Current:Home > FinanceStarbucks and Workers United, long at odds, say they’ll restart labor talks -Elevate Money Guide
Starbucks and Workers United, long at odds, say they’ll restart labor talks
View
Date:2025-04-15 23:46:20
Starbucks and the union organizing its U.S. workers said Tuesday they have agreed to begin talks with the aim of reaching labor agreements.
The announcement was a breakthrough for the two sides, which have been at odds since Workers United first organized baristas at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, New York, in late 2021.
“Starbucks and Workers United have a shared commitment to establishing a positive relationship in the interests of Starbucks partners,” the company and the union said in a joint statement.
Workers have voted to unionize at more than 370 company-owned Starbucks stores in the U.S., but none of those stores has reached a labor agreement with the company.
The process has been contentious. In multiple cases, federal courts have ordered Starbucks to reinstate workers who were fired after leading unionization efforts at their stores. Regional offices of the National Labor Relations Board also have issued at least 120 complaints against Starbucks for unfair labor practices, including refusal to bargain and reserving pay raises and other benefits for non-union workers.
Starbucks said Tuesday that, in a sign of goodwill, it will provide workers in unionized stores with benefits it announced in May 2022, including the ability for customers to add a tip to their credit card payments.
Starbucks was the first to indicate that it wanted a better relationship with the union. In December, the company said it wanted to restart labor ta lks with the goal of ratifying contract agreements in 2024. Before then, the two sides hadn’t spoken for seven months.
During discussions last week, the two sides said it became clear there was “a constructive path forward on the broader issue of the future of organizing and collective bargaining at Starbucks.”
Starbucks and Workers United said Tuesday that they also plan to discuss resolving litigation between them. In October, Starbucks sued Workers United, saying a pro-Palestinian social media post from a union account early in the Israel-Hamas war angered hundreds of customers and damaged its reputation. The company demanded that the union stop using its name and likeness. Workers United countersued, saying Starbucks had defamed the union and implied it supported terrorism.
“While there is important work ahead, coming together to work on this framework represents an important step forward and is a clear demonstration of a shared commitment to working collaboratively on behalf of partners,” the two sides said in their statement.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- Parts of federal building in Detroit closed after elevated legionella bacteria levels found
- Tesla recalls nearly all vehicles sold in US to fix system that monitors drivers using Autopilot
- What was the best movie of 2023? From 'Barbie' to 'Poor Things,' these are our top 10
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Far-right Dutch election winner Wilders wants to be prime minister, promises to respect constitution
- Rare red-flanked bluetail bird spotted for the first time in the eastern US: See photos
- Travis Kelce Gives Girlfriend Taylor Swift a Shoutout Over Top-Selling Jersey Sales
- What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
- Giant five-alarm fire in the Bronx sweeps through 6 New York City businesses
Ranking
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- Oprah Winfrey Defends Drew Barrymore From Criticism Over Interview Behavior
- Taco Bell testing two new menu items: What to know about Coffee Chillers and Churro Chillers
- Wholesale inflation in US slowed further last month, signaling that price pressures continue to ease
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- Albania’s Constitutional Court blocks Parliament’s ratification of deal with Italy on migrants
- Attacks on referees could kill soccer, top FIFA official Pierluigi Collina says
- A common abortion pill will come before the US Supreme Court. Here’s how mifepristone works
Recommendation
Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
New EU gig worker rules will sort out who should get the benefits of full-time employees
MLB hot stove: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cody Bellinger among the top remaining players
Most Americans with mental health needs don't get treatment, report finds
What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
Andre Braugher was a pioneer in playing smart, driven, flawed Black characters
The Supreme Court rejects an appeal over bans on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children
NJ man charged with decapitating his mother, sang 'Jesus Loves Me' during arrest: Police