SPOKANE, Wash. — Starbucks workers in Spokane joined the nationwide strike on Tuesday.
Starbucks employees at 2401 W. Wellesley Avenue in the Shadle neighborhood stood outside the store holding signs and demanding change on Christmas Eve morning.
The workers said the strike was a long-time coming.
“We really would like to get our contract bargained and get back to work as usual, making our coffee,” said Sarah Coning, Barista & Representative for Starbucks Workers United.
The Shadle location is the only unionized Starbucks in Spokane, and one of the latest to join the nationwide rolling strike of Starbucks workers advocating for better pay and benefits.
“Our union has been doing a rolling strike. So, the first day, we had 15 stores across three cities, and then each day we’ve added to the numbers,” said Conig. “Today, as many unionized stores as possible are striking, we just really wanted to hit the message home, ‘Hey, we are here. We’re ready to work. We’d like things resolved.”
The strikes are primarily aimed at addressing ‘ULPs’: unfair labor practices.
“Right now, the economic portions are really what’s holding the contract up. We’re waiting for Starbucks to just make us a fair offer. We’re going to come to the table, and they have not really been ready to bargain,” said Coning.
The Shadle store has been unionized for a year, but workers at the location still don’t have a contract, despite promises from the corporation.
“Starbucks has said that hopefully by the end of the year, we could have this contract and they’ve kind of been dragging their feet,” said Coning. “We’re hoping this is enough to show them that we’re serious.”
The strike is taking place during the coffee chain’s busiest season – the holidays.
As of Tuesday, the strike is only expected to last one day and the store is expected to reopen after Christmas on the morning of December 26.
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