Editing Starbucks (section)

=====American unionization efforts=====
{{main|Starbucks unions}}
[[File:Starbucks Workers Rally and March 01.jpg|thumb|Starbucks workers protesting in Seattle]]
Three of the company's stores in [[Buffalo, New York]] began an attempt to unionize in August 2021.<ref name=wsj_0921>{{cite news |last1=Haddon |first1=Heather |title=Starbucks Faces Rare Union Challenge in Upstate New York |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-faces-rare-union-test-in-upstate-new-york-11632488098 |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> Using [[Twitter]], the workers announced they had formed an organizing committee, Starbucks Workers United, to form a union affiliated with [[Workers United]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scheiber |first1=Noam |title=Starbucks Faces Rare Union Challenge as Buffalo Workers Seek Vote |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/30/business/starbucks-coffee-buffalo-union.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/30/business/starbucks-coffee-buffalo-union.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=August 30, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Two more stores joined the effort in September, however these petitions were later withdrawn to ensure a speedy process for the original three locations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Veronica |first1=Nick |title=Slamming 'union-busting effort,' 2 more Buffalo Starbucks locations join unprecedented push to unionize |url=https://www.wivb.com/news/starbucks-union-buffalo-workers-united-slamming-union-busting-effort-2-more-buffalo-starbucks-locations-join-unprecedented-push-to-unionize/ |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=News 4 Buffalo |date=September 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Faith |title=Starbucks Workers Are Organizing — and Management Is Worried |url=https://jacobinmag.com/2021/10/starbucks-workers-united-buffalo-union-drive-organizing-coffee-shop-industry-labor |work=jacobinmag.com |date=October 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Gurley|first=Lauren Kaori|date=October 13, 2021|title=Starbucks Temporarily Closes 2 Stores That Are Trying to Unionize|work=Vice|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/starbucks-temporarily-closes-two-stores-that-are-trying-to-unionize/|access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref> During the union drive, the company sent other managers and executives, including its North America retail president, to Buffalo to engage with employees about operational issues and participate in their work. Employees were forced to attend [[captive audience meeting]]s that contained anti-union messages.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Sainato |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/nov/23/starbucks-aggressive-anti-union-effort-new-york-stores-organize |title=Starbucks launches aggressive anti-union effort as upstate New York stores organize |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=November 23, 2021 |access-date=June 23, 2022 }}</ref> Starbucks temporarily closed some area stores for remodeling and added excessive staff to one of the stores preparing to vote. Workers said this reduced union support there, while Starbucks said the support was meant to compensate for increased sick leave during the pandemic as it had done elsewhere in the country.<ref name="symbolic">{{Cite news |last1=Scheiber |first1=Noam |date=December 9, 2021 |title=Starbucks workers at a Buffalo store unionize in a big symbolic win for labor |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/business/economy/buffalo-starbucks-union.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210082106/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/business/economy/buffalo-starbucks-union.html |archive-date=December 10, 2021}}</ref> On November 9 Workers United filed three more petitions for elections to represent workers at additional Buffalo area stores.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Scheiber|first=Noam|date=November 9, 2021|title=Starbucks workers at three more Buffalo-area stores file for union elections.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/business/economy/starbucks-workers-union-elections-buffalo.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/business/economy/starbucks-workers-union-elections-buffalo.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=December 8, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On November 10 the [[National Labor Relations Board]] mailed out votes for the elections at the original three locations.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Glynn|first=Matt|date=November 11, 2021 |title=Union vote ballots mailed to Starbucks workers |work=The Buffalo News |url=https://buffalonews.com/business/local/union-vote-ballots-mailed-to-starbucks-workers/article_71deaacc-4320-11ec-a3e5-67ac10b7e923.html |access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref> Votes for the original three stores were counted on December 9.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Eidelson |first=Josh |date=December 7, 2021|title=Starbucks Bid to Halt Union Vote Count Is Rejected by Labor Board |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-07/starbucks-bid-to-halt-union-vote-count-rejected-by-labor-board |access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref> Days before the vote count, the NLRB rejected arguments by Starbucks to halt the election.

Inspired by their colleagues in Buffalo, workers at a Starbucks store in Mesa, Arizona, petitioned the NLRB for a union election on November 18, 2021, to be represented by Workers United. The organizing at the Mesa location stemmed from, in part, a well-liked manager being terminated after whistle-blowing on Starbucks' anti-union plan.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Eidelson|first=Josh|date=November 18, 2021|title=Starbucks Unionizing Effort Expands to Arizona|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-18/starbucks-workers-union-effort-expands-to-arizona-with-new-bid|access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref>

Starbucks temporarily closed two stores participating in the union drive in October for renovations. The company claimed these closures were unrelated to the unionization efforts.<ref name="vice_1021">{{cite news |last1=Gurley |first1=Lauren Kaori |title=Starbucks Temporarily Closes 2 Stores That Are Trying to Unionize |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/starbucks-temporarily-closes-two-stores-that-are-trying-to-unionize/ |access-date=October 18, 2021 |work=Vice.com |language=en}}</ref> Starbucks began working with [[Littler Mendelson]], a self-described "union-busting firm", in October.<ref>{{cite news |title=Littler Labeled as a Union Busting Firm |url=https://www.littler.com/publication-press/press/littler-labeled-union-busting-firm |publisher=Littler |date=April 27, 2007 |access-date=September 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Law Firm Cashes In By Aiding Employers |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Law-Firm-Cashes-In-By-Aiding-Employers-Littler-2979677.php |first=Jonathan |last=Marshall |website=SFGate |date=June 5, 1996 |access-date=September 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='It's Almost Comical:' Starbucks Is Blatantly Trying to Crush Its Union |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/its-almost-comical-starbucks-is-blatantly-trying-to-crush-its-union/ |first=Lauren |last=Gurley |website=Vice |date=September 8, 2021 |access-date=September 9, 2021}}</ref> Starbucks requested that the National Labor Relations Board include all Buffalo Starbucks locations in the union vote, however, the NLRB rejected this argument and declared store by store elections.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Duff |first1=Owen |date=October 16, 2021 |title=Starbucks May Be Hiding the Real Reason Behind Store Closures In New York |url=https://www.eatthis.com/news-starbucks-hiding-real-reason-behind-store-closures/ |access-date=October 19, 2021 |work=Eat This Not That |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Finally, on December 9, 2021, the workers at the Elmwood Avenue store became the first unionized Starbucks workers at a Starbucks owned location in the United States with a 19–8 vote. The Camp Road location voted 12–8 not to be in the union.<ref name="wsj_0921" /> Starbucks does have unionized locations in other countries.<ref name="wsj_0921" />

On December 13, workers at two Boston area locations petitioned the NLRB for union elections to be unionize with Workers United. The workers cited the win in Buffalo as inspiration for organizing. Workers in at least one location had most cards signed within a day.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Eidelson|first=Josh|date=December 13, 2021|title=Starbucks Workers Push to Unionize in Boston Area After N.Y. Win|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-14/starbucks-workers-push-to-unionize-in-boston-area-after-n-y-win|access-date=December 13, 2021}}</ref>

In February 2022, Starbucks fired seven workers in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] who had led the unionization effort and temporarily closed the store.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60312013|title=Starbucks fires organisers as union threat grows|access-date=February 9, 2022|date=February 8, 2022|work=[[BBC]]}}</ref>

In August 2022, the National Labor Relations Board accused the company of illegally discriminating against unionized workers by refusing them wage and benefit increases and requesting restitution. It also asked that the CEO at the time, Howard Schultz, or a board official read a notice about this purportedly unlawful move.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scheiber |first=Noam |date=August 25, 2022 |title=Starbucks Illegally Denied Raises to Union Members, Labor Board Says |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/25/business/economy/starbucks-union-howard-schultz-nlrb.html |access-date=August 26, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

As of August 2022, unions were certified at 211 locations in the US.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Haddon |first=Heather |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Starbucks Is Rethinking Almost Everything, Including How to Make Frappuccinos |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-howard-schultz-change-frappuccinos-11661888871 |access-date=September 1, 2022 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

On November 17, 2022, Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day and one of the busiest days for employees, over 100 locations had employees go on strike. The workers were seeking higher staffing levels, better wages, and consistent schedules.<ref>{{cite news |last=Durbin |first=Dee-Ann |url=https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-walkout-red-cup-day-386896c728bc4a66d1aa51aa002fb1ba |title=Starbucks workers strike at more than 100 US stores |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=November 17, 2022 |access-date=November 17, 2022 }}</ref>

Most unionization efforts are made through SBWU (Starbucks Workers United). There are over 9,000 American locations, but since the first unionized location in New York in 2021, less than 3% have voted to unionize. SBWU and Starbucks have yet to successfully negotiate a contract. Starbucks claims in a letter and on its website that the Workers United has delayed bargaining, has illegally broadcast bargaining sessions, refused to meet in person, and that Starbucks has reported more than 22 unfair labor practice charges to the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Starbucks says it wants union bargaining to begin |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/26/starbucks-says-it-wants-union-bargaining-to-begin.html |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=CNBC |date=September 26, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Starbucks says union broke rules by recording talks in 5 places |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-starbucks-union-20221026-uwnjd62ucjhllevnlftllivfki-story.html |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=Chicago Tribune|date=October 26, 2022 }}</ref> By March 2023, the NLRB found no merit in Starbucks's complaints and instead ruled that it was Starbucks who refused to bargain.<ref name="unions March 2023 Vox">{{cite news |url=https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/3/28/23659846/starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-senate-union-busting |website=Vox |title=Starbucks won't admit to breaking the law by union busting |date=March 29, 2023 |access-date=March 31, 2023 |last=Molla |first=Rani}}</ref>

On June 23, 2023, Starbucks workers at unionized stores went on strike over the company's stance on in-store [[LGBT pride]] decorations.<ref>{{cite news |last=Saric |first=Ivana |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/06/23/starbucks-union-strike-pride-decorations |title=More than 150 Starbucks stores to strike over Pride decor, union says |work=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |date=June 23, 2023 |access-date=June 23, 2023 }}</ref>