PEORIA, Ill. — Workers United, a group backing Starbucks employees who are seeking support from organized laber, have announced a new Strike and Defense Fund for those employees.
On Thursday, the union announced an initial injection of $1M to aid Starbucks workers across the country who wish to unionize.
They’re calling it the Starbucks Workers United campaign.
“In establishing this fund, we want Starbucks partners to know that we have their backs, and are solidly behind them as they bravely organize and negotiate for better working conditions in their workplace,” said Lynne Fox, International President of Workers United, an SEIU affiliate.
The seed money of $1 million will be used to support workers who go on strike.
“A million dollar strike fund is an incredible show of support from our union,” said Reed Essex, a Starbucks partner from Chicago whose store is scheduled to vote soon.”
“We’ve unionized 100 stores in 25 states, with more to come in the next weeks and months. Our ability to hold out for a just contract will come down to being able to support each other for as long as it takes,” said Essex in an emailed statement to news media outlets.
Peoria has seen unionization efforts take root at two Starbucks locations in recent months.
The first to seek unionization was the Starbucks in Campustown, near Bradley University.
Starbucks has said in the past it fully intends to abide by National Labor Relations Board standards and bargain in good faith with any orgnized portions of its labor force.
Workers United claims there is “illegal” pushback happening on the part of Starbucks’ corporate leadership.
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