First Coffee Union Formed in South Korea by Starbucks Korea Workers – CoffeeTalk

Starbucks Korea workers have established the first labor union within a domestic coffee franchise by joining the Korean Chemical, Textile & Food Workers’ Union (KCTFU), affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). This development was officially reported on Sunday, following the union’s formation on Thursday.

The KCTFU explained that communication between employees and management had been constrained to an employer-led consultation channel, limiting meaningful dialogue about workplace issues. The union criticized Starbucks for addressing employee concerns with temporary fixes rather than implementing substantial solutions and for neglecting workers’ demands while imposing increasingly burdensome promotions and operational policies.

This unionization effort comes in the wake of a controversial promotional campaign in May, which stirred public anger due to its association with a historical event—the military’s lethal crackdown on the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement. This led to public apologies from Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and a nationwide closure of Starbucks stores for employee training focused on enhancing historical awareness and social sensitivity. Shinsegae Group, through its affiliate Emart, is the primary shareholder of Starbucks Korea.

Key grievances cited by the new union include chronic understaffing, excessive promotions and events, rising workloads, low wages insufficient for living expenses, difficult work schedules hindering secondary employment, and challenges in claiming workers’ compensation benefits. Moreover, workers had previously organized protests, including truck and funeral wreath demonstrations, to demand better conditions.

Before formal unionization, employees utilized anonymous online communities to advocate for improved staffing, reduced workloads, and better working conditions, with collective actions dating back to 2021 and 2024. Starbucks Korea employs around 23,000 individuals, all of whom are directly employed by the company. In response to the union’s formation, Starbucks Korea has stated its commitment to engaging with union representatives in compliance with relevant labor laws.

Read More @ Korea Times