Following Slash And Burn Closures And Mass Layoffs, Starbucks Workers Protest At Seattle Headquarters – CoffeeTalk

Starbucks baristas and local union leaders demonstrated outside the company’s Seattle headquarters on Monday, protesting recent store closures that left many workers without jobs or transfer options. Starbucks Workers United reported that the company closed 28 stores in Washington, including nine in Seattle, resulting in approximately 900 employees being laid off. Trent Lytle-Hogue, a former barista at the Seattle Reserve Roastery, expressed the shock of learning about his job loss via social media, emphasizing the lack of direct communication from the company. He praised the union for providing support and negotiating better severance arrangements, highlighting their rallying cry: “An injury to one is an injury to all,” warning of potential strikes if the situation doesn’t improve.

This protest marks the second organized by Starbucks Workers United in less than a month, following another demonstration in late September addressing issues of understaffing, low wages, and retaliation against union organizing efforts. The union filed multiple unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks, notably after the firing of three union organizers and the company’s refusal to reassign workers from the Georgetown location during a remodel, suggesting they seek public assistance for lost wages. Michelle Eisen, a 15-year barista and spokesperson for the union, noted the pride felt in forcing the company to treat affected workers fairly, which underscores the union’s strength and influence in advocating for their members.

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