make use of phrases corresponding to “union sturdy” or “go union” whereas working.

Erickson additionally mentioned that if prospects tried exhibiting help for the union through the use of comparable phrasing, the corporate administration would shut that down as properly. That is unlawful as a result of it goes in opposition to labor legal guidelines, Erickson mentioned.

Occurring strike was additionally essential to the Barstow location to make sure that staff are exhibiting solidarity with different unionized areas throughout the nation, Erickson mentioned. Starbucks staff have held greater than 55 strikes throughout 17 states over the previous couple of months in response to the corporate’s opposition to unionizing, Starbucks Staff United mentioned in a information launch.

“We need to be pro-union. We would like prospects to have the ability to say they’re union sturdy. We would like companions to really feel snug,” Erickson mentioned. “These prospects genuinely care about us, and other people genuinely care when different individuals are being handled unfairly.”

In a corrective action form filed by Starbucks Staff United on Friday, union members mentioned that the corporate unjustly fired a whole bunch of staff after they shut down a number of retailer areas final month.

In accordance with the corporate, these areas had been shut down due to crime and security considerations. Nevertheless, the union mentioned the corporate “failed to indicate sufficient proof for these considerations.”

“Howard Schultz’s habits is unethical and unsafe,” the corrective motion kind mentioned. “He has said that conducting enterprise with integrity and transparency is important to the corporate. Nothing Howard Schultz has performed in response to the union drive at Starbucks has been with integrity or transparency.”

After three days on strike, the Santa Cruz location will conclude its strike at 5:29 a.m. Tuesday, proper earlier than the shop is ready to open for the day. Lakewood’s retailer will finish its strike at 9 p.m. Monday. Barstow’s strike will even finish Monday evening.

“Lakewood is our neighborhood. Lengthy Seaside is our neighborhood. That is the place we’re. That is what we’re embedded in, and we adore it,” Keeling mentioned. “We would like everybody to return out and help us as a result of neighborhood is essential. That’s why we unionized.”