On a warm summer afternoon, my coworkers and I huddle around a single phone outside of my Starbucks, watching as our union election votes are counted. Everyone has a noise maker gathered from the dollar store between their lips, blowing into it at every time a 'yes' is announced, altering our other coworkers that are inside the building of our results. We make a noise for every vote that has been counted, until we get to the end, a second of silence passes until we all begin to jump, cheer, and hug, celebrating our unanimous victory.
That moment was nearly 10 months ago, where we joined the now over 7,000 Starbucks workers across 270 organized stores, yet none of them have a contract.
Since then, our working conditions have only gotten worse. In my two years at this job, I have experienced a dramatic shift from when I first started. I've watched my coworkers drop from working 30 hours a week down to 15, no longer qualifying for the company's 'incredible' benefits. When we used to expect six people working during our busy morning peaks, we're lucky to have four. We're consistently forced to work the job of two people while getting paid a wage that isn't enough for one.
The union gives us an opportunity to change the company's current trajectory, to reclaim the mission and values that they have abandoned.
When I tell people this story, the question I am most often asked, and admittedly one I ask myself, is "why do you stay at this job?"
Not only has this company ignored our requests to bargain, but they've designed these new working conditions to break our spirits. It's been incredibly difficult watching my coworkers, the people I've made friends and laugh with every day, be forced to take on a second job or to quit altogether. I find myself smiling less, letting the sheer physical and emotional exhaustion from this job overtake the joy I used to feel while making lattes and talking to our regular customers.
If I were to focus only on these points, the future appears bleak, and it would be, if not for the union behind us.
The union gives us an opportunity to change the company's current trajectory, to reclaim the mission and values that they have abandoned. The union has brought my coworkers and I hope in times of distress, knowing that we have joined the thousands of others fighting for safety, security, and respect for our workplace. I see supporters from across the country rooting for our campaign and reminding me that this fight goes further than Starbucks or even fast food, it affects the entirety of the working class.
Starbucks claims to be a 'different kind of company,’ yet they have only shown me that they are dedicated to busting our union campaign and breaking the spirits of its workers. However, this doesn't have to be the legacy of the company forever. With the recent change in CEOs, Starbucks has a new opportunity, one where they can return to the progressive company it once was. Though, that can only happen if they chose to listen to its workers and acknowledge us with a union contract.
So, returning to the question, why do I stay at this job?
I stay because that's exactly what the company fears, they want us to feel disposable, weak, and worthless. However, through the union, I have been shown that does not have to be true. I stay because this company can be so much more, and we are the ones going to make that a reality. I stay for the day we win our first contract and know that this fight has been all worth it.
This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Shannon Butler.
Shannon Butler | Radio Free (2023-04-13T18:14:14+00:00) Why I Keep Working at Starbucks Despite Its Union-Busting. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2023/04/13/why-i-keep-working-at-starbucks-despite-its-union-busting/
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