Workers at Three Twin Cities Starbucks Stores Join One-Day National Unfair Labor Practice Strike

MINNEAPOLIS — Workers at three Twin Cities Starbucks locations joined a one-day nationwide Unfair Labor Practice strike November 16. The job action impacted 200 Starbucks stores across the country and came in response to the company’s continuing refusal to bargain in good faith with workers who have voted to organize. The workers’ union, Starbucks Workers United, dubbed the one-day strike “the Red Cup Rebellion,” targeting the company’s promotion of November 16 as “Red Cup Day,” which is one of the busiest customer traffic days of the year.

The November 16 strike shut down the Starbucks location at 4712 Cedar Ave. So. in Minneapolis, where workers and supporters walked a picket line (photo above).

“Our store won our union election in May of 2022. Starbucks still has not negotiated with us,” reported Rev Beeby, who has worked about one year there. “The company’s whole strategy is to wait us out and rely on turnover to have stores lose interest in the union.” But, Beeby added, “I value being part of a union because it’s good to know my co-workers have my back and I have theirs.” Beeby said the company’s resistance shows it fears the workers’ power: “They know as soon as we do get a contract and show what we can win, a bunch more stores will organize.”

The two other local locations where Starbucks workers have organized are 300 Snelling Ave. S. in Saint Paul and 3704 Silver Lake Rd. NE in Saint Anthony.