Starbucks Workers Strike Again In Summit, Protesting 'Unfair Labor Practices'

SUMMIT, NJ — Starbucks employees in Summit once again held a strike on Sunday to protest the coffee company's "unfair labor practices and union busting."

Workers at more than 100 Starbucks stores nationwide participated in the three-day "Double Down Strike" from Friday to Sunday. According to Starbucks Workers United, the Summit workers held a strike from 7 to 9 a.m. on Sunday at the location on 2 Beechwood Road.

Montclair Starbucks workers also held a picket on Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Summit, Montclair and Hopewell workers recently went on strike in November for "Red Cup Rebellion" — a nationwide unfair labor practice strike demanding Starbucks to "fully staff all union stores and begin bargaining in good faith."

This strike took place the same day as the corporation’s Red Cup Day, when thousands of Starbucks locations across the country offer customers a branded cup with select purchases.

Read more: 'Red Cup Rebellion': Summit Starbucks Workers Go On Strike

Starbucks Workers United claims that instead of listening to workers, Starbucks decided to escalate its anti-union campaign by closing the first store to organize in Seattle — on the one-year anniversary of the first union election win.

"Starbucks doubled down on their union-busting, so workers are going to double down their fight for a contract," the union stated.

"We’re fighting for our livelihoods and our communities," said James Cruz, a barista at the Montclair store. "Our stores are persistently understaffed, and workers are seeking consistent scheduling and fair pay and benefits packages. Starbucks should come to the bargaining table in good faith and not punish those who want a voice in their workplace."

However, a spokesperson from Starbucks told Patch that Workers United is spreading inaccurate information about the company.

"It is unfortunate that Workers United continues to spread misleading claims while disrupting the Starbucks Experience that our partners and customers have come to love and expect," the spokesperson said. "Despite these delay tactics, we remain focused on working together and engaging meaningfully and directly with the union to make Starbucks a company that works for everyone, and we urge Workers United to uphold their promises to partners by moving the bargaining process forward."

Regarding protest activities, the spokesperson said, "We respect our partners' right to engage in lawful protest activities, but we remain focused on listening to our partners and working alongside them to reinvent the Partner Experience and the future of Starbucks."

"Partners who may choose to participate in any protest activities have the right to return to work at any time—joining the vast majority of our partners who have continued to work with us to deliver the Starbucks Experience for our customers and one another," the spokesperson said.

Regarding bargaining, the spokesperson said, "Looking forward, we continue to propose dates and locations to Workers United for additional contract bargaining sessions—and have encouraged our partners to participate in the collective bargaining process so that their voices are heard. By the end of 2022, we will have appeared in-person for more than 75 single-store bargaining sessions and we continue to engage meaningfully and directly with the union."

But despite winning 270 union elections with over 7,000 union workers, Starbucks Workers United stated that the coffee giant continues to wage an aggressive union-busting campaign, which includes firing over 150 union leaders across the country, permanently closing union stores, as well as "bullying and threatening union leaders."

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has already issued over 45 Complaints against Starbucks encompassing over 900 violations of federal labor law, according to Workers United.

Regarding retaliation allegations, the spokesperson told Patch, "Starbucks informs and trains managers that no partner will be disciplined for engaging in lawful union activity and that there will be no tolerance for any unlawful anti-union behavior, if ever found to be true."

Workers from the Summit Starbucks voted in favor of unionizing this past May. The Summit location was the second in all of New Jersey to form a union.

Read more: Summit Starbucks Workers Vote 7-3 In Favor Of Unionizing

The workers are asking supporters to stand in solidarity with their efforts by not purchasing Starbucks gift cards until workers "win the contract they deserve."

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