NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Employees at a Newport News Starbucks are taking steps to unionize, becoming the first location in Hampton Roads to do so.
Employees at the Oyster Point Shoppes store, which is located off Oyster Point Road, wrote a letter stating their intentions to unionize. Starbucks Workers United, a group that has advocated for unionization efforts nationwide, tweeted the letter Friday afternoon.
The action comes as employees at 16 corporate-owned Starbucks locations nationwide have voted to unionize, and those working at more than 175 other stores have filed for union elections, the New York Times reports.
In the letter addressed to interim CEO Howard Schultz, the employees said they witnessed deteriorating store conditions, inadequate training and a lack of transparency from corporate management. They also want more employee protections and store renovations.
"Our efforts to unionize come from a love of our store and our community, and we are coming together in the hopes that the company will invest more in the partners that hold the company together," the employees wrote.
The group said it expects unionization to bring improvements in staffing, scheduling, pay and labor hours.
“Back at the middle of March, perhaps, a lot of us had our hours cut — almost all of us to below 20 hours a week, which is the threshold for benefits," said Duncan Young, a barista at the Oyster Point Starbucks seeking unionization.
Young expressed that the core of their efforts is a yearning to be heard.
“We’re all a little bit overworked, while still not getting the hours we need to. We’d like to get to a more stable place," Young said.
On Tuesday, the employees filed with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union election. It is not yet clear when or how the employees will cast their votes.
If employees vote to unionize, they would be represented by Worker's United, which is comprised of more than 86,000 workers across different industries.
Stores have different needs and demands, so each that votes to unionize will reach different contracts with corporate leaders.
Starbucks opposes unionization efforts
When reached for a comment, a Starbucks spokesperson shared a statement explaining why it opposes unionization efforts.
"We’ve been clear in our belief that we are better together as partners, without a union between us, and that conviction has not changed," the statement read.
The spokesperson also shared a letter written by Schultz and addressed to company workers.
“We will become the best version of Starbucks by co-creating our future directly as partners," Schultz wrote. "And we will strengthen the Starbucks community by upholding each other’s dreams; upholding the standards and rituals of the company; celebrating partner individuality and voice; and upholding behaviors of mutual respect and dignity."
Additionally, Starbucks has an entire website outlining its opposition to unionization.
"We do not believe unions are necessary at Starbucks because we know that the real issues are solved through our direct partnership with one another. And we believe every partner deserves to know the facts and to make their own decision," the company's website reads.
The coffee shop chain pointed out issues it sees with unionization, including workers having to pay dues or fees, no options to opt-out, the amount of time it will take to reach a contract and limits on schedule flexibility (i.e. swapping shifts or picking up shifts at other stores).
However, employees like Young are looking for a change.
“To stop the misinformation, to stop the intimidation and to honor our efforts to form unions," said Young. “I do believe in the mission and the values of Starbucks. If I hated it, I would leave, but I’m fighting so hard because I believe Starbucks could be a great place to work. Through unionizing, I hope that we’ll be able to work together with corporate as actual partners.”
Following correspondence with 13News Now on Friday, a Starbucks spokesperson denied claims of so-called "union busting" made against the corporation.
