Rochester Baristas Form First Starbucks Union in the New Hampshire

Baristas in Rochester, New Hampshire have become the first Starbucks workers in New Hampshire to file a petition to form a union. They are joining a nationwide movement. In a letter to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan, the workers said that they sought to dispel the company’s anti-union propaganda that they are a “third party” and pointed out that the workers are the union.

“This is us. Our staff, comparing shared experience, opinions, and information and deciding that it is in our best interest to pursue this,” the workers wrote. “Second: we love our jobs…. Simply seeking other employment would have been a much faster and easier process than all of this, which we undertake because we know Starbucks can be made better, though not without input from the ground level.”

The baristas said that while the company has processes and channels for workers to express concerns and complaints, but that they needed to exercise their collective voice because “time and time again” their good faith appeals to the company “have been met with scorn, informal reprimands, and outright retaliation.” They expressed concerns about worsening working conditions, lack of adequate sick time, sharp cuts in hours, unequal pay, workplace safety, lack of protections for workers with disabilities and more.