Starbucks' flagship Seattle Reserve Roastery votes to unionize

Seattle Starbucks Roastery votes to unionize

The Capitol Hill location voted to unionize. They are one of nearly a dozen Starbucks locations in the state that has either unionized or taking are steps to do so.

SEATTLE, Wash. - Employees at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery have voted to join Workers United, the labor union representing 25 other stores across the country.

According to a Thursday press release, workers at the Starbucks Roastery, located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, voted 38-27 to unionize. The Seattle Roastery is one of three flagship stores in the country. The Starbucks Roastery in New York City also recently voted to join Workers United.

"Congratulations to our fellow Roastery partners in Seattle," said Laura Garza, a 22-year partner from the New York City Roastery. "This win is a reflection of your arduous work and will prove inspiring to other partners across the country who want a seat at the table for a more equitable partnership. Change is brewing!"

Last month, another Starbucks in Capitol Hill became the first store in the city to vote to unionize. Other Starbucks stores in the city have held similar campaigns, two of which held demonstrations outside their stores last week.

Starbucks workers on strike in Seattle

Two Starbucks stores in Seattle are on strike to protest unfair labor practices and union busting tactics being used against Starbucks labor employees.

According to a press release from the Seattle Roastery, Union-busting has become synonymous with Starbucks. Workers claim the company often holds union-busting tactics, including holding captive audience meetings, threatening loss of benefits, and spreading misleading information to its employees.

"We cannot truly be partners until we are seen as equals, and through our strength and determination, we are making that happen whether Starbucks likes it or not," said Elizabeth Duran, a Seattle partner. "Everyone deserves to have their voices heard, and no voice is louder than workers across the nation banding together for a better future. Seattle is ready for this and so too is the nation."

More than 200 stores across the country, totaling more than 5000 partners, have filed petitions to join Workers United with many more reaching out daily.

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Union membership levels are rising for U.S. workers between 25 and 34 years old, even as they decline among other age groups, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.