Pittsburgh-area Starbucks baristas striking against what they call unfair labor practices
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Baristas in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle are organizing in response to what they see as unfair labor practices from Starbucks.
Now, they're growing to places like Columbus, Ohio, and Pittsburgh.
Baristas are usually surrounded by the warmth of hot coffee inside, but on Saturday, the definition of "cold brew" was different in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood.
"It's a little snowy," Starbucks East Side shift supervisor Ally Peters said. "But you know, all the momentum and everything keeps us warm."
Peters is part of a team of local Starbucks Workers United strikers who picketed outside the company's Bloomfield location on Saturday. They're trying to move from chant to contract.
"We've been at the bargaining table with the company for months now," Peters said.
The workers told KDKA-TV that they believe Starbucks is not negotiating in good faith. They're also protesting what they claim were unfair labor practices by Starbucks, like union busting.
"Starbucks wants us to move forward from those things, and that time where we weren't at that place of coming together," Peters said. "But how are we going to do that when they can't honor that promise?"
A couple of signs were being held that criticized Starbucks' CEO. The holidays being on the horizon wasn't lost on their minds either, with five locations now on strike.
In addition to Bloomfield, workers at the Forbes and Atwood [Oakland], Amos Hall [Oakland], Craig Street, and East Side locations have also gone on strike.
"We're hoping to shut down as many stores as we can – just to show the company that we are who is making them their money… it's us," Jake Whitney, shift supervisor at Starbucks' East Side location, said.
Honks from supporting vehicles and their drivers were abundant on Liberty Avenue Saturday morning. People moving through tried to live the ethos of chants like "Get up! Get down! Pittsburgh is a union town!"
"To see the community support is really heartening for us, Whitney said.
And from the support of raised fists to pooches with pins, people here say they're encouraged.
"We want a contract, and the company says they want a contract, too," Peters said. "So, that's what we want to see."
Organizers say these strikes are supposed to expand each day until Christmas Eve unless Starbucks honors what the strikers say is its "commitment" to them.
Striking workers who talked to KDKA-TV did not give specific plans for what would happen past that point if a contract deal were not struck.
Starbucks told KDKA-TV that delegates with Workers United "prematurely ended" the bargaining session that the two parties had this week. It says it's held more than nine bargaining sessions over 20 days.
"We are focused on enhancing the partner (employee) experience, with over $3 billion invested in the last three years," Starbucks spokesperson Phil Gee said in a statement.
"Starbucks offers a competitive average pay of over $18 per hour and best-in-class benefits. Taken together, they are worth an average of $30 per hour for baristas who work at least 20 hours per week. Benefits include health care, free college tuition, paid family leave, and company stock grants. No other retailer offers this kind of comprehensive pay and benefits package.
Starbucks also added that the striking workers are calling for an immediate 64% minimum wage increase, and an overall 77% raise over three years, something it calls "not sustainable."