Employees at the Starbucks on Shelburne Road in South Burlington have notified the company of their intent to form a union, and hope workers at other store locations in Vermont will follow their lead.
The South Burlington store could become the first unionized Starbucks location in the state. It joins a nationwide unionization push at the coffee chain that began last year in Buffalo, New York and has spread to over 200 stores around the country. Employees are seeking higher wages, more consistent schedules, better training for new workers and clearer paths to advance within the company.
Happy May Day from our partners in South Burlington, VT, who have become the first store in the state to file for a union election! pic.twitter.com/lnKVhjU06H
— SBWorkersUnited (@SBWorkersUnited) May 1, 2022
Gaz Romp, a barista who helped organize the union effort, said they've had trouble affording housing in the Burlington area on their current salary. Romp said that led them to talk with their coworkers over Discord, an online messaging platform, about forming a union.
Romp and a majority of their nearly 20 coworkers signed union cards, and are now waiting for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to schedule a union election.
“We’re optimistic, we’re very confident,” Romp said in an interview with VPR. “At the same time, we’re doing this because we love working at Starbucks.”
Company leadership has opposed the nationwide union push, though Starbucks recently committed to raising its minimum wage, and raising wages for employees with at least two years of experience by 5%.
“We appreciate any help, but we’re still unionizing,” Romp said with a laugh. “We're still going to do that, because we believe firmly that a collective workforce can negotiate way more fairly with the second-largest fast food company on earth."
In a statement, a Starbucks spokesperson said they believe the company and its employees are “better together as partners, without a union between us.” The spokesperson adds the company respects workers’ right to organize, “and are committed to following the NLRB process.”
The Shelburne Road store is one of 11 Starbucks location in Vermont, some of which are company-owned, while others are licensed to other owners. Romp said they hope employees at other Starbucks locations will also take steps to organize.
"I believe that every store in our district and in the country should consider filing, along with any place where there's a housing crisis or where you're not being paid enough,” they said.
Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or get in touch with reporter Henry Epp @TheHenryEpp.
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