Starbucks escalates war on unions with store closures

The union wave is hitting coffee chains big and small, but the bosses aren’t going down without a fight. In June, after workers there voted overwhelmingly to unionize, Starbucks permanently closed the popular College Ave. location in Ithaca, New York, in a suspected act of retaliation, leaving workers in dire financial straits. Then, on July 11, Starbucks announced it would close 16 of its branches over alleged “safety concerns.” Workers and organizers have been quick to point out that two of the branches targeted for closure in Seattle also recently unionized, and they allege that Starbucks is breaching US labor laws. Meanwhile, in Louisville, Kentucky, local “progressive” coffee chain Heine Brothers’ Coffee has come under fire for its own response to employees’ efforts to unionize, including closing the Douglass Loop location, where some of the most vocal pro-union workers were employed. In an urgent panel discussion, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez speaks with worker-organizers from the closed Heine Brothers’ store in Louisville and the closed College Ave. Starbucks in Ithaca: Gami Ray, a barista and worker-organizer with the Heine Brothers’ Workers Union, and Bek, a shift supervisor and worker-organizer with Starbucks Workers United.

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20 thoughts on “Starbucks escalates war on unions with store closures

  1. Corporations will spend any amount of money. Money can be made back, but unionization means loss of power and control. The total control of workers is the most essential thing.

  2. I'm trying to not buy from Amazon. It's difficult because Amazon has undercut every store in our area. Sears is gone. JC Penny too. Kohls and Walmart is what we have left. I think we need new values and to stick together. Something different, just not this.

  3. Hell yee! Solidarary my trans and lgbtqia workers! So amazing to see us rising up against corps. I'm so proud of you. Let's show these phobes if they walk out on a worker rally cause pronouns are being respected, they never wanted it that bad in the first place.

  4. union scum. These poor young folks. They think a stinkin union will be the answer to all their problems. One of these days when they grow up they may figure things out.

  5. Leave a comment card at the Starbucks (if you currently frequent one) and say you will only come back if it becomes unionized. And then check to see if any coffee establishment in your area is unionized and check out the coffee…. maybe you will find a great alternative to Starbucks…. there really is a lot of great overlooked non corporate alternatives…

  6. Sounds like the union is costing the people their jobs. I understand unions, I worked a union job for 22 years.
    The union screwed me more than it ever helped me. Now these snowflakes can stand in front of their closed store with their signs for
    $10 a day from the union. If you don't like the company and their policy go get another job.
    She said they were treated like animals, that's funny. There are state laws that don't allow that, no union needed.
    Bottom line the union sucks and creates more problems than they fix.
    These snowflakes need to learn it's a job. They can be replaced very easily by people that would love to have the job.
    Most jobs suck. If you outgrow the job your working move on. They need to remember they are pouring coffee in a cup not making
    rocket parts. Life a bitch, grow a pair and deal with it.

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