Montclair Starbucks Workers ‘Double Down’ On Fight For Union Contract

MONTCLAIR, NJ — They’re “doubling down” on the fight for a work contract. That was the message from workers at the Starbucks stores in downtown Montclair and Summit, who picketed as part of a three-day national strike, which was launched on Friday and continued throughout the weekend.

Starbucks Workers United, which represents more than 250 stores and nearly 7,000 workers across the nation, said the “Double Down Strike” was held to protest the company’s “unfair labor practices and union busting.”

Montclair workers at the Starbucks on Church and South Park streets recently became the fourth Starbucks location in New Jersey to unionize.

According to a statement from the union:

“More than 1,000 Starbucks workers at 110 stores walked out on strike on November 17, 2022 in what was dubbed ‘Red Cup Rebellion.’ Yet, 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 … Despite winning 270 union elections with over 7,000 union workers, Starbucks continues to wage an aggressive union-busting campaign, which includes firing over 150 union leaders across the country, permanently closing union stores, and bullying & threatening union leaders. The National Labor Relations Board has already issued over 45 complaints against Starbucks encompassing over 900 violations of federal labor law.”

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

“We’re fighting for our livelihoods and our communities,” said James Cruz, a barista at the Montclair Starbucks.

“Our stores are persistently understaffed, and workers are seeking consistent scheduling and fair pay and benefits packages,” Cruz said. “Starbucks should come to the bargaining table in good faith and not punish those who want a voice in their workplace.”

• See related article: Montclair Starbucks Workers Strike Alongside 100 Other Stores

STARBUCKS DISPUTES UNION'S CLAIMS

Meanwhile, Starbucks has disputed the claims that its workers and their union have put forth.

"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," a spokesperson told Patch on Monday.

"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," they added, providing the following statements about the ongoing negotiations and unionization drive:

Regarding Protest Activities - "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."

Regarding Bargaining - "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."

Regarding Retaliation Allegations - "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."

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