Newberry Starbucks Employees Apply for Union Elections in Historic Wave of Filing

Workers Across 18 Stores Nationwide Unite for Change

On a groundbreaking day marked by collective action, Starbucks workers from Main Street & Wilson Road location in Newberry, S.C., submitted a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This strategic move was in line with a simultaneous filing by employees from 17 other Starbucks stores across the nation.

The communal undertaking follows closely behind the concluding second round of national bargaining between Starbucks Workers United members and Starbucks company representatives. Talks have reportedly shown considerable progress towards establishing a standard contractual framework for all stores.

Seeking Fair Pay and Decent Work Conditions

With their election petitions, the employees from Newberry express their determination to become part of a force of more than 10,500 baristas. The group’s pressing concerns include respect in the workplace, liveable salaries, racial and gender equality, and fair work schedules.

Chesney Bolton, a shift leader at the Newberry location for the past three years, expressed optimism regarding the collective effort. “We do everything together here, so fighting for this, for a company that can do better for us, we do it together! We look forward to joining the bargaining process to negotiate a contract that not only helps the partners in Newberry, but the partners across the country as well.”

Eighteen Stores Send Joint Letter to CEO

Employees from all eighteen filing stores co-authored a letter addressed to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan. Declaring their unity amid distinct work settings, the workers invoked their shared experiences to demand better wages, predictable scheduling, improved benefits, and a workplace environment conducive to dignity and safety.

A Nationwide Wave of Change

Thus far, workers from more than 440 Starbucks stores have succeeded in their union elections with the NLRB, spanning 43 states and the District of Columbia, since the inception of the Starbucks partners’ unionisation efforts in 2021. Committed to peer-to-peer organising, the campaign has clinched multiple victories in stores across the nation.

Members of Starbucks Workers United have achieved significant advances in their negotiations, including the institution of “just cause” standards and educational benefits for unionised workers, as partners nationwide continue to align themselves with the unionisation movement.

Continued Triumphs for Workers’ Rights

The current wave of filing petitions follows numerous recent wins. In these victories, Starbucks employees across various states including Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin voted to join Starbucks Workers United. With this ongoing growth in momentum, workers across America continue making strides towards improving their working conditions.