- cross-posted to:
- unions@sh.itjust.works
- cross-posted to:
- unions@sh.itjust.works
Workers at the historic first Starbucks store are seeking to unionize as the coffee retail giant and its union appear stalemated over their first contract.
The first Starbucks store opened in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, and the store serves as a tourist site in Seattle.
Nailah Diaz, a Starbucks barista for about five years, three of those at Pike Place, said the Pike Place store can often have lines out the door, with waits up to two hours for tourists to come inside and look around.
She said workers at Pike Place are tasked with greater customer service responsibilities and the significant tourist traffic can bring about issues with disruptive customers and safety.
OK, corporate, what’s your game plan?
In response to the Pike’s Place location’s union drive, Anderson said the workers at the store earn more than typical Starbucks workers and that not all workers at the store are supportive of the union.
“More than typical,” eh? So, are we talking a living wage, or like 15 cents an hour more? Because people don’t unionize for no reason. It’s a lot of fucking work.
These companies often close stores that unionize. Will be interesting to see to see if Starbucks is willing to close their historic first store over this.
I think it would make a lot of people happy if they did. I’d feel bad for the workers there, but that store is an enormous tourist trap with summer lines that are hours long. Meanwhile, there are local coffee shops not that far away that are way better.
Heck, there even used to be a Starbucks Reserve or whatever not far from there that sold actual coffee. I think that closed down, though.