Starbucks management, citing “sinking profits” amid astronomical CEO pay and luxe retreats, is closing 500 stores nationwide. Workers say they smell a rat.
Starbucks workers are confident they can fight management. Union members, along with community supporters, demonstrated their ability to flex their muscles with a picket and rally outside the Starbucks at the Hillcrest Crossings in Antioch on Saturday, October 4th.
The picket was organized in response to grievances by union members, specifically staffing shortages. The store happened to be temporarily closed that day due to those staffing shortages — meaning employees were losing pay. The action came days after Starbucks management announced the closure of over 500 locations — 59 of which are unionized.
At the picket, Melissa Gomez, a barista, delivered a speech that emphasized the urgency to act. “We won’t settle for a contract without higher take home pay.” Gomez argued that protecting workers required action, given the size of the company. Workers expressed feelings that Starbucks management had no sympathy for their workers, and only cared about the profits that the workers produce. Workers were fighting for dignity, and for “joy and love back in the workplace,” Gomez said.
But what led the Starbucks workers to unionize? Dani Armstrong, a long-time barista and union bargaining delegate, has worked at the Antioch location for two years. “For over a year, we had an infestation of mice and small insects. They continued to have someone come in to do preventative [treatment] but they never yielded any results. We wanted the store completely closed and [to] have a full extermination… and they weren't hearing us so we decided to unionize”, said Armstrong. This neglect moved workers at Antioch to get organized with the union in 2023. With the union's help, workers moved local management to proceed with an exterminator. Workers I spoke with argued that this was in service of making Starbucks workers' health and safety a priority.
CEO Brian Niccol's compensation package is nearly $96,000,000, which is over 6,666 times the median pay of Starbucks workers.
At the picket, workers also contested the need for the store closures. Starbucks management claims that their restructuring plan was necessary due to operating income losses. "During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed." This claim is made despite CEO Brian Niccol's compensation package of nearly $96,000,000 which is over 6,666 times the median pay of Starbucks workers.
Armstrong explains how Starbucks Corporate says they are closing 1% of stores; however, it is also 10% of the unionized locations. According to Armstrong, this may be disastrous for non-unionized workers. In non-unionized stores, workers will only receive 60 hours of severance. Those who are lucky may receive a reassignment, though workers pointed out that this may not be an option if the Starbucks worker has to commute unreasonably long distances. “If you turn down that transfer, you lose that severance.”
Armstrong stresses the importance of the support from our community members in holding Starbucks accountable, and coming to the picket line to let the corporation know that customers support the union members. Union organizers made it clear that if Starbucks does not come back to the table with a fair offer, there will be no coffee for anybody.
Brandon Dawkins — an Antioch resident and Local 1021 SEIU member — also expressed his frustrations with Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol at the picket. "What’s happening is the CEO is making so much money, he has a private jet to get around and what they're doing is paying that CEO. They're shutting down stores where their workers are being paid unlivable wages.” Dawkins insisted that Starbucks workers deserved fair wages and safer conditions. He also acknowledged the workers being affected by the location closing early, a repeating issue for this location, as well as staffing issues around the country.
What comes next for the Bay’s unionized Starbucks workers is unclear. But workers seem prepared for anything.
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These workers have joined an industry-wide rebellion against management greed — and they’re prepared to go the distance.
