My store specifically has not moved in that direction, but last time I heard, over 100 stores across the country are moving to vote.
No one beyond your store manager (if you’re lucky) listen to anything you have to say. Starbucks says that they make decisions with partners in mind. But even in several meetings baristas (like myself) had with district managers or higher ups, it was all surface level support. Several times throughout the pandemic, as well as before, decisions were made against most baristas voiced wishes/concerns. Our district manager would ask us how they can make the job more enjoyable for us or manageable, listen to each of us, then do nothing to help.
I have worked for them for almost 7 years. I loved working here. It genuinely made me happy and I really enjoyed the people I met and the work I was doing. It helped me get through college, they have flexible shifts and I was getting good pay at the time. The pandemic seems to have made Starbucks completely derail. They may be doing well financially, but something has soured. And I can’t imagine I’m the only one who feels this way.
They’re constantly worried about cutting down on labor costs while having just raised their prices. They’re cutting the hours they give to us, telling the store managers we’re too high on labor costs and it better be down to 0% or negative, even though we’re pulling in 20-30% more profit than even this time last year, and we’re breaking 3+ year profit records per week sometimes at my store alone. Customers come in and get upset about the prices, then say “at least you guys get more money!” Then don’t tip because they assume we’re getting raises. The higher ups got something like 20-30% raises last year. Millions of dollars but we can’t get more than 50¢ to keep up with the minimum wage. I found out the other day I’m making maybe 20¢ more than people who started 6 months ago, and I have been here for nearly 7 years. I am disabled, and with inflation, and cost of living increases every year, as well as starbucks’ lack of keeping up with raises, me (and some others Im sure) are struggling.
They also required us to go to a meeting about the unionization efforts in our area. We basically were sat down, talked at by someone from corporate and the regional manager about how Starbucks makes their employees “like equals” because they give us stocks, and benefits like college and insurance (although u can hardly afford the insurance on min wage, it’s just offered). My stock account from almost 7 years has a cash value of only $800. I’d rather be paid more. they didn’t have anyone from the union there (duh) and they told us that we don’t need third party representation because we are able to reach out to them and communicate already.
They’ve moved to have the votes for unionizing in various stores be district wide instead, while actively encouraging us to vote no to basically silence the baristas who wanted to do this (most of who have been there for years, like me). And people are sick of it.