ANN ARBOR, MI – At 4 AM today, coffee workers at the Glencoe Crossing Starbucks location announced their strike against the company for unfair labor practices (ULP’s), joining industry and company colleagues across the country in a growing movement towards workplace unionization.
On June 7th, workers at the Glencoe Crossing Starbucks location won their union election with Starbucks Workers United with a unanimous vote. The past year has seen a wave of unprecedented organizing efforts by Starbucks workers culminating in over 200 successful union elections, while the company actively avoids union recognition and good faith bargaining.
“Starbucks workers across the country have organized hundreds of union elections, and yet corporate cappuccino bureaucrats refuse to recognize their union or come to the bargaining table,” said Ron BIEBER, President of the Michigan AFL-CIO. “Glencoe Crossing Starbucks workers in Ann Arbor have faced active union busting tactics, disruptive changes in their store’s operational hours, no supplemental compensation or hazard pay, while seeing nonunion stores be given significant wage increases. Michigan’s labor movement stands in solidarity with Starbucks Workers United, and we’ll support them on the picket line every step of the way.”
“Starbucks has proven that they don’t value workers, and they think they’re too powerful to follow the rules,” said Sasha ANISIMOVA, a partner and union organizer at the Glencoe Crossing Starbucks. “We won our union, but Starbucks continues to harass our partners and violate our right to union representation. Workers from Seattle to South Carolina have faced retaliation and a hostile work environment. It means so much for the labor movement to have our backs. We’re in this together.”
WHO: Glencoe Crossing Starbucks Workers, Michigan AFL-CIO, Huron Valley Area Labor Federation, and allies
WHAT: Strike action against Starbucks for unfair labor practices (ULP’s)
WHEN: Thursday, August 11, starting at 4 AM
WHERE: Starbucks Glencoe Crossing – 4585 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Glencoe Crossing Starbucks workers will be available for interviews on the picket line from 4 AM to 9 PM. Press interviews can be scheduled by contacting Matthew Kain at mkain@cmrrjb.org.
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