Yesterday workers in the Buffalo Area successfully voted to
unionize a Starbucks, they voted two to one to do so.
And that is difficult literally in almost any company in America, but
particularly in Starbucks.
Starbucks has not had an amazing track record in welcoming unionization
efforts in the past.
Back in 2019, in fact, we have a write up here about some of what they've
done to try to stop one of their stores in Philadelphia from unionizing.
Saying that the ALJ found that Starbucks closely monitored
public social media activity.
Attempted to gauge employee support for the employees efforts.
Unlawfully spied on protected conversations one of
the employees initiated with coworkers.
And so they've also used tactics like shutting down some stores so
that employees have to change from working in one store to flag into another.
Which can potentially upset months or
possibly years of organizing in anticipation of unionization efforts.
And we also want to talk about one thing, there's an individual Brittany Harrison,
a Starbucks worker in Arizona.
Who was fired and says that she believes, the reason she was fired,
was because she recorded a company conversation.
That was critical of the unionization effort, specifically in Buffalo,
the successful one from yesterday.
Let's show you a little bit of that video.
>> The meeting started with my district manager saying,
let's talk about what's going on in Buffalo.
It kind of all unraveled from there and they started talking about, the union.
Why the union is bad,
why the union doesn't align with Starbucks' mission and values.
Why partners who want to be part of the union aren't true partners to Starbucks.
>> So look over the years we've talked about a lot of different techniques that
these companies use.
There was also recently, Francesca is going to get a kick of that.
There was a great episode of John Oliver, like a month or two ago.
Where he talked about a few of the most common tactics that are used.
And you see them cropping up in these recent attempts at unionization being used
at Kellogg's being used by Starbucks.
And so luckily, at least in this one store, it was successful.
And the idea is that not only is that good for
the employees working at the particular store.
But might be inspirational for others in the area perhaps around the country.
Who are looking to unionize at Starbucks, we'll certainly have to see.
But it is good news that especially considering what happened with Kellogg's
that we have a little bit of good news coming out of this one store.
>> Very good news and the spark is just beginning,
these workers are on fire right now.
They totally understand,
I think one good residual if there are good things we could find in the pandemic.
Is that workers are starting to stand up and really demand what they deserve,
they're mad as hell, they're not gonna take it anymore.
And so for every union that is created and for
union workers who are striking right now.
All of that makes the whole and we'll continue to push up wages and
work conditions.
For all both unionized workers and non unionized workers, so yeah,
I'm glad we got a little good news this evening.
>> Take that Howard Schultz ha ha ha,
that'll teach you to run for president again.
>> [LAUGH] >> You unicorn Frappuccino of
a man, no [LAUGH] >> Such a weird guy
[LAUGH] >> That's sounds kind of cool actually
[LAUGH] >> For sure yeah,
again I was saying about the National Labor Relations Board.
I think this is an instance where they made a good judgment, good call.
Which is one store could unionize not without the other stores in the city.
And that's really good because it would have been way harder to get all of those
workers.
In the other stores to agree, yes we want a union but
it allows still that momentum to continue.
So of course, I do think that this will inspire other stores not just in Buffalo.
But around the country to also unionize and that's how it started and
Starbucks is so interesting right?
Because their whole brand right like how long is Fox News been like you mocha
Chino, drinking, venti blah, blah blah.
It's always like the elites of Starbucks and
they whether it's their lighting or their sort of soft jazz.
Or the fact that they were like paying people $9 an hour for
the first time and this was years ago right?
Now they're not even paying paying $15 yet but
like they've always priced themselves on being kind of the liberal cool employers.
Hey, you get a free Spotify account when you become not a worker but
a partner here at Starbucks.
No bro, just pay us and allow us to form a union, don't make us work long hours.
Don't change up our schedules, basic things that service workers know.
How difficult it is, put someone in place so
that we don't have to enforce mask regulations.
Get someone who's like checking people in the door etc.
All these things that companies, not just a minimum wage companies.
But even big tech companies are like you get free haircuts no you can't unionize.
[LAUGH] No, you're not gonna buy us off with some of these weirdo perks,
just let us form a union.
>> Yeah, little known fact actually, if you pay people more,
they can then buy Spotify and or hair cuts.
If that's what they want to spend their money on actually.
>> You're reading my mind on that one Dan, I was about to say the and
or hell give us the Spotify haircut and the raise we'll take it all.
>> Yes and some healthcare and childcare, thanks.
>> Yes. >> Yes