Great Neck Starbucks Employee Claims 'Firing' For 'Organizing Union'

GREAT NECK, NY — Four Starbucks on Long Island have voted to become union shops. One location that fell short of enough support from its rank and file is in Great Neck.

The union leader Joselyn Chuquillanqui claims her July 27 firing was due to her outspoken stance about forming the alliance for employees.

"In my opinion, my manager fired me for trying to organize a union at that store," Chuquillanqui said on Thursday's "Patch AM."

However, the reason she was given for the termination, despite seven years with the company, was that "they gave me a lot of times I was late under five minutes," she said.

A spokesperson for Starbucks told Patch that Chuquillanqui is no longer with the company for "store policy violations." The spokesperson added: "A partner’s interest in a union does not exempt them from the standards we have always held. We will continue enforcing our policies consistently for all partners."

Baristas voted down the union concept, 6-5, although she claims all workers signed union cards in favor of breaking away.

"As soon as we became public, management started union-busting and creating this anti-union campaign within the store," she said. "Because of that, the vote fell through."

Chuquillanqui said she is exploring legal action against Starbucks for wrongful termination.

Watch the full "Patch AM" interview with Chuquillanqui below.