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Workers at Mill Creek Starbucks file petition to unionize, joining others across nation

By Ranji Sinha, KIRO 7 News
By Ranji Sinha, KIRO 7 News

MILL CREEK, Wash. — Starbucks could soon be dealing with a lot more unionized employees.

Starbucks Workers United says 21 stores in 14 states filed for unionization on Tuesday in what is the campaign’s largest single-day filing so far.

That includes workers at the Mill Creek Starbucks.

Audrey Kelly spoke to KIRO 7 outside the Mill Creek location where she works. She said the push to unionize is based on some relatively simple concerns by employees.

“For us, it has been hour cuts — it’s people going from 30 to 35 hours down to the teens, and for a lot of people, this is their only job,” said Kelly.

Kelly says there is a disconnect between the company’s corporate leaders and the company’s “partners,” and she believes forming a union could help.

“This is kind of a chance to bridge that gap in communication,” said Kelly.

Starbucks Workers United says the stores are joining a movement that’s run for several years, seeing nearly 10,000 baristas at hundreds of stores organize.

Some customer reaction was mixed on the idea, including that from Clifford Johnson, who had grabbed coffee at the Mill Creek location on his way to work.

“People I know who work in unions tend to hate their bosses, and there’s a lot of division in those types of shops, so I’m not sure if unionizing is actually what workers want,” said Johnson.

Starbucks Workers United said workers at the following Starbucks stores filed for union elections Tuesday:

  • Rodney Parham & Market Street, Little Rock, AR
  • Highway 4 and Hillcrest, Antioch, CA
  • San Pedro Square, San Jose, CA
  • Seal Beach & St. Cloud, Seal Beach, CA
  • Jewell and Wadsworth, Lakewood, CO
  • 17th and Hover, Longmont, CO
  • Madison & Wells, Chicago, IL
  • 58th & Western, Chicago, IL
  • I-10 & HWY 108, Sulfur, LA
  • Washington and Demers, Grand Forks, ND
  • Garden City, Long Island, NY
  • Old Westbury, Long Island, NY
  • 4th Ave & 11th St, Park Slope, NY
  • McCarran & Lakeside, Reno, NV
  • Grove City, Columbus, OH
  • Loop 288 & I-35, Denton, TX
  • Kimball Junction, Kimball Junction, UT
  • I-81 & Roanoke St, Christiansburg, VA
  • 164th & Bothell Hwy, Mill Creek, WA
  • Rimrock & Beltline, Madison, WI
  • Monona & Broadway, Monona, WI

Kelly admitted that the large number of stores gave Mill Creek employees a bit of relief when they considered taking action.

“Seeing all these other stores, it’s a big confidence boost,” Kelly said.

At shareholders meetings and in other forums, Starbucks executives have said unionization is unnecessary.

In a statement within the last two weeks referencing communications with the president of Starbucks Workers United, the company said in a statement that it is:

“...committed to better communicating with unions elected to represent our partners and are pursuing a path forward that would allow us to resume productive contract negotiations for our represented US partners.”

Kelly said Starbucks does have great benefits and it’s often a great place to work, but she wants it to be better for everyone.

“That’s why we stick around. We really do love it, we love what we do, and we love our customers,” she said.

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