Legit Grounds for a Strike?
Did you know that Starbucks has only three union contracts in all of North America? Those agreements are all in place in Canada, in provinces where collective bargaining operates under different rules than in the United States. There are no contracts anywhere in the United States, and it’s unlikely that we will see one soon.
U.S. labor laws contain no provisions for mandating that an employer grant a collective bargaining agreement, which makes getting a first agreement very problematic for unions like Starbucks Workers United, which claims that “thousands” of workers at 500 Starbucks locations went on strike across the country yesterday in the second annual so-called #RedCupRebellion, demanding that Starbucks negotiate agreements more than 360 unionized stores. The very fact that this is the second annual #RedCupRebellion illustrates clearly how hard it will be for SBWU to get any type of agreement in these U.S. locations. One thing is sure: this tussle isn’t ending anytime soon, staying more heated than your morning latte.
Previewing the AI Ghost in the Machine
AI jitters among workers are plentiful and, in 2023, are being increasingly seized upon by opportunistic unions in an array of industries, including Hollywood. There, the WGA recently ended a 118-day strike with a contract outlining AI protections for writers and studios. SAG-AFTRA also finally concluded their 148-day strike, which means that Deadpool 3 and Stranger Things can now resume production, but what else?
Why it matters: The AI issue is urgent in the entertainment industry, according to Axios, which has created digital replicas of actors. But with the tech moving so fast, all of us will likely face disruptions soon enough, economists said at a Brookings panel this week. This makes AI a likely hot issue for unions to bring up during collective bargaining in many industries and even more likely to be used as a potential organizing issue where employees may fear being replaced by technology.
Worker Centers Flexing Muscles Again?
As more traditional labor unions like the Teamsters and the UAW have been dominating headlines in 2023, the once trendy labor organizations known as worker centers have taken a bit of a back seat, but that may be changing.
In 2021, hundreds of staff members at First Avenue, a Minneapolis music venue, began discussions about forming a union due to frustrations with wages, schedules, parking availability, and lack of a voice in the workplace. Unsure of how to get started, they reached out to local workers center Restaurant Opportunities Center of Minnesota (ROC-MN). Earlier this month, workers from seven First Avenue locations delivered a demand for recognition of their desire to be represented by UNITE HERE Local 17. A day later, management voluntarily recognized the union. According to reports, the unionization effort was successful based on the collaboration between the worker center and UNITE-HERE.
Worker Justice in Corporate Agendas: The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) highlighted that worker justice has become a top agenda item for investors in 2023. A total of 37 shareholder proposals focusing on worker health and safety, paid sick leave, wage equity, freedom of association, and workplace sexual harassment were set to be voted on at annual general meetings.
Social Justice Campaigns: Some of the original worker centers, such as the Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) United and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, have been active as well. ROC issued a report on workplace heat and a Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights, while the CIW has been working the retail grocery industry with corporate campaign tactics, including shareholder initiatives.
Allies on the Picket Line: a bevy of social justice groups, labor unions like the AFL-CIO, UAW, and SEIU, along with workers centers joined Starbucks baristas on the picket line during the #RedCup Rebellion as you can see in the image below. Look for this rebound in worker center support for labor unions to increase in 2024.
