Pro-Union Baristas At MA Starbucks Say They’re Being ‘Driven Out'

NEWTON, MA — Baristas at the Starbucks locations in Massachusetts moving to unionize, including stores in Brookline and Newton, claim that the company is trying to drive out pro-union workers with cuts in hours, an increase in write-ups, and more pressure from management, reported GBH.

Despite the claims, Starbucks has denied retaliating against baristas who are working to unionize, which would violate federal labor laws, and the National Labor Relations Board has not filed a complaint against any Massachusetts Starbucks locations.

“There are more hours available during the holiday season and, as a result, the local teams make adjustments, and that’s an ongoing process,” a Starbucks spokesperson told GBH News. “It’s certainly not related to any organizing efforts.”

A total of 11 Starbucks stores have filed paperwork to form unions in Massachusetts. The state’s efforts started in December, shortly after employees in Buffalo, New York became the first in the country to successfully form a union of their own.

Since then, nearly 200 out of the approximately 9,000 cafés in across the country have moved to unionize.

This is not the first complaint against the company for retaliation against employees who are moving to unionize. In early February, Starbucks was accused of retaliation after firing multiple union leaders at a store in Memphis, Tennessee. Workers at stores in Buffalo, New York also claim that pro-union baristas have been terminated, according to Starbucks Workers United.

In addition, baristas in Denver, Colorado went on strike earlier this month in response to unfair labor practices. Around the same time, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against Starbucks over retaliation accusations in Phoenix, Arizona.