Los Angeles Starbucks workers join nationwide strike over contract negotiations, pride decorations
A group of unionized Starbucks workers in Cypress Park are keeping the store locked and beginning to strike amid a stall in contract talks and issues with alleged removal of pride month decoration in stores nationwide.
Strikes are taking place at more than 150 Starbucks locations across the country, with over 3,500 unionized employees expected to participate.
One of the major reasons for the protest is contract negotiations – or a lack thereof.
“We’ve been unionized for a year at our store and we’ve yet to have a contract negotiated,” said one protester. “The company refuses to sit and bargain in good faith over our contract.”
Other employees are joining the nationwide protest over the alleged removal of pride flags from Starbucks stores.
“As a member of the LGBTQ community, I feel a bit lied to,” said another protester. “It just shows that Starbucks doesn’t really have my back, or my community’s back.”
Starbucks released a statement regarding the protests:
“Workers United continues to spread false information about our benefits, policies and negotiation efforts – a tactic used to seemingly divide our partners and deflect from their failure to respond to bargaining sessions for more than 200 stores,” the statement said.
It is unknown how long the strike at the Cypress Park location – or the nationwide strike – will last.
Source: KTLA Los Angeles
