Montclair Starbucks Workers Are Trying To Unionize; Here's Why (Updated)

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Workers at a Starbucks in Montclair are trying to unionize, and have taken their campaign public via social media.

The effort involves a group of workers at the 40 South Park Street store, who are citing “understaffing, poorly working equipment and improper training” as some of the reasons they seek to form a union.

Mail-in ballots for an election are due to be sent to eligible employees on July 15, with a due date of Aug. 5, according to a National Labor Relations Board database.

The bargaining unit would include all full-time and regular part-time baristas and shift supervisors at the store, who were working as of June 26. It would not include store managers, confidential employees, office clerical employees, managerial employees, professional employees, guards and supervisors.

The Montclair employees are trying to align with Workers United, a collective of workers who have organized other Starbucks locations across the nation, including the Hopewell store – the first in New Jersey to unionize.

• See related article: 2 More NJ Starbucks Locations Vote To Join Union

Workers United shared a statement that the “Church Street Starbucks” team posed to the coffee giant’s CEO, Howard Schultz, via Twitter on Monday.

It read:

“The Partners of the Church Street Starbucks (#13856) at 40 South Park Street in Montclair, NJ are informing you of our intent to unionize. We stand in solidarity with fellow partners as we try to build a better Starbucks. We seek to truly be partners and want a seat at the table when it comes to our workplace and livelihoods. We are seeking to protect our values and communities by voicing our belief in equal representation. We are facing challenges such as understaffing, poorly working equipment and improper training. These challenges make our daily operations extremely sensitive to the point that a single call out can close our store, which denies us the chance to truly serve our community. We cannot give our best service to our patrons if we can't even meet the minimum requirements for our partners and store.”

The statement continues:

“The Starbucks experience has been tainted by a hostile environment of union busting that has fostered a culture of fear among partners, standing in stark contrast to Starbucks' values. Our chief complaints have gone unaddressed and pleas for support have not been acknowledged, which has resulted in the cutting of resources from other operations just to ensure that our store can operate at a minimum capacity. Many partners still do not want to come forward with complaints for fear that their job security is at risk. It's disheartening that so many partners are facing the same challenges, insecurities and fear, many are barely surviving due to cuts in hours and insufficient wages. Unionization will give us the ability to protect each other. It will provide the security we deserve [and] allow us to more confidently assert our concerns with daily operations. We will continue to support each other as we try to build a healthy and equal relationship with management and look forward to our company allowing us to do so.”

A separate Twitter account named “Montclair Church Street SBUX Workers United” has also been launched this month to promote the unionization campaign.

In a series of “frequently asked questions” on their website, Workers United says they are not “anti-Starbucks.”

“We are pro-Starbucks and pro-union,” their statement reads. “We want Starbucks to be the best it can be. Many of us have dedicated years of our lives to this company, and those of us with less seniority want this to be a place we can make a sustainable career. Starbucks it is the leader in the coffee industry. It should also be the leader in collaborating with its partners to raise standards of living and working in the industry.”

Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller said he supports the workers' attempt to form a union.

"I stand firmly with the employees of Starbucks as they seek to exercise their right to organize," said Spiller, who also serves as the president of the New Jersey Education Association.

"Unions are a driving force that benefit the lives of workers, the companies that employ them, and the economy as a whole," Spiller added. "If Starbucks can rake in billions in profits, it can afford to pay employees fairly and work with them to improve their working conditions."

• See related article: Starbucks Unions In NJ? 26 Legislators Support Effort So Far

The union campaign in Montclair also got a cheer from some advocates online.

“Great news from the Church Street Starbucks in Montclair,” Our Revolution Essex County tweeted.

“I’ll have another Starbucks filing for union election in New Jersey and a venti cup of solidarity, please!” the North New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America tweeted.

STARBUCKS: WE’RE ‘LISTENING AND LEARNING’

Reached for comment about the Montclair workers’ union petition, a Starbucks spokesperson told Patch that the company is “listening and learning from the partners in these stores – as we always do across the country.”

“From the beginning, we’ve been clear in our belief that we are better together as partners, without a union between us, and that conviction has not changed,” the spokesperson continued. “We’ve also been clear that we respect our partners legal right to organize and will bargain in good faith with the stores that vote to be represented by the union.”

The spokesperson shared a passage from Schultz in an April letter to workers, where he wrote:

“We will become the best version of Starbucks by co-creating our future directly as partners. And we will strengthen the Starbucks community by upholding each other’s dreams; upholding the standards and rituals of the company; celebrating partner individuality and voice; and upholding behaviors of mutual respect and dignity.”

Starbucks also offered Patch some comments about the points made in the Montclair workers’ petition, as well as the pay and benefits available to them:

BARGAINING IN GOOD FAITH - “We respect our partners’ voices and their votes. As we promised to do, we are bargaining in good faith with the stores that chose to be represented by Workers United.”

GROWING TOGETHER - “Our national and regional leaders are working with humility, deep care, and urgency to create the kind of store environment that partners and customers expect of Starbucks. As we have for 50 years, we are committed to growing together and taking action when we need to create the very best experience for all who connect with our brand.”

WAGE, BENEFIT INVESTMENTS - “Starbucks is committed to remaining an employer of choice, offering tailored employee benefits and rewards, as well as competitive pay in each jurisdiction, resulting in total rewards offerings that vary from country to country. In fiscal 2021, Starbucks continued to invest in our partners, making one of the most substantial wage investments in the company’s history. The investment increased pay rates, boosting the premium we already paid to exceed minimum wage in every market. We know our success is best when shared, which is why we also provide yearly stock grants to all our partners so that they can share in the success of the company. In fiscal year 2021, Bean Stock participants (non-executive partners) realized approximately $132 million in pre-tax gains from previously granted Bean Stock awards.”

MORE PAY BOOSTS - “Building on substantial wage and benefit investments throughout the pandemic, we announced another significant investment last year to recognize and reward tenured partners while also ensuring all partners earn at least $15/hour in Summer 2022. In addition to raising the floor to at least $15/hour, partners with two or more years of service could receive up to a 5% raise and partners with five or more years could receive up to a 10% raise. This investment culminates a total of approximately $1 billion in incremental investments in annual wages and benefits over the last two years. By next month, average pay for all U.S. hourly partners will be nearly $17/hr. Hourly rates will range based on market and tenure and range from $15 to $23/ hr.”

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