Starbucks Faces Unionization Efforts at Two Colorado Locations Amid Campus Protests

Workers at two Starbucks locations in Colorado are among 21 stores across the United States that have announced their efforts to unionize. The movement, led by the Workers United union, aims to address labor practices and negotiate fair contracts for the thousands of baristas who have unionized in the past two years.

Student-Led Protests

On Thursday, students at multiple universities in the U.S. called for the removal of Starbucks from their campuses until the coffee chain rectifies its labor practices. Approximately 25 campuses participated in organized actions to protest Starbucks' alleged failure to negotiate contracts with its unionized employees.

Valli Pendyala, a freshman at Georgetown University, expressed her dissatisfaction with Starbucks' conduct, stating, "If Starbucks was a student, they would have been expelled by now because of the number of rules they've broken." She emphasized the need for accountability and urged Georgetown University to let its contract with Starbucks expire.

In response to the student-led efforts, Starbucks refuted claims of stalling negotiations, highlighting its commitment to offering competitive pay and industry-leading benefits to its employees. The company also emphasized its ongoing efforts to negotiate fair contracts for its unionized partners.

Impact and Responses

Starbucks downplayed the impact of the student protests, asserting that not all campuses mentioned by Workers United witnessed disruptions, and campus store operators reported no operational disturbances. At New York University, students delivered a petition urging the university to cease selling Starbucks coffee until the company alters its approach.

Regarding the petition, a spokesperson from NYU stated that the university would review the document, clarifying that all workers at the affiliated Starbucks location were unionized employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the university's food services contractor, Chartwells.

Georgetown University's response echoed a commitment to addressing the issue, emphasizing that the university does not have a direct contract with Starbucks. Instead, its primary food service provider, Aramark, manages most of the retail and residential dining operations on campus, including the licensed Starbucks location.

Union Representation and Continuing Dialogue

The spokesperson for Georgetown further indicated that Aramark's hourly workers on the university's campuses are represented by the UNITE HERE union. The university expressed ongoing consideration of the matter, highlighting the importance of addressing the concerns raised by the unionization efforts.

As the discussions and actions surrounding Starbucks' labor practices and unionization efforts continue, the engagement of students, workers, and universities reflects the broader dialogue on corporate responsibility and worker rights in the United States.