Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has pledged to work constructively with the union representing many of the company's baristas as negotiations progress toward a collective bargaining framework that could impact over 10,500 employees across nearly 500 cafes, CNBC reported.
Niccol, who took over as CEO just a few weeks ago, expressed his support for the rights of Starbucks employees to unionize.
"I deeply respect the right of partners to choose, through a fair and democratic process, to be represented by a union," Niccol wrote in a letter to Starbucks Workers United on Tuesday. "If our partners choose to be represented, I am committed to making sure we engage constructively and in good faith with the union and the partners it represents."
The letter was a response to a communication from the Starbucks Workers United bargaining delegation, sent before an upcoming negotiation session.
The union has been pushing for agreements on fair scheduling, a living wage, and greater racial and gender equity at the company's stores. "We know that many of your dedicated customers — as well as future generations of customers — have a vested interest in the outcome of our negotiations and reaching a foundational agreement," the group wrote in its letter to the CEO.
The ongoing discussions aim to establish a framework that could serve as a basis for collective bargaining agreements at individual Starbucks locations. Workers United currently represents over 490 Starbucks' U.S. cafes, covering over 10,500 workers. The coffee chain operates more than 16,700 stores in the United States, with over half owned directly by the company.
Union efforts at Starbucks began gaining traction three years ago when baristas began organizing under Workers United, a Service Employees International Union affiliate.
For over two years, the company resisted these efforts, leading to high-profile clashes in the media and courtroom. However, six months ago, both sides reached a turning point when they agreed to collaborate on a way forward following mediation over social media-related lawsuits.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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