Fired Union Leader In Astoria Starbucks Gets Job Back, Holds Rally

ASTORIA, QUEENS — A union leader in the Ditmars Starbucks will celebrate getting his job back next week after he was fired following the store’s union election win last year.

Austin Locke was fired in July 2022 several days after workers at the Starbucks store located at 22-28 31st Street, won their National Labor Relations Board union election. Locke was a core organizer coming up to the election, which was part of a national movement happening in Starbucks locations nationwide for unionization last year.

After the city sued Starbucks for Locke's termination, the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection demanded Locke’s reinstatement by February 27 under the city’s fast-food worker just cause law.

Starbucks claimed he had violated COVID-19 protocols and made a false claim about workplace violence. Locke spent eight months without his job after five years with the company.

A rally celebrating Locke’s reinstatement will take place on Monday, Feb. 27, at 9:30 a.m. at the Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard Starbucks.

“Getting reinstated is not just a win for me but a win for the working class,” said Locke in a statement. “Let this be an example to all: in New York City, you can’t mess with workers.

Along with the workers in the Astoria location, Starbucks Workers United, Left Voice, Socialist Alternative, NYC-DSA, the Restaurant Workers Union, and other coalitions will attend the event.