Starbucks and United Workers, the union representing workers at about 400 locations have agreed to resume negotiations. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI |
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Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Starbucks and Workers United, the union representing employees at more than 300 store locations, on Tuesday expressed their willingness to move forward with collective bargaining discussions.
"In December, we shared a letter with Workers United expressing our sincere desire to work together with the goal of completing bargaining and contract ratification in 2024 for stores that have chosen to be represented by Workers United," Starbucks Executive Vice President Sara Kelly said in a press release Tuesday.
Workers United also expressed interest in moving ahead with the talks.
"Workers United and Starbucks share a commitment to developing a productive relationship in the best interests of Starbucks partners," Workers United said in a press release.
In 2022, Starbucks pledged that employees at union stores with two to three years' experience would receive a wage increase of at least 5% or a 5% increase above the market start rate, depending on which is higher.
Additionally, the company pledged that new hires would get either a 3% raise or $15 an hour, depending on which is higher.
The company says it has unilaterally implemented some demands.
"As a sign of good faith, Starbucks has agreed to provide partners represented by Workers Untied with the May 2022 benefits, including credit card tipping," said Kelly.
Since Starbucks workers started unionizing in 2021, the company has been accused of improperly firing employees who had tried to organize collective bargaining.
In 2022, the National Labor Relations Board filed lawsuits and a federal judge ordered the company to reinstate seven workers who had been fired from a Memphis Starbucks location after attempting to unionize.
Last week, the two sides engaged in talks over litigation related to the union's use of Starbucks branding in a post supporting Palestinians.
