PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Unionized baristas from Starbucks locations in University City, Center City and Chestnut Hill picketed in solidarity with a nationwide protest against the coffee giant’s alleged unfair labor practices on its flagship Red Cup Day.
The picketing workers were all represented by Workers United and they’re calling for better staffing, higher pay, and the resolution of hundreds of unfair labor practice charges — many based on bad faith bargaining and unilateral policy changes.
Tony Schultz, a shift supervisor at the Starbucks on Germantown Avenue near East Highland Avenue, said it feels like the company doesn’t care about what workers have to say during the contract negotiation process.
“They don’t care about supporting us through this entire process and they’ve made that very clear,” he said.
Big-issue policies for workers that they’re pushing back on include new dress codes, and denying non-paying customers access to free water or the restroom.
Sebastian Maris, a barista at 16th and Walnut, told the crowd it feels like corporate leadership doesn’t prioritize workers’ well-being:
“We have been conditioned to accept that companies can name their price for our labor. And we have come to trust that the companies that built their billions off our backs will leave us out in the cold,” he said.
Workers United began the indefinite strike on annual Red Cup Day — a big part of Starbucks’ year where customers get a free reusable red cup for the holiday season. A Starbucks spokesperson said the company was disappointed in the strike and is ready to talk with the union. They also said less than 1% of coffee houses were impacted by the Red Cup Day national protest.