Union Starbucks stores get surprise visits

By ED FINKELSTEIN
Publisher Emeritus

Richmond Heights, MO – Starbucks workers across nation that have won elections for union representation were recently surprised with a “Congratulations, we’re with you” visit from union members and supporters bearing balloons and a special book of “Welcome” messages from hundreds of fellow Starbucks workers across the nation.

At the 2023 Dale Ave. store in Richmond Heights the excitement was palpable on April 9 as members of Bread & Roses Missouri came in clapping and presented the baristas with “Congratulations,” balloons and messages from fellow Starbucks workers across the country.

In St. Louis, three additional stores were visited: 3700 S. Kingshighway, 2350 S. Grand and 1216 Hampton by reps from Missouri Jobs with Justice and St. Louis Democratic Socialists of America.

Joining the union “is the only way to fight for yourself as we do it together,” said Moe Mills, a five-year barista at the Dale Ave. store. His fellow workers agreed.

Maria Kremsreiter, a two-year barista, proudly showed off her Starbucks United tee on which she painted “UNION STRONG” that she wears beneath her uniform. “Every day until we get a union contract,” she said.

That day is on the horizon as Starbucks has agreed to restart contract negotiations after a two-and-a-half-year standoff. As a major concession to launch the talks on a positive note, the company has agreed to provide some 10,000 workers in the 415 unionized stores in 47 states with pay hikes and benefits the company gave non-unionized workers in May 2022 but had withheld from unionized workers as part of their effort to discourage baristas from joining.

The first Starbucks store organized in December 2021 in Buffalo, N.Y. Since then, the More Perfect Union website (https://perfectunion.us) reported the union lost elections in only 94 stores.