Issued December 09, 2021
“Today’s vote for the first-ever Starbucks workers’ union in the U.S. is a testament to the workers who organized, fought and stood up to one of the most powerful corporations in the world to exercise their right to join together in a union and collectively bargain for a better workplace. SEIU’s more than 2 million members are thrilled to welcome these fearless Starbucks workers into our union.
“Buffalo workers won their union in the face of significant and coordinated union-busting tactics by Starbucks. Under our broken labor laws, their victory is the exception, not the rule, as we also saw today. Far too often workers lose union elections because the rules are rigged against them—which is why it’s not enough to celebrate today’s victory. We need to rewrite the rules to make it easier for every worker to join a union.
“Starbucks workers’ win today is a win for service workers across the nation, many of whom have joined together, spoken up and even gone on strike to demand living wages, adequate protections, and a voice on the job. When all workers, no matter where they’re from or who signs their paychecks, have a seat at the table, we’ll be that much closer to an economy that works for all of us.”