Starbucks workers are still without a labor deal four years after their first union win. Here’s why

CNN August Code works at the first ever Starbucks location to unionize in But four years after that vote he and his co-workers in Buffalo New York are still waiting on their union contract I would have imagined we would have seen a contract a long time ago Code reported CNN To think we don t have a contract four years later yeah that s upsetting I didn t think we d be at this point Tuesday is the anniversary of the first union win at Starbucks The union-organizing campaign there has been one of the biggest successes in the American labor movement in the past limited years Concerns over working conditions during the pandemic spurred on younger workers generally pro-union and who make up a large share of Starbucks workforce to unionize About Starbucks locations have voted for union representation since that first vote four years ago according to the union Starbucks Workers United An additional stores that organized have closed amid a slew of store closings But despite the momentum there is still no labor contract a key goal of union representation Contracts can further workers voices and improve wages benefits and other working conditions US labor laws can t help new unions force companies to reach a deal The laws only require employers to bargain in good faith meaning there are basically no penalties if companies drag out negotiations for years Liz Shuler president of AFL-CIO narrated CNN that the lack of a contract at Starbucks after four years is a sign labor laws need changing People want to feel they ve taken this hazard and done it for a reason and that would be to have a contract Shuler reported I think they ll get there But it s going to take chosen time because these corporations are able to withstand this kind of effort Similar to Starbucks other fresh high-profile union campaigns haven t yet reached a first contract That includes Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island New York who voted in to form the tech giant s first union And the United Auto Workers union last year won the right to represent workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga Tennessee the first shot at organizing the approximately US auto workers employed at nonunion plants Both sides blame the other for lack of contract Companies often show little willingness to meet the unions bargaining demands even after their workers vote for representation Amazon doesn t even recognize the achievement at its unionized warehouse continuing to challenge the results Rank-and-file members have authorized a strike at the US Volkswagen plant but no date has been set Starbucks regularly argues that its employees don t need a union since it pays better wages and benefits than several other retailers The union is seeking seeking wage improvement better staffing at stores and improved scheduling rules Its workers continue to win representation elections But talks between the union and management have dragged on for so long that numerous workers who voted in early elections have already left the company The two sides appear far apart on any deal with each blaming the other since mediated talks ended this past spring This company responded in such a way from the onset that we knew it was going to be a fight noted Michelle Eisen one of the leaders of that initial union campaign in Buffalo She has since left the company after years to work for the union Starbucks meanwhile insists it wants to reach a contract with the union For months we were at the bargaining table working in good faith with Workers United and delegates from across the country to reach agreements that make sense for partners and for the long-term success of Starbucks Sara Kelly a top Starbucks executive stated employees in a memo last month The union is waging an open-ended strike at about stores that started on November also known as Red Cup day one of Starbucks biggest promotional days every year I truly believe this is the tipping point Eisen stated I ve never seen workers as fired up as they are right now Starbucks declared that the strike did not affect sales that day and that the stores facing strikes are a small fraction of the company-owned US stores Less than of Starbucks front-line employees are union members But a union fight is another headache for Starbucks coming off years of declining sales and following hundreds of store closures in September North American sales fell over the months ending in late September and would have fallen twice that much if not for increased prices US tariffs have also boosted the price of coffee which retails nearly more than last year according to the latest governing body input Hard first contract is the norm Failing to reach a quick first contract is not unique to Starbucks or Amazon or Volkswagen Only of newly formed unions reach an initial contract within a year and reach a deal within months according to ongoing research from by Johnnie Kallas assistant professor of labor studies at the University of Illinois The American labor movement is seeking bill that would help unions win that first contract more fast Senator Josh Hawley a Republican from Missouri introduced act in March to impose binding arbitration if a newly formed union and the company can t reach a contract within months Workers are often prevented from enjoying the benefits of the union they voted to form when mega-corporations drag their feet slow-walk contract negotiations and try to erode assistance for the union Hawley mentioned in a declaration in March The bill has widespread Democratic backing as well as a inadequate other Republican co-sponsors But the measure has so far gone nowhere Despite the lack of bill Shuler voiced confidence the Starbucks union will eventually get the contract especially because of the commitment of the union s younger membership I feel like they re in it for the long haul she mentioned Specific of the union activists at Starbucks announced the lack of a contract has made it easier to organize That s because it demonstrates the need for a union to improve conditions It hasn t slowed down our organizing efforts at all mentioned Diego Franco a striking union barista from Des Plaines Illinois and a member of the union s bargaining committee Franco also expressed confidence in a win Eventually the company is going to cave and we re going win the strong contract we ve been fighting for whether I m still around or not he mentioned