Parsippany-Troy Hills Starbucks workers form bid to unionize
Workers at the Starbucks in Parsippany-Troy Hills are moving ahead with a bid to unionize, along with 17 other locations from the global coffee chain.
The workers are calling for “fair compensation, job security and a voice in decisions that affect us,” in a letter addressed to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan. They are organizing with Starbucks Workers United.
“Though we work at different stores, we are united through our shared experiences and in our demand for higher wages, fair and consistent scheduling, improved benefits, and a safe and dignified workplace,” the letter states.
Starbucks spokesperson Jay Go Guasch said that the coffee chain prefers a "direct relationship" with its staff rather than a union, but maintained that "we respect our partners rights to have a choice on the topic of unions."
The Parsippany-Troy Hills location would be the latest in New Jersey looking in the midst of unionization.
In North Jersey, Starbucks workers at locations in Ledgewood, Montclair and Summit have also unionized.
Workers at locations in Hamilton and Penington have also unionized, while Cherry Hill workers rejected a union bid.
This past November, thousands of Starbucks workers walked off the job during the global coffee chain’s “Red Cup Day.”
Where does union membership stand?
The COVID-19 pandemic renewed interest in union membership, from Amazon to Starbucks.
According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 15.8 million American workers represented by a union in 2021, which increased to 16.2 million workers last year.
“The low wages, irregular schedules and difficult work environments that are common in the hospitality industry have contributed to the shortage of workers willing to fill these positions,” Todd Vachon, a Rutgers University professor and director of the school’s Labor Education Action Research Network, which partners with workers' rights groups, said in a 2022 interview.
Medieval Times unionizing efforts failed
The unionization bid also occurred as other labor-organizing efforts falter, including at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, which effectively ended its campaign for a contract in March.
A bid to unionize staff at the Apple store in Short Hills also failed.
Other businesses have been accused of conducting illegal anti-union behaviors, including Starbucks and the cleaning company contracted by the American Dream mall in East Rutherford.
Starbucks was successful in a U.S Supreme Court decision last week effectively making it harder to force businesses to rehire workers who say they were fired for labor union activities.
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.
Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Parsippany-Troy Hills Starbucks workers form bid to unionize
