No Contract, No Coffee

This is what solidarity looks like

If you drove by Starbucks on Robinson and 23rd last Sunday you might have noticed a caffeinated picket line shouting slogans of “no coffee, no contract” and “this is what solidarity looks like." Joined by members of Oklahoma labor unions, Starbucks workers organized a strike on the chilly December Sunday to protest the following unfair labor conditions.

Starbucks is continuing to close down union stores
Starbucks is cutting hours to union staff and creating staffing shortages.
Starbucks is denying unionized stores credit card tipping.

Talking to a spokesperson on how workers were affected by these practices, it was stated that hour cuts are hitting worker so bad that people are needing to get second jobs and use PTO just to make ends meet. Starbucks workers also depend on tips to make up for non living wages; withholding tips and reducing hours has created a desperate situation for many.

Interview:

https://youtube.com/shorts/xIGrPC9ZYeE?feature=share

These are just some of the tools in Starbucks' union-busting arsenal. It is mind boggling that Starbucks is willing to violate labor laws and target people making an average of $13.41 when investor reports show a record $8.2 billion in revenue in Q3 of 2022. NLRB have issued 35 formal complaints against Starbucks; citing coercion, threatening and firing employees over union activities, and withholding wage increases/benefits from unionizing stores. The question is what is Starbucks so scared of that they are willing to risk large labor violation fines, store closings and bad press? It comes down to three ideological points of contention:

They don’t want to lose control over their power dynamic with employees. This Sunday with just a hand full of Starbucks workers and a few handmade signs reading, “seize the beans of production”, “On strike” and “Honk for unions” workers where able to successfully shut down a store on the busiest day of the week to make labor demands.
They don’t want to pay an increase in worker pay and benefits. (when they are setting quarterly revenue records)
They lose the power to fire and lay off on a whim.

WHAT’S NEXT?

AND

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT STARBUCKS UNION WORKERS?