A union representing over 10,000 Starbucks baristas has authorized a potential strike ahead of upcoming bargaining talks with the coffee giant. Workers United, which represents 525 stores in the US, claims that Starbucks has yet to present a comprehensive economic package and that hundreds of disputes over unfair labor practices remain unresolved.
The union is seeking increased wages, staffing at stores, and better schedules. While negotiations began in April, no agreements have been reached on key issues. Starbucks has attended over eight bargaining sessions since then and claimed to have settled around 30 agreements on dozens of topics.
However, the company’s recent changes, such as raising paid paternal leave from six weeks to 18 weeks for some workers, are seen as insufficient by the union. The move comes ahead of a final round of negotiations this week, where Workers United is pushing for more substantial improvements.
Starbucks’ new CEO Brian Niccol has been working on revamping the company’s cafes and improving customer experience. But the union remains critical of the company’s pace, saying that more needs to be done to address worker concerns.
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/starbucks-workers-union-authorizes-potential-162915087.html