Starbucks reported record quarterly revenue in fiscal Q4, but the strain of ongoing unionization efforts remains.
As of Friday, there are 320 Starbucks locations that have conducted unionization ballot counts. Of those, 257 have voted yes to unionize, 57 have voted no, and 6 are challenge-determinative. Of those that voted yes, 248 have been certified, and Starbucks is expected to begin bargaining in good faith with the union, according to the National Labor Relations Board.
However, a spokesperson from Starbucks Workers United, told Yahoo Finance in an email that “Starbucks has not begun to bargain in good faith.”
A recent release from Starbucks Workers United claimed that “after very publicly announcing their intention to bargain at over 200 unionized stores, [Starbucks] walked out of bargaining rooms in Buffalo, Ann Arbor, Louisville, Chicago, and Lakewood, CA, yesterday due to the presence of a simple zoom room. After previously engaging in completely virtual bargaining and hybrid bargaining with no issue, the company suddenly took issue with the format, and only lasted 5 minutes at the table before storming out of the Elmwood negotiation conference room and hosting a company-side caucus for over two and a half hours.”
‘Direct relationship’
“As you heard from the company, we truly believe a side by side relationship with our partners is the very best path forward, but we respect the [unionization] process. What we’re focused on is continuing to create the very best…
