The union wave is hitting coffee chains big and small, but the bosses aren’t going down without a fight. In June, after workers there voted overwhelmingly to unionize, Starbucks permanently closed the popular College Ave. location in Ithaca, New York, in a suspected act of retaliation, leaving workers in dire financial straits. Then, on July 11, Starbucks announced it would close 16 of its branches over alleged “safety concerns.” Workers and organizers have been quick to point out that two of the branches targeted for closure in Seattle also recently unionized, and they allege that Starbucks is breaching US labor laws. Meanwhile, in Louisville, Kentucky, local “progressive” coffee chain Heine Brothers’ Coffee has come under fire for its own response to employees’ efforts to unionize, including closing the Douglass Loop location, where some of the most vocal pro-union workers were employed. In an urgent panel discussion, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez speaks with worker-organizers from the closed Heine Brothers’ store in Louisville and the closed College Ave. Starbucks in Ithaca: Gami Ray, a barista and worker-organizer with the Heine Brothers’ Workers Union, and Bek, a shift supervisor and worker-organizer with Starbucks Workers United.

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32 thoughts on “Starbucks escalates war on unions with store closures”
  1. Corporations will spend any amount of money. Money can be made back, but unionization means loss of power and control. The total control of workers is the most essential thing.

  2. I'm trying to not buy from Amazon. It's difficult because Amazon has undercut every store in our area. Sears is gone. JC Penny too. Kohls and Walmart is what we have left. I think we need new values and to stick together. Something different, just not this.

  3. Hell yee! Solidarary my trans and lgbtqia workers! So amazing to see us rising up against corps. I'm so proud of you. Let's show these phobes if they walk out on a worker rally cause pronouns are being respected, they never wanted it that bad in the first place.

  4. union scum. These poor young folks. They think a stinkin union will be the answer to all their problems. One of these days when they grow up they may figure things out.

  5. Leave a comment card at the Starbucks (if you currently frequent one) and say you will only come back if it becomes unionized. And then check to see if any coffee establishment in your area is unionized and check out the coffee…. maybe you will find a great alternative to Starbucks…. there really is a lot of great overlooked non corporate alternatives…

  6. Sounds like the union is costing the people their jobs. I understand unions, I worked a union job for 22 years.
    The union screwed me more than it ever helped me. Now these snowflakes can stand in front of their closed store with their signs for
    $10 a day from the union. If you don't like the company and their policy go get another job.
    She said they were treated like animals, that's funny. There are state laws that don't allow that, no union needed.
    Bottom line the union sucks and creates more problems than they fix.
    These snowflakes need to learn it's a job. They can be replaced very easily by people that would love to have the job.
    Most jobs suck. If you outgrow the job your working move on. They need to remember they are pouring coffee in a cup not making
    rocket parts. Life a bitch, grow a pair and deal with it.

  7. All of you in the comments need to shut it up. Half of you either go or have been to Starbucks! You have gotten gift cards or perhaps a manager was buying it for the staff and you drank it up just fine. Your arse didn't turn it down. You want them to go out of business or whatever, your job should go out of business. Those of you that actually work (not many I imagine). And unions are very problematic. More cons than pros.

    And lastly, many of you are asking the same old question. "Who would spend $5 on coffee? Ughhhh you all splurge on something that you love. Whether it be ice cream, coffee, popcorn at the movies, going to the movies, etc. In other words, just shut up. Oh and I don't drink coffee so don't @me. I SAID WHAT I SAID.

  8. Oh! This is nothing.
    Wait till Starbucks rolls out fully automated 'Cafe-X' style robotic barista arms in most locations. Once mass automation begins…There's no going back.
    Ever.

  9. So the moral of this story is that most businesses would rather shut its doors rather than deal with a union.

  10. Part of the push for bringing back unions is WORD OF MOUTH. These people fighting for unions should be selling T-shirts online with a big Starbucks logo with a red circle and line through it and the caption "I Drink Union Coffee"

  11. I worked for multiple Starbucks store & I can tell you only how bad it was. They try to get rid of you immediately or you are red flagged in the entire district, & they always try to get rid of evidence of discrimination, and do everything in their power to dispose of you. They don't care if you are Gay, Lesbian, Trans, or Black you are just a token. You mean nothing to them! But hey keep buying their coffee bcuz it's trendy & you internalize an imagery lie being sold to you with each cup you buy!

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