Massapequa Starbucks Is First On Long Island To Unionize

MASSAPEQUA, NY — The Massapequa Village Square Starbucks has approved a bid to unionize, becoming the first of the coffee chain's Long Island locations to do so.

The Massapequa Starbucks, located at 4301 Merrick Road, was the second to announce a bid to unionize back in February. The bid to unionize was overwhelming approved by the store's employees, 19-8.

“Today is a truly historic day," said John R. Durso, president of the Long Island Federation of Labor. "After months of courageous organizing from the partners at the Massapequa Starbucks, Long Island officially has its first unionized Starbucks location. The entire Long Island union movement is so proud to welcome these workers into our union family.”

A Starbucks in Great Neck was the first to announce a union bid, but that was rejected by the store's workers.

The union, Starbucks Workers United, said it plans to files appeals about the Great Neck result, claiming the store had been subjected to intense union-busting efforts by the chain.

More and more Starbucks stores around the country are starting to efforts to unionize.

In an open letter to the company's CEO published in February announcing their plans to unionize, one of the things the employees at the store took aim at was their pay. Wages remained unchanged during the pandemic for many workers. Last year, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson took home a $7 million raise, they claim, while they received nothing.

"We did the math," they wrote. "It would take the average Starbucks barista 826 years of work with the company to earn your 2021 salary alone. The price of a coffee from Starbucks continues to rise, while partner wages remain the same."