On Friday, Starbucks workers in Oak Creek joined the wave of union organizing, filing for a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) union election with Starbucks Workers United and the Chicago Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United. In the last few weeks, workers have filed for union rights at over 75 Starbucks locations in 23 states. From New York to Washington, Florida to Oregon, and now Oak Creek, Wisconsin! Baristas and cafe workers at Starbucks are coming together in union for a better life and a better workplace.
The Oak Creek Starbucks Workers United organizing campaign comes on the heels of a successful union drive at Colectivo Coffee where workers won union rights with the IBEW Local 494. In 2022, Wisconsin workers are organizing new unions including the launch of the Game Workers Alliance Union (CWA) by Raven Software workers in Madison as well as teachers and professional staff at Carmen Schools of Science and Technology who are organizing with the Machinists Union IAMAW.
A 2021 Gallup poll found that unions are more popular now than they’ve been in over 50 years, with 68 percent of Americans in favor of unions, including 77 percent of people ages 18 to 34.
“There’s never been a better time to go union,” says Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale. “Unions are for everyone. Every worker should have the freedom to come together in union and collectively bargain at work. Workers are essential for building the wealth of any company and deserve a seat at the table.”
From coast-to-coast workers are standing up and demanding better. The entire labor movement is ready to move forward in solidarity to support union organizing at Starbucks, Raven Software, Carmen Schools, and across all workplaces.