WORTHINGTON, Ohio — A central Ohio Starbucks becomes the 12th store in the state to join the Starbucks Workers United after a unanimous vote of 22-0.

What You Need To Know

  • Partners at the Starbucks in Worthington, Ohio voted unanimously, 22-0, to join the Starbucks Workers United

  • This location became the 12th Starbucks in Ohio to join

  • The Worthington partners join a quickly expanding nationwide movement of over 9,000 baristas organizing together for justice, fighting for improvements on core issues including respect, living wages, racial and gender equity and fair scheduling

"Starbucks is making it increasingly clear that they will sacrifice the health and safety of their retail workers for its bottomline,” Raquel Spiezio, a shift supervisor who has worked at Starbucks for more than ten years, said in a press release. “It is time for Starbucks to be held accountable for the decisions that impact thousands. The deep-seated problems created by this company’s unsustainable standards can be solved. I am so proud of the unified front we have presented in this exciting venture. Our partners are the very best, and we would be nowhere without our shared strength and determination.”

The Worthington partners join a quickly expanding nationwide movement of more than 9,000 baristas organizing together for justice, fighting for improvements on core issues including respect, living wages, racial and gender equity and fair scheduling. The campaign hinges on peer-to-peer organizing led by workers, for workers and has won election after election in stores nationwide, according to the press release.

Starbucks spokesperson Andrew Trull reached out with a statement via email.

"We respect the rights of our partners to organize and bargain collectively, and we are eager to reach ratified agreements in 2024 for represented stores. Our commitment to all partners to offer a bridge to a better future remains unchanged," said Trull.

According to Trull, once the National Labor Relations Board certifies the outcome of the election, Workers United must identify a bargaining representative for the store and send Starbucks an initial bargaining demand.

Following this, Starbucks will reach out with a proposed date for a first in-person contract bargaining session, which needs to be confirmed by Workers United. If the date does not work, then Workers United is responsible for suggesting a mutually agreeable alternative date for negotiations.

Workers continue to organize and take direct action, recently winning essential changes to Starbucks mobile order policy after a massive red cup rebellion with more than 5,000 Starbucks workers walking out at more than 150 locations across dozens of states. According to the press release, they are demanding Starbucks end illegal union-busting tactics and bargain in good faith with workers who voted to form a union.

In more than three dozen separate decisions, federal administrative law judges have found that Starbucks has committed more than 300 violations of federal labor law, including 38 unlawful firings, refusing to bargain and unlawfully providing non-union workers higher wages and better benefits than workers who voted to form a union.

According to the press release, since December 2021, more than 380 Starbucks stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia have successfully unionized.

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