National City – In a significant move, employees at the Starbucks store located at Highland & 30th in National City, CA, have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to unionize under Starbucks Workers United.
Francesca Nicole Arce Cruz, a 2-year partner and barista at the National City location, expressed the motivation behind the decision to unionize. Cruz stated, “I’m voting to unionize because we as workers deserve consistent work schedules, safe working conditions, and a living wage for what we do for this company. Joining our union, we do feel heard, unlike our attempts through Starbucks’ channels that we felt were not effective.”
The Highland & 30th partners are part of a nationwide movement of over 9,000 baristas advocating for improved working conditions, fair wages, and consistent schedules. If successful, this store would be the third unionized Starbucks in the San Diego area, following the Leucadia & I-5 location in Encinitas (May 2023) and the University & Richmond location in San Diego (August 2023).
Anja Feller, a 7-year partner and shift supervisor at the National City location, highlighted the desire for internal growth within the company. Feller stated, “We support unionization to empower partners to promote from within the company. In our union, let’s create an environment where seniority is valued and internal promotions are encouraged.”
However, Starbucks faces allegations of union-busting, with administrative law judges issuing 47 decisions finding the company guilty of more than 370 federal labor law violations. These violations include 42 unlawful firings, refusal to bargain, and providing non-union workers higher wages and better benefits than those seeking unionization. The NLRB has further issued over 70 complaints against Starbucks, involving about 200 charges and alleging over 1,700 violations, including 57 firings.
Starbucks Workers United, the union movement gaining momentum, has witnessed over 380 Starbucks stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia successfully unionizing since December 2021. This marks a significant development in the labor movement, surpassing the unionization efforts of any other company in the 21st century.