Union Workers Protest Starbucks' Plan To Stop Buying Milk From Queens Dairy
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Union workers came to City Hall Wednesday to plead for their jobs ahead of a potentially devastating move by Starbucks.
Workers from Teamsters Local 584 are afraid of losing their jobs if Starbucks goes ahead with its plan to stop buying milk from Elmhurst Dairy in Queens and switch to a non-union plant outside of the city.
Chanting "keep the jobs here," workers stressed the importance of keeping the last New York City dairy in business.
"If we lose our jobs, I don't know what we're going to do. So I'm just talking to the world, to New York City, to elected officials. Help us keep the business here in New York. Let it remain where it belongs," one worker told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Stan Brooks.
1010 WINS' Stan Brooks Reports From The Protest At City Hall
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Some City Council members are supporting the protesters and stressed that Starbucks' threatened move could lead to the loss of over 700 jobs.
"We can't abide by New York businesses firing New York workers," Speaker Christine Quinn said.
The dairy currently supplies milk to all Starbucks locations in the New York metro area. In addition, it also processes the milk consumed at all of New York City's public schools. Advocates also cautioned that if the dairy is forced to close, prices will see a significant spike.
"If we lose these jobs, if Starbucks leaves, a lot of us are going to be hurting. We're going to lose our jobs. We're not going to be able to support and provide for our families like we usually have been doing," another worker said.
