ST PAUL, Minn. — A coalition of Twin Cities Starbucks workers will take part in a one-day strike Wednesday, picketing at three locations to demand livable wages, consistent scheduling and the right to "organize free from fear and intimidation."
The National Day of Action involves more than 100 Starbucks stores across the country. While employees will picket at the local level, a larger presence will march outside the company’s Seattle headquarters, declaring that the fight for the right to organize will not be stopped.
Organizers set the strike for the day before Starbucks holds its annual shareholder meeting.
Minnesota employees will demonstrate outside these three locations:
- 300 Snelling Ave S, St Paul, with picketing from 7 to 11 a.m.
- 3704 Silver Lake Rd NE, St Anthony, with picketing from 7 to 11 a.m.
- 4712 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, with picketing from 7 to 11 a.m., rally from noon to 1 p.m.
In April of 2022 workers at the Snelling location voted 14-1 to become the first corporate-owned, unionized store in the state. They are organized under the banner of Workers United, which is a subsidiary of Service Employees International Union. Since that time four other stores in Bloomington, Edina and Minneapolis have also voted to become union shops, among more than 280 nationwide.
Still, unionizing does not guarantee a contract agreement: Organizers claim Starbucks has refused to negotiate in good faith, violated federal labor laws and fired employees leading the fight to organize.
For its part, Starbucks has consistently maintained that employees don't need a union because the company has always taken care of them by providing competitive wages, health care, free college tuition and other benefits.
"We respect our partners' right to organize but believe the best future is created directly with partners and not a third party," company spokesman Reggie Borges told NPR News in October of 2022.
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