Emil McLeod
Starbucks workers with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Starbucks Workers United (SWU) are on strike at over 300 locations across 45 states. The strike involves approximately 5,000 workers who are seeking a minimum wage of $20, annual raises of 5%, a fair scheduling process, better healthcare and enhanced paid leave protocols, with a 77% increase in wages over the life of the proposed three year contract. The strike, dubbed by the workers as “’Twas the Strike Before Christmas” began on December 20th and concludes on Christmas Eve, one of the busiest and most profitable days of the year for Starbucks.
According to the SWU, the union and Starbucks had engaged in hundreds of hours of bargaining this year, but were not able to reach a satisfactory agreement. The union notes that besides the demands regarding wage increases there are over $100 million in legal liabilities still outstanding and hundreds of unresolved unfair labor practice (ULP) charges. Starbucks is one of the most notorious monopolies for its labor abuses and violations, with former CEO Howard Schultz establishing a long track record of firing employees who engage in union organizing and utilizing anti-union law firms to help circumvent labor laws. This virulent anti-unionism has continued under current CEO Brian Niccol, who was the previous CEO of the fast-casual monopoly Chipotle where he had developed his own anti-union policies.
Brian Niccol makes around 10,000 times more than the average Starbucks employee and is seeking to keep the workers unorganized and wages down so that he can keep his compensation and Starbucks’ profits high. In an interview with the SWU, a worker at a Philadelphia Starbucks stated that “Right now, I’m making $16.50 an hour. Meanwhile, Brian Niccol’s compensation package is worth $57,000 an hour. The company just announced I’m only getting a 2.5% raise next year, $0.40 an hour, which is hardly anything. It’s one Starbucks drink per week. Starbucks needs to invest in the baristas who make Starbucks run.”
Photo: Starbucks workers picket in Los Angeles, CA.
