Waterville Starbucks Baristas Win Union Election

PHOTO: Waterville Starbucks workers

The wave of Starbucks worker victories continued Tuesday as workers at the Waterville Commons location voted 9-1 to join Starbucks Workers United.

The Waterville Commons partners join a growing nationwide movement of more than 11,000 baristas working together to win workplace protections on core issues like respect, living wages, racial and gender equity, and fair scheduling. Starbucks Workers United baristas have powered a “winning streak” of organizing that has led baristas at over 100 stores to vote to join the union since Starbucks Workers United began bargaining a new path forward with the company in February 2024.

"I'm very excited and honored that our store is finally joining the union, becoming part of the over 500 incredible unionized stores across the country. As workers, we are stronger and more united than ever,” said Evelyn Fennell (they/them), a shift supervisor of 1 year.

Yesterday’s victory comes amid one of the busiest times of the year for Starbucks baristas, as the company rolls out its popular holiday drink menu and continues its annual Red Cup promotions, which brings in a flood of customers and an influx of orders to stores.  

“I’m so happy to have had the chance to work with my partners to build a better future! Moving forward, I hope we can all encourage everyone to raise their voice and fight for what’s right!” said Destiny Bragdon (she/her), a barista of 6 months.

Starbucks Workers United baristas have fueled an unprecedented surge of peer-to-peer organizing as they continue to win union elections from coast to coast and quickly surpass their milestone of 500 union-represented stores while making progress toward a foundational framework for store contracts.

The news follows dozens of victories in which workers voted to join Starbucks Workers United in California, Utah, Missouri, Louisiana and more in recent weeks. Since Starbucks partners first joined together to form a union in 2021, a wave of baristas across the country have joined the growing nationwide movement powered by workers for workers.

The latest union victory comes just as Starbucks Workers United baristas announced Tuesday they have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, if necessary, to win fair raises, benefits and staffing, protest unfair labor practices, and resolve outstanding litigation with Starbucks. The strike vote was finalized just as union bargaining delegates returned to the table Tuesday with Starbucks for the last scheduled foundational framework bargaining session of the year.