WALKER LAKE STARBUCKS WORKERS WIN UNION ELECTION
ONTARIO, Oh. — Starbucks Workers United, the national campaign to unionize the coffee giant, continues to expand its nationwide coalition of baristas organizing for better working conditions and fair representation. Last week, workers at the 2172 Walker Lake Road store in Ontario, Ohio, won their union representation election in a vote of 25-4.
The Walker Lake workers filed for a union election on March 22, 2023, and joined the national strike with workers from more than 100 stores the same day. The store’s union election win — marking the first Ohio Starbucks union shop outside of a major metropolitan area — comes the same week that Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb called on Starbucks management to bargain with workers in good-faith and the same week that two stores in the Cleveland area filed for union elections.
“After working at Starbucks for almost 8 years, winning this union election gave a new meaning to being a ‘partner’. We have always been the heart of the company, but haven’t always been treated as such,” said Heather Brocklesby, barista at the Walker Lake store. “I’m looking forward to setting an example of what organizing looks like and what it can do for employees/communities. I’m just so proud to be a part of this team and hopeful for what’s next to come.”
“A big majority of us in Richland County are raised by parents with trade skills,” said barista Lizzy Prichard. “With that being said, a skill passed on but not loudly talked about is organizing. We know our battle has just begun, but our roots are tethered to our homes and we’re ready for our next phase; Richland County is union strong.”
“We are immensely proud of the individuals at our Starbucks on Walker Lake who demonstrated their commitment to enacting positive change by casting their votes in favor of unionizing. This marks the commencement of a much-needed transformation in the way our store operation is managed. We are optimistic that those who frequent our establishment will recognize that our endeavors are aimed at fostering a more desirable work environment and enhancing the overall coffee experience. Our collective aspirations will have far-reaching benefits for our valued customers, dedicated staff, and the organization as a whole. While negotiating with Starbucks is an extensive and intricate process, we have the most adept and passionate advocates/baristas representing our store. We implore you to support our cause by sharing our story in our pursuit of a better tomorrow,” shared Walker Lake barista Julie.
Starbucks Workers United is the union drive that has taken the labor movement by storm. With over 300 union stores and more than 8,000 union workers across 42 states and D.C., partners across the country continue to organize despite Starbucks’ illegal union-busting efforts. The NLRB has issued over 80 official complaints against the Company, encompassing over 1,400 violations and making Starbucks one of the worst violators of federal labor law in history.