Thursday, March 13, 2025, 6:35AM |  47°
MENU
Advertisement
People gather during a rally to show support for the efforts employees of the Starbucks on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield are making to unionize in March. Starbucks said Monday that it wants to start contract negotiations next month at hundreds of U.S. stores that have voted to unionize.
1
MORE

Starbucks says it wants union bargaining to begin

Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette

Starbucks says it wants union bargaining to begin

Starbucks said Monday that it wants to start contract negotiations next month at hundreds of U.S. stores that have voted to unionize.

The Seattle coffee giant said it sent letters to 234 stores offering a three-week window in October to start negotiations. All of those stores — located in 36 states and the District of Columbia — have voted to unionize this year in elections that were certified by the National Labor Relations Board.

“We look forward to these negotiations and hopefully setting dates and securing locations for contract bargaining,” the company said in a post on its website.

Advertisement

But Workers United, the union organizing Starbucks’ stores, expressed skepticism about the company’s request. Starbucks opposes the unionization of its 9,000 company-owned U.S. stores. Last month, the company asked the National Labor Relations Board to temporarily halt all elections because of evidence of misconduct.

Employees of Starbucks on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield react to a speaker during a rally in support of their effort to unionize on March 5. The National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint on behalf of Starbucks workers in Pittsburgh, accusing the Seattle-based coffeehouse chain of unfair labor practices.
Patricia Sabatini
National Labor Relations Board accuses Starbucks of harassing Pittsburgh workers trying to unionize

The unionization effort began late last year at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, New York. That store and two others — one in New York and one in Arizona — are the only ones currently negotiating contracts.

Of the stores across the country, 10 in the Pittsburgh area have voted to unionize since the drive began last year, according to Workers United.

Casey Moore, a labor organizer and union spokesperson, said other stores have reached out to Starbucks to begin negotiations since May but have received no reply. Starbucks said Workers United has directed the company to schedule all negotiations through the union’s president.

Advertisement

Ms. Moore said the union’s focus right now is developing core proposals on both economic and non-economic issues to help guide bargaining at individual stores. A national bargaining committee — made up of representatives from unionized stores — has been meeting weekly to discuss those proposals, Ms. Moore said.

The Post-Gazette contributed

First Published: September 27, 2022, 3:00 p.m.

RELATED
Employees of Starbucks on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield at a rally in support of their effort to unionize, Saturday, March 5, 2022, outside of the store in Bloomfield. Workers at a location have unanimously voted to join Workers United, making it the first Starbucks in the Pennsylvania to unionize.
Patricia Sabatini
Workers at Bloomfield Starbucks vote unanimously to join union
SHOW COMMENTS (13)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin greets New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) after an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Pittsburgh.
1
sports
Gerry Dulac: Steelers have made offer to Aaron Rodgers, but holdup has nothing to do with money
The dome of the U.S. Capitol is seen in December 2024, when the House previously approved a stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown.
2
news
Fetterman says he won't back government shutdown as funding deadline looms over Senate
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks to quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Pittsburgh.
3
sports
Joe Starkey: Steelers staging the saddest quarterback derby there ever was
The Social Security Administration Building at 6117 Penn Circle North in East Liberty Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019 in Pittsburgh.
4
news
Social Security Administration to begin withholding full benefits from overpaid recipients
Keeanu Benton, left, and Cam Heyward work on a defensive line drill at Steelers Minicamp Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side.
5
sports
With their free agency focus on QB, Steelers missed out on landing a top defensive lineman
People gather during a rally to show support for the efforts employees of the Starbucks on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield are making to unionize in March. Starbucks said Monday that it wants to start contract negotiations next month at hundreds of U.S. stores that have voted to unionize.  (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST business
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story