Starbucks And the union representing baristas plans to resume contract negotiations on Wednesday, ending a long stalemate.
The two sides’ return to the bargaining table follows the company’s announcement in February that it had found a “constructive path forward” in mediation talks related to the union’s lawsuit over Starbucks’ use of the brand. This was a major turning point for Starbucks. Starbucks has spent the past two years battling Workers United and a broader movement to unionize cafe workers.
As of Monday, nearly 500 company-owned Starbucks companies in the U.S. have voted to unionize under Workers United since the first election in December 2021, according to a tally by the National Labor Relations Board. There is. But none of these sites, which make up a fraction of the total U.S. area, are close to a collective bargaining agreement.
Starbucks and unions affiliated with the Service Employees International Union had previously met to negotiate, but those negotiations quickly stalled. Both sides have accused the other of obstructing negotiations.
Starbucks has previously insisted on face-to-face negotiations, and its representatives did not appear in court via Zoom. The union accused Starbucks of using that excuse as a stall tactic. This time around 150 union representatives will appear for in-person negotiations, while hundreds more will exchange ideas remotely in addition to in-person meetings.
Although store agreements will be negotiated and approved on an individual basis, the union could make proposals that could affect all Starbucks employees it represents. Workers United has broadly called for higher wages and more consistent scheduling, among other priorities.
Labor law does not require employers and labor unions to enter into collective bargaining agreements, only that the parties bargain in good faith. After a year, workers who no longer have faith in the union can file for disbarment, allowing more time for negotiations.
The NLRB has 19 applications pending for decertification. The Labor Commission rejected 18 other petitions seeking decertification due to Starbucks’ unfair labor practices.
The company said it is also negotiating with other unions representing its cafes, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which is in talks to open a store in suburban Pittsburgh.
The resumption of contract negotiations comes a day after a key moment for both Starbucks and the union. The company went to the Supreme Court on Tuesday to appeal a lower court’s approval of an injunction sought by the NLRB to reinstate seven laid-off employees at a Memphis cafe.
Starbucks argued that other agencies seeking injunctions have higher standards for obtaining injunctions than the labor commission. Experts say the Supreme Court’s final ruling could weaken the NLRB and organized labor. The court is expected to announce its decision this summer.
Starbucks may share more details about union negotiations during its quarterly earnings call. The coffee giant is scheduled to report financial results on Tuesday.
