Union claims retaliation for workers voting to unionize
As announced last month, Starbucks is indeed closing more stores, with the latest two being in Kansas City, MO, and Seattle.
The coffee chain has blamed safety issues for the Kansas City location’s closure, CNBC reported, which ties into CEO Howard Schultz’ messaging last month in a leaked video.
“We’ve heard the stories that go along with it about what happens in our bathrooms, the issue of mental illness, the issues of homelessness and the issues of crime,” Schultz said. “Starbucks is a window into America. We have stores in every community and we’re facing things the stores weren’t built for. We’re listening to our people and closing stores. This is just the beginning – there are going to be many more.”
Meanwhile, the Seattle location will close and reopen, operated as a licensed location by a neighboring grocery store, CNBC reported. “We continue to evaluate the partner and customer experience at all of our stores as a regular course of business,” Starbucks said in a statement on Tuesday.
However, Starbucks Workers United argues the closures are retaliation for organizing efforts: union voting results are pending at the Kansas City store and the Seattle workers voted to organize in April. Starbucks will bargain with the union to seek an agreement that gives workers the opportunity to transfer to other stores, CNBC reported.
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