BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - A week from now, we'll know the result of a unionization vote at three Buffalo area Starbucks stores.
It's not a stretch to say that the expectation is that it will go through. "We are expecting that these stores will unionize," said Peter DeJesus, President of the WNY AFL-CIO. "From there, we begin the hard process of negotiating a first contract."
Whether its teachers, healthcare workers, auto workers or workers in the service industry, DeJesus says there's no difference. Workers want a seat at the table to have a say in their terms and conditions of employment. He says that doesn't change from industry to industry.
DeJesus said what needs to change is the frame of reference. "We have to stop looking at service positions as entry level jobs. People go into service because they choose to serve. It's not unlike when someone goes into the teaching profession or healthcare."
"You go into the field because you love to do that type of work, whether it's caring for others, or whether it's serving others. It's up to the employee to determine their career. It's not up to us as a society," he said.
Art Wheaton, Labor relations specialist at Cornell University telling WBEN that
since the pandemic, long days and low pay have hurt the service industry. "It's a lot of stress to be on the front lines dealing in a customer-facing job and risking your life."
Wheaton adds, people at Starbucks don't tend to ask for a plain coffee. "They want a lot of different things. It's a lot more complicated than how it used to be. Starbucks prided themselves on saying things like, get a double latte with soy milk. It's not just give me a cup of coffee," he said.
What is the benefit in a service job like this where turnover is high, compared to an auto plant or the medical field or being a teacher? "In all fields," he said, "you're finding that there's no longer the lifetime commitment to the job anymore. You used to hear about someone getting a job, staying forever, and retiring from General Motors. That's not the case today."
Wheaton says there's nothing to say that you can't enjoy being a barista at Starbucks. It doesn't have to be a temporary job as some people enjoy that type of work.
It's time to readjust the mindset, said Wheaton. "We tend to see ourselves in the United States, not as who we are, but by what we do. You do what makes you happy. If you enjoy being a barista, then make sure it pays a living wage."
